Describing+Events+-SP


 * Describing Events**

One of the events that I observed was one of the first stages in the design process at the design firm ChaseDesign. I sat in on a meeting where the design team was having a conference call and brainstorming session with one of their clients about a new product. This discussion was an essential part of the decision making for the sustainability considerations of the product. There are certain specific product details I will keep secret but I was able to experience the process over Thanksgiving break. The meeting focused on the design of a new clip light for hat visors. Energizer was considering that the designers incorporate using magnets as an attachment method. Part of the meeting was spent describing patents that the team would have to work around and the cost was of foremost concern. There was a long discussion if the increased appeal of magnetic was worth the higher price and if it increased or decreased functionality. Most of the conversation was focused on the look light. By the end of the two hour conference, the industrial designers were put to work to come up with iterations for the end of the week, working around a few different functional concepts. At no point was product lifecycle brought up. I asked Scott about this later and he told me that for any project, if they can find more ecofriendly materials that provide the same material properties and are cheaper for their client, they are all for it but it takes time and more resources for this and it is not what they are paid to do. They are simply making the products look and feel like a part of the clients brand and what consumers are looking for in their next generation of products. The best that they can hope to do is make products that last as long as possible. They can’t waste time over engineering parts and running a FEA on everything they design. CAD files are sent off to the client who makes specific geometry changes to meet machine specs and specific capabilities. “A lot of the decisions are out of our hands.” Innovation was not discussed either as energizer is not a company to take big risks. Scott said that the real new technologies come from smaller startups and then the technology is bought out and adopted but they are behind on the leading trends and it is frustrating to many of the designers who wish they could be working with more cutting edge tech and bold new and innovative products.