So I’ve been really busy the last few days, but I did want to update on some things. I’ve realized that this little side job I took has taught me way more than I even knew it could, and I’ve only met with this company for two days. I’ll try to explain.
- What I’ve taken the most from them so far is a sort of preview of what I may be doing in the future. The type of people I may work for/with. How they need me for specific information only. That’s the really interesting part. We both know exactly why I’m there and what I should do while I’m there. The meetings that we’ve had so far are really insightful as well. I can’t explain it (due to lack of words to fully grasp my experience as well as “non-disclosure agreement rights”) but it’s made an extremely huge impact on my life. It’s like taking a step back from the realm of studio and really seeing why everything we do in there is so important and it makes sense all of a sudden. All of it. It’s swimming around in a pool in your backyard with all of your friends and then stepping out onto the roof of the tallest building; you can still see your pool and your friends, but you also see everyone around you, how they interact, where they’re going; and then you slowly start to wade back into this ocean of people and products and businesses around you until you find a group that starts to interact you too. Right now you can still visit your backyard pool, but soon it’ll be just the ocean and the endless possibilities and the small connections that are made when you swim around. The larger fish that work with smaller fish and the smaller fish that know who to go to in order to get the job done, who in turn get to know a little bit more about the big fish, there’s a whole hierarchy of connections between them. I know my metaphor sounds really ridiculous right now but that’s really the best way for me to explain how I feel.
- On to another thing I’ve learned from this job: I found that I can’t stop sketching. I sketch all the time now, it’s all I do. Oh and how valuable sketching really is. Actual hand-drawn sketches. There are more than just designers out there who know how to use Photoshop and Illustrator and SolidWorks. Lots more. They don’t need us for that sometimes. Sometimes what they really want is a sketch. The impact a sketch has to a customer compared to a 3D rendering is extreme. When the people from the company see me start to sketch I swear I see their eyes get big and they start to focus on what I’m drawing. They like to see their ideas come alive in a way that they weren’t able to represent themselves. They really appreciate my skills in that way. It’s exciting I have to admit.
- For a third note on what I’ve taken from this job, I’d have to say that my attitude has changed dramatically. Just last week I was nervous about my career. I knew that I loved what I did and I find industrial designers to be truly amazing and inspiring, but I always held myself short of those endearments. Now I’m totally revamped about my future and my life in this realm of designers. I’m excited every day about studio and work and anything related to design. I want to keep going and going and learning about anything and everything that pertains to my major. I feel more part of this world than simply spectating it. It’s a lifestyle, it really is. And it’s life-changing. Wow, okay if I get anymore into this I’m going to explode so I’ll stop there on this matter.
Overall I feel more like a designer now as opposed to just a design student. It really makes a difference. It’s more meaningful to me now, which makes studio as a whole more meaningful to me. The products that I design have an obligation to society to make it a better place and really help someone. I want to help people with my designs. Which really gets me pumped for this assignment. I really want to revoluntionize the process of opening doors. I know what you’re thinking. She sounds so passionate about…..doors? Yes! Opening doors, putting the key into the lock. Do you even know how hard that is when you’re eyesight is failing?! What about the pain it gives trying to turn the lock? WHY do we still use this age-old method of a key and lock and door handle? Why not make it simpler? What if instead the key is the handle? Would that be safer? Simpler? Easier to use? Practical? Why? Why not? What if I can design a door that is safer and provides less strain on everyone involved? That’s what I’m trying to do. I couldn’t really find the right words for this yesterday, but my insistence to continuously sketch spawned the idea upon me, so I’m going for it. This may sound like a really small detail in the everyday lives of people, but think about it. How many doors do you use in a day? How many doors are in your living space? How often do you interact with them? How many times have you lost your keys? I remember last year a kid over in North Ave. apartments dropped his keys down the sewer drain in the street. Fuck. What do you do now? Well I think it’s about time to solve these problems.
And I’m going to try my hardest to do just that.
1 Comment
September 13, 2008 at 6:55 pm
this is awesome, i’m really happy for your change in tone, your diving into the ocean etc. it really is a weird and inspiring moment.
the cool thing is that you will keep having those moments if you keep pushing yourself! its addictive and really makes your efforts and the changes in life worthwhile.
cheers.