Design Big

Am I a designer of Dundee? Am I a designer of Scotland, the UK or Europe?

No. I am a designer of the world. And I need to “Design Big”.

Mike Press gave a lecture on Friday morning titled: Design in the Age of Knowledge, Experience and Terror. It was all about having big dreams, designing big and living a big life. He showed me that I should never doubt my ability, limit my imagination or fail to take risks. He spoke with such passion and enthusiasm about what we could achieve if only we think big that as I left I could not help feeling elected about my future.

Design is only about how things look, yes?

No. If we only think about what how it looks then the product will fail in other areas. We have to understand people’s needs, identify opportunities, develop ideas and communicate values as well as thinking about reducing costs, adding value and improving productivity. If we want to design a “big” product we need to think on a “big” scale.

Today in Britain most of our wealth is created by knowledge, we no longer rely on the production of physical goods; we are living in a “Knowledge Economy”. Fashion designers, film producers, software designers and graphic designers etc. are all trading on knowledge. Consumer culture is now not about the product it is about the experience. As a nation of consumers we use goods to create social bonds and distinction, we give aesthetics emotional attachment and as designers we are reflecting this. We need to think what will the user gain from our design? We are no longer just designing a chair; we are designing a sitting experience.

As a designer I need to “ride the wave of diversity” I need to look at the world and question how I could solve some of its problems? I need to understand that we live in an ever changing world, understand I have to be flexible within my field, and I have the ability to adapt accordingly. I need to stay ahead of the game, stay connected with the rest of the world and think openly. If I wait until point B to realise what I could have achieved at point A it will be too late.

Think big you will have a big life.