Synopses & Reviews
What makes a product successful?
How it looks? The way it functions? Its ease of use? Or do factors like price and marketing dominate?
In a quest to find answers to these questions, Deconstructing Product Design engages readers in a process of critically analyzing a diverse collection of 100 innovative products, from well-known classics to contemporary objects of desire. New in paperback, this books aims to support critical thinking about design, facilitate discovery of patterns of success (and failure) across products, and enable designers to apply lessons learned to their own design work. Experts from multiples design disciplines contribute commentary, including:
—Robert Blaich, industrial design
—Jill Butler, graphic design
—Alan Cooper, technology design
—Brock Danner, architecture
—Kimberly Elam, graphic design
—Donald Emmite, design history
—Larimie Garcia, graphic arts
—Scott Henderson, product design
—Kritina Holden, human factors
—Robert Kingslyn, graphic design
—Jon Kolko, interaction design
—Lyle Sandler, experience design
Continue the deconstruction at http://www.deconstructingproductdesign.com.
Synopsis
This book will deconstruct the design and functional elements and innovations of 100 extremely successful and ground breaking products. The author will profile them in a succinct bulleted manner, working off the successful format of Universal Principals of Design in terms of providing consistent types of information in a concise format. This will allow readers to quickly find and understand the workings behind the essential details, some of which made these products stand out and thrive in the crowded marketplace, and some that did not meet their expectations. Every product has a range of elements and even in some successful new designs, there are elements that don't work as well as the designer had hoped. By examining both the good and the bad, readers will walk away with an enlightened view of some of today's ground breaking work.
About the Author
Gerry Manacsa is a visual designer, artist, and engineer who helped to pioneer the web frontier in areas ranging from mixed-media personal storytelling to interactive learning methods for corporate and industrial environments. He lives in Houston, TX. http://www.manacsadesign.com
William Lidwell is the Director of Design at Stuff Creators Design in Houston, Texas. He is author of the best-selling design book, Universal Principles of Design, which has been translated into 12+ languages; Deconstructing Product Design, a social deconstruction of 100 classic products; and lecturer of two video series on design: "How Colors Affect You: What Science Reveals" available from The Great Courses, and "The Science of Logo Design" available from Lynda.com.
Table of Contents
Introduction
9093 Kettle
Absolut Vodka Bottle
Aeron Chair
AIBO ERS-110
AJ Cutlery
Angled Measuring Cup
Ball Clock
Ball Vacuum Cleaner
BeoCom 2 Phone
Bratz Doll
Bubble Lamp
Cabbage Patch Kids
Cameleon Stroller
Cifra 3 Clock
City Hall Clock
ClearRx Pill Bottle
Coca-Cola “Contour” Bottle
Coldspot Refrigerator
Crescent Adjustable Wrench
Cristal Ballpoint Pen
Crocs Shoes
Diamond Chair
Dish Soap Bottle
Dixon Ticonderoga Pencil
Egg Bird Feeder
Forehead Thermometer
FuBar Functional Utility Bar
Garbino Trash Can
Glock 17 Pistol
Good Grips Peeler
HomeHero Kitchen Fire Extinguisher
Hug Salt and Pepper Shakers
HurriQuake Nail
iBOT Mobility System
il Conico Kettle
IN-50 Coffee Table
iPhone
iPod 5G
Jaipur Foot
Jawbone Wireless Headset
Jelly Fish Watch GK 100
Joystick CX40
Juicy Salif
Kryptonite-4 Bicycle Lock
LC4 Chaise Longue
LCW Chair
LED Watch PH-1055
Lil’ Pup Dog Bowl
Lounge Chair and Ottoman
Macintosh
Maglite Flashlight
Model 302-F1 Telephone
Moka Express
MoneyMaker Pump
Mouse M0100
Museum Watch
Natural Nurser Baby Bottle
No. 5 Flacon
Officer’s Knife
O-Series Scissors
PalmPilot
Pencil Sharpener
Phonosuper SK 4
Pleo
Pocket Survival Tool
POM Wonderful Bottle
Post-It Note
Pot-in-Pot Cooler
Power Mac G4 Cube
Q-Drum
RAZR V3 Phone
Remote Control — Series 1
Roomba Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
Round Thermostat
Rubik’s Cube
Safety Razor
Segway i2
Selectric Typewriter
Silent Cello SVC-200
Sixtant Electric Shaver
Soda King Siphon
Sonicare Toothbrush
Stand Mixer
StarTAC Mobile Phone
SX-70 Camera
THUMP 2 Sunglasses
Titanium Series Padