Good Design

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What do you think is the most important factor in determining good design?
Please think over each possibility with regard to an area of design interests you.
eg packaging, books, logos, furniture...please state the area you are referring to.
1. that its form be directly related or derived from its function
2. that context dictates everything (by whom, where, when etc will it be viewed/used?)
3. that it aids in placing its user/consumer in society
4. that environmental issues and sustainability have been addressed
5. that it reflect current fashion and trends
6. that it convey or impress its message on its user/consumer
7. that it include symbolic reference and subliminal meaning

Which of these do you think is in actuality the more frequently applied criterion?

Do you think that these criteria would change in order of importance depending on the type of object being designed?
(eg would your answer be the same for the previous two questions if it were a chair as it would if it were a poster?)

In one sentence, describe what constitutes good design.

Do you think that
a. design can be given a universal check list to determine whether it is good?
or
b. good design depends of context?

― toraneko, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Good commercial design: It makes me wanna buy it. Good design in general: Original, aesthetically pleasing, of its time and maybe ahead of time.

― Will McKenzie, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'd add 'does what it's supposed to do and does it well' to Will's latter list.

― RickyT, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it does what it says on the tin!

― katie, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'd add: simplicity. This doesn't mean "minimalist". It could, but it doesn't have to. Trendy designs are neat for a few years, but looking back, it rarely is what one would call "good design".

I'd also add: content. This almost goes along with simplicity. If you're throwing an excess of skinny lines, unidentified blurry objects and a bunch of net-derived "computery" shapes for no apparant reason (trapezoidal type containers, interface tabs, etc.), you're off-base unless you're doing a techno flyer... and techno flyers are in pretty horrific taste, much like old psychedelic art.

― Nude Spock, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think that there is no excuse for something not being elegant and beautiful but its function should not be hindered by it's prettiness - unless we are talking about women's clothing and, in particular, shoes.

So, in conclusion, everything should be beautiful, first and foremost.

― toraneko, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Beautiful, yeah in some way. You can even make a toolbox label or a child abuse poster appealing in some way. Eye catching, nice colors and whatever.

― Nude Spock, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There is beauty in all people, no matter whether they abuse children or not. Even that Bush guy you have over there would have something beautiful about him.

The original question was more about manufactured stuff made by designers, as in graphic designers and industrial designers and fashion designers.

― toraneko, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Did I just misinterpret what you were getting at?

A poster of Pol Pot can still be beautiful and eyecatching even though the guy was a cunt - is that what you were getting at?

― toraneko, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes. That's what I meant. Also, Blair Witch 2, for instance, and Marilyn Manson's latest album are hideously scary... sorta... they're actually visually pleasing as hell, but they convey "scariness". There's plenty of crappily designed albums and movies that serve their purpose as turn-ons for cult fans of fringe, I suppose, but I wouldn't say it's "good design". Like those Something Weird videos or Filmthreat magazine or any Mentors cassette tape.

― Nude Spock, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

a nice ass

― Geoff, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"good" design is context related, i think, but in any case i still think a product should be made with attention to environmental concerns and sustainability, irrespective of context.

hey toraneko, is your name toraneko, torakoneko, or both? juzz wondering cos you use both to sign your posts.

― di, Thursday, 18 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Toraneko is what I sign my posts with but my email address is torakoneko because someone else had already pilfered toraneko@hotmail (might have been me and I've just forgotten - I should test it one day). Neither is my real name.

― toraneko, Friday, 19 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

six years pass...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katemo/2677813099/

^lust

― czn, Friday, 18 July 2008 10:21 (seventeen years ago)

six years pass...

anyone have any pointers on event flyers? for a """"dj night""""". i have issues with design but on the other hand i need to do something passable that looks like i care.

― mattresslessness, Tuesday, 29 July 2014 23:28 (eleven years ago)

can i just take photos of abstract things and layer then use a kewl font

― mattresslessness, Tuesday, 29 July 2014 23:29 (eleven years ago)

say 'free beer'

― j., Tuesday, 29 July 2014 23:41 (eleven years ago)

four years pass...

the history of the tube seating designs: a thread
— 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓁𝓊𝓀𝓎𝒶 (@balenciogre) July 12, 2019

― mark s, Friday, 12 July 2019 20:45 (six years ago)

I just want give a big up to the original Opinel folding knife for the near perfection of its design.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinel#/media/File:OpinelKnife_open.jpg

― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 12 July 2019 22:21 (six years ago)

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