How often do you think about design?
It could be the use of a font, the architecture of a building or why someone hasn’t designed something to improve the zipper or the spoon (perhaps there is nothing to improve upon?). Be it aesthetics or the simple fact that everything beyond nature that we see around us was designed by someone, design is everywhere. It’s not just art. The pylon on the street to the straw for your drink to the business strategy that governs your brand. I’ve watched documentaries like Helvetica and Urbanized, which have grown my interest in design and the human desire to design things better. There are two people in this world who understand design like no others. They happen to be brothers. They happen to own IDEO, one of the most innovative design agencies in the world. They are David Kelley and Tom Kelley. They have written incredible books like The Art of Innovation and The Ten Faces of Innovation (go read them). Recently, they spoke at the MIT Media Lab and were hosted by Joi Ito. This is a conversation that lasts a little over an hour, but it is well worth each and every minute. Unfortunately, they do not allow the video to be embedded below, so please click this link… and enjoy:
Media Lab Conversations Series: IDEO’s David and Tom Kelley.
They even have a great app called IDEO METHOD CARDS on itunes. If you want to investigate another great designer (Canadian) check out bruce Mau, has many books and a manifesto that is still used today in design thinking.