My Sources of Inspiration and Interests:
“HOW” + “WHY”: Investigating and understanding.
PUZZLES + CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING... in all forms.
HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN: Putting the user first. Conforming the object to the users' needs, whether it be physically through ergonomics, form and function, or psychologically and emotionally through aesthetics.
NEGATIVE USER EXPERIENCES inspire new projects in order to create POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCES.
FUNCTION: Objects with specific functions, tasks, or goals.
LEARNING new skill sets, insights, history and origins. (See "HOW" + "WHY".)
I believe seemingly small interactions, habits, and daily activities can be some of the most inspiring sources for great design.
Examples: Samsung Washers + Dryer “activewash” Built-in Sink, “FlexWash” Second Mini-Washer, and “FlexDry” Delicate Dryer
I began my college career at the technically driven Industrial Design program at DAAP. Critiques centered around form analysis and user interaction of every-day products. We were encouraged to be mindful of production feasibility and developed our designs through a hundred ideations of the same object.
As I continued my college career in the Designed Objects program at the SAIC, I gained the opportunity to learn from an alternative approach, which focused heavily on speculative design, emotion, and niche markets. I was encouraged to spend more time researching and ideating undiscovered concepts while also taking classes in other fields of art and design.
This duality allowed me to broaden my perspective throughout my growth as a designer, and it has better prepared me to work for a wide array of companies, whether it is a traditional Industrial Design firm or an environment that encourages fluid, artistic processes.
I can fit half of an apartment into a car, complete a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle in less than 2 days, and I research the inspiration, historical origins, and culture of most movies I watch. As a kid, I would take apart pens in class to investigate how they work and build cardboard mansions in the driveway.