【Online Speech】Beyond Rational & Functional: Brand, Narrative, and Craft in Technology.

The notion of form-follows-function has been engrained in many discussions over design for decades. Through the past decade Design Thinking has elevated such notion to a higher level, describing the purpose of the design as Problem-solving.
Altogether, these functionalist views of design are missing an essential side of innovation – the Story.

People are moved by stories and social interactions and with these, they form opinions about Design, purpose and the value of innovation. To some, social apps like Facebook or TikTok worth nothing, to others they worth everything. Similarly applied to physical products, to some any transportation device is agreeable. Yet to others, a car is far more than a mean to transport yourself from point to point. The journey, the feelings and excitement are the essence of the car.

In my talk I will explore how to resolve the conflict between the functionalist and narrative parts of the design process, especially when applied to digital technology, combining service, experience, hardware and software.

There is a gap in knowledge and discussion between Functionalist/Design-thinking and the Narrative design practices. Simplified, this is the gap between product-development mind-set and strategy or marketing.

My talk will provide insights into combining aspects of both sides into a cohesive, multi-dimensional Technology design practice.

1、Creating product architecture through experimentation
2、The influence of the product’s Story on function
3、Creative skills such as illustrations and model-making as discovery tools