#designandtechnology images and photos, posted on Twitter

“life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving.”

Robert shared with us the insights and experiences he had that led him to his clever and classic designs. Having become a footwear designer, specialising in smart shoes for commuter cyclists, he has successfully designed for a real context and filled a hole in the footwear industry. His creations are designed for a very specific function, smart cycling. A smart shoe with a rubber panel in the soul to stop your flat-bottomed smart shoe from slipping of the pedal when wet, using materials that allow feet to breathe when the body is exerted. I ‘popped-collar’ style heal to make the shoes reflective when in the light at night. And my favourite feature was the show that made use of the patterned leather and underneath was a reflective layer that was so subtle you could only tell when the lights were off and we all got our phone torches out. I found this lecture very interesting, not only because Robert was engaging and had an interesting story to tell but because of the market he was selling to. After spending a semester designing for ‘the cyclist’ I have a pretty good idea in my head of who my customer is, someone very different to Robert McCaffrey’s customer. It opened my eyes and reminded me that despite being under the same umbrella, ‘the cyclist’, it is very important to remember the many different types of people you could be designing for and to not lump them all together within the same title. Robert highlighted just how important it is to have an image, and solid idea in your head of who it is your designing for and why.

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Matt Marais - Graduate of Product Design Engineering

The Power of Kickstarter

Matt Marais is the creator of the camera equipment that sits under the company name Loki; which he started developing as his final year project when he was a student at GSA. He told us about the journey he took, after graduating with his masters, to get his project to market. Matt gave us one of the most inspiring and interesting talks that we have been given as part of out Design and Technology module, he spoke about a very important lesson in design; knowing when not to give up on an idea, and learning from your mistakes and failures. What struck me most was the way in which Kickstarter dictated many of the steps, both forwards and backwards, that he made.

Since making it’s debut in April 2009, Kickstarted has fully-funded, through crowd sourcing, more that 100,000 projects! Kickstarter acts as a platform for inventors, creators and people with ideas to launch whatever it is they believe is worth it. I couldn’t believe the extent that Kickstarter decided the success or trajectory at stages of Matt’s process. There are obviously other ways to fund projects but when you can source thousands of pounds from people all over the world at the end of your fingertips via the internet, why wouldn’t you?! The power of the internet and its’ abilities and capabilities is just striking. People from all around the world offering tiny all the way up to massive sums of money to a stranger just because they quite like their idea. The limitless possibilities for design and designers, makers and creators, is quite incredible and truly inspiring. What is also incredible, is the scale at which it can destroy a project or an idea. Relying on people to back your idea based on a 2 minute video that you have to try and cram your years worth of work and research into to fully fun your life (up until now)’s work. We only really ever hear about the success stories, as if it’s a dead set way to fund your projects, but it was interesting to hear from Matt about his struggles which getting across the correct image to make people feel compelled to donate and his failed attempts. It just makes me wonder how many revolutionary, life-changing products and ideas have been given the wrong image and not evolved beyond their kickstarted campaign.

robyngillies

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Products for Purpose

“life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving.”

“everyone is a genius. but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

The Power of Kickstarter