The internet. Imagine it as a huge, pulsating brain at the center of the earth, ever expanding, all knowing. Now forget that and look at it for what it is: 1. a communication medium that, at this point, is easily and cheaply accessible; 2. a body of knowledge and information which is gigantic and is constantly growing. It is because of these two points that the internet has become such an invalulable tool for industrial designers.
The internet gives you, as a designer, a medium to communicate with potential employers, current clients, manufacturers and in general- the world. It also provides you with an enormous storehouse of data. Material specs, market information, parts inventories are all available on-line. The expansiveness of the internet gives you access to the smallest of specifics on the most oblique topics. The information is out there. Effectively using the internet to find it is where most people run into trouble.
Like any other design tool, the internet takes time to learn. Its size, complexity and dynamic nature can be intimidating at first. But this initial barrier quickly becomes a non-issue as you gain the basic skills of internet use. What we have below is a quick start guide that will get you up to speed in all the facets of ID on the net. It has been created with printing in mind. If you have associates who are intimidated by what is going on out here, print them up a copy. If you think your classmates need to be brought up speed, make a bunch of copies and hand them out. The more designers get on-line and use the net as a resource the better the resource will become.
This is by no means an exhaustive document, it is intended as a starting point. If there is something that we are missing here let us know.
Happy Interneting!
ID Internet Resources
Research on Jobs
Keeping Up With the Design World
IAID
ID Internet Resources
IDForum Mailing List
An open forum carried out through e-mail messages. Many working professionals and students subscribe to it.To subscribe to IDForum, send your message to:
listserv@yorku.ca
The message must only contain the following string of characters:
SUBSCRIBE IDFORUM your-nameIDForum Archive:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/idforum
and
http://interaction.brunel.ac.uk/idforum/Design Research Society Mailing List
This list covers research in the following fields: architecture, industrial design, engineering design, three dimensional design, fashion / textiles design and visual communications.Send an email message to:
mailbase@mailbase.ac.uk
(leave the 'subject' line blank ie. press 'return')
Type a message which reads:
JOIN DESIGN-RESEARCH yourFirstName yourLastNameDRS Archive:
http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists-a-e/design-research/
and at their homepage,
http://www.drs.org.uk/
UsenetThese are a few of the newsgroups that specifically concern ID.
alt.design.product
humanities.design.misc
comp.cad.pro-engineer
comp.cad.autocad
If your Internet Access Provider or School does not carry these Newsgroups you can use the search engine at http:// altavista.digital.com or http://www.dejanews.com to search and view them from the web. If you do have access to newsgroups, use a news filter program to return postings based on keywords of your choice.
WebThere are many specific resources for ID on the web... too many to list here. A good guide to these resources is (of course):
CORE Industrial Design Network
http://www.core77.comWeb search engines will also help you find what you want-
http://altavista.digital.com
http://www.lycos.comOr try a web directory-
http://www.yahoo.com
Research on Jobs, Internships
Listings of ID jobs.
CORE Job Board
http://www.core77.com/position.html
Internships, entry level and high-end positions.Rita Sue Siegel
http://www.core77.com/RSS
Mainly high-end design work with some entry level.RGA
http://www.rga-joblink.com
Not many ID positions.misc.jobs.offered
ID jobs are few and far between here.IDForum
A job comes through about once a month.
Investigate Firms and Corporations on the Web:Data on what firms/companies do, their culture, their clients and their focus- allowing you to narrow search.
Positions are sometimes advertised directly on the site.
Direct contact with the Firm.
Create your own Web Site or On-line portfolio:Save yourself the expense/trouble of sending out your portfolio to people across the country.
Contact an Internet Service Provider in your area, a personal page can be had for around $25 U.S. per month. If you are a student talk to your deptartment, or computing facilities personnel.
CORE will host your work for free if you are a student or freelance designer. Read our submission guidelines at http://www.core77.com/submit.html.
