Speaker that grows
in a piece of furniture, the shape is generated
by an algorithm to
suit one’s physical space.
(September 28, 2015) Through
the use of 3D printing, product designers can enable the consumer to design
their own everyday products thereby creating more meaningful products for
people and more value for companies. These are some of the conclusions Guido
Hermans draws in his dissertation, which he defends at Umeå Institute of Design
on Tuesday 6 October.
“The two questions that I have focused on are: How will the
roles of the professional designer and the layperson change when the latter
engages in the design of personal products? And, how can designers develop
digital-physical toolkits for the layperson to collaboratively create value and
meaning?” says Guido Hermans.
Within product design there has traditionally been a gap
between production and consumption, with distinct roles for the professional
designer, who engages in production, and the consumer, who engages in
consumption. However, this clear distinction has been blurred recently and the
consumer, or layperson, is no longer involved only in consumption, but also in
production.
In his research, Guido Hermans has investigated a way to
open up design to the consumer and how to give this group an active role in the
design of everyday products.
“This role change implies a shift for the professional
designer from knowing what a future user would like to have towards knowing
what a layperson would like to design, which is for most designers an
unfamiliar way of thinking,” says Guido Hermans.