Why Design Contests Are Bad

Don Norman says “Design for the modern designer is about finding unmet needs, about the way people interact with and use the product or service, about economic and environmental sustainability, about providing utility and pleasure.”

Can your contest judge a design based on those requirements?

Take out all of the clothing on UnCrate and it could easily be a magazine for women. In every issue I find something to adore. Usually a clock. This one, called Qlocktwo would look great in my office.

Take out all of the clothing on UnCrate and it could easily be a magazine for women. In every issue I find something to adore. Usually a clock. This one, called Qlocktwo would look great in my office.

Cut paper art via keepsitrealss

Cut paper art via keepsitrealss

Have you ever made churros at home? They are the most dangerously delicious dessert in existence. Seriously, they will burn you with their hot oil explosions. Satisfied: Churros with Cinnamon Orange Chocolate Sauce and a dire churro warning from Vanilla Garlic.

Have you ever made churros at home? They are the most dangerously delicious dessert in existence. Seriously, they will burn you with their hot oil explosions. Satisfied: Churros with Cinnamon Orange Chocolate Sauce and a dire churro warning from Vanilla Garlic.

Office Covered Bridge - Westfir, Ore - Built 1945

Office Covered Bridge - Westfir, Ore - Built 1945

Volcanoes!

Volcanoes!

Thanks for the guilt trip, banana.

Thanks for the guilt trip, banana.

Wired takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to privacy. Yes, I have an old iPhone and the camera sucks.

Wired takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to privacy. Yes, I have an old iPhone and the camera sucks.

“We’re able to do more computing and image processing now,” says Mike Sinnett, a Boeing VP and chief project engineer for the Dreamliner. “But if you’re not disciplined, you can provide too much information.” (via Wired)

“We’re able to do more computing and image processing now,” says Mike Sinnett, a Boeing VP and chief project engineer for the Dreamliner. “But if you’re not disciplined, you can provide too much information.” (via Wired)

The northernmost end of the train* tells cyclists how many bike cars are available. While I stood taking this picture, a guy with a bike stopped and asked me if I knew how many bike cars were on the train. I said “Two” and gestured toward the sign. His eyes lit briefly, then he shook his head and said “I’ve never noticed those.” *On newer trains only. The 1986 fleet does not have this indicator.

The northernmost end of the train* tells cyclists how many bike cars are available. While I stood taking this picture, a guy with a bike stopped and asked me if I knew how many bike cars were on the train. I said “Two” and gestured toward the sign.

His eyes lit briefly, then he shook his head and said “I’ve never noticed those.”

*On newer trains only. The 1986 fleet does not have this indicator.