Keeping Current with Design Around the World
Check out and participate in:
Museums On-line
http://www.echonyc.com/~whitney/WMAA/
http://www.si.edu/organiza/museums/design/homepage/ndm.htm
http://www.sfmoma.org/Exhibitions On-Line
http://www.sva.edu/moma/mutantmaterials/homepage.htmlDegree Shows from ID schools
http://www.mech.gla.ac.uk/~gsapd/sig.htm
http://www.dh.umu.se/exam/exammain.html
http://info.lut.ac.uk/departments/cd/Docs_DandT/students/Show95/show95.htmlSchools' ID sites
Too many to list; see:
http://www.core77.com/design.edu/schools.htmlFirms' Portfolio pages
Too many to list; see:
http://www.core77.com/resource
Check the firm list and the design linxSubscribe to ID Forum and DRS, read the Usenet.
IAID- Using the Internet for Industrial Design Projects.
The basics of the design process (thinking, researching, sketching, presenting, evaluating, and making) can be enhanced through the use of the internet. To illustrate how, we will run through a hypothetical project here- the design of a cellular phone.
Research on problem / seeking insightSearch the internet for information that will help define your problem.
Post to Mailing Lists and Usenet groups seeking counsel from other designers who have worked on similar problems.ex.:
- Research the history of the phone at:
- http://www.telemuseum.se/
- Seek counsel on the IDForum mailing list.
- Review newsgroups and post requests for user experience stories:
- alt.cellular-phone-tech
- comp.std.wireless
- Look into cell phone security issues
- http://appl-30.dorms.tamu.edu/acook/fone.html
- Identify new cell tech and successful cell products
- http://www.mobileoffice.com/
Market researchFind demographic information, ergonomic data, accesibility factoids. Get competitive intelligence on price and distribution.
ex.:
- Erogonomic and Human factor Data
- http://ergoweb.mech.utah.edu
- Perhaps get some insight into the asian cell phone market
- http://www.japanese.com/library/publications/cellular.phone.html
- U.S. Market Demographics (search the article database)
- http://www.marketingtools.com
- Design for accesibility
- http://trace.wisc.edu/world/world.html
- Competitive Data
- http://www.nokia.com/
- http://www.mot.com/
Gaining inspiration/ seeing what is out thereVisit sites that touch upon your concept. Look at similar products at consumer sites.
ex.:
- You say to yourself; cell phones = radio waves = ocean waves = surfing
- http://www.ohana.com/hisurfad/photos/others.html
- http://www.sfgate.com/sports/jenkins/surf/gallery/
- alt.surfing
- Learn from and build upon some existing cell phones
- http://www.ericsson.com/
- http://www.nec.com/
Sourcing and Pricing of materials and processesHit the many manufacturers on the web and the material suppliers sites. Find specs on materials at academic sites. Order material samples from companies. Use the Thomas Registry On-line to find suppliers Off-line.
ex.:
User feedback/ testing
- Use the plastic picker to get the right material
- http://www.ge.com/gep/homepage.html
- Find a pre built antenna unit.
- http://www.thomasregister.com
- Get the price of the chip set.
- http://www.ti.com/sc/docs/apps/wireless/techapp/digital.htm
Set up a web page detailing your project, hit usenet and mailing lists with requests for input and gather feedback. Real life examples of this: http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/~ngopalan/thesis.html and http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/other/id/idw3/projects/rubbermaid.html
ex.:
- For some user feedback on your cell phone proto-syte
- alt.cellular-phone-tech
- comp.std.wireless
- For some designer feedback
- IDForum
- Finally, here is a more recent example of using the Internet to get feedback on design concepts:
- http://www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/other/id/apple/peartest/
- The "peartest" was done in connection with the Apple Design Project 96 at The Ohio State University.
PresentationFor long distance presentation of ideas create web pages instead of presentation boards. To get your prototypes produced check the web for production shops.
ex.:
- These guys could handle a cell phone prototype
- http://www.modelwerks.com/
- http://designcraft.com/
ManufactureEngineering Drawings and Specs can be sent electronically to model shops and manufacturers.
ex.:
- Need a high volume thermoplastic manufacturer for the cell phone casing
- http://www.endura.com/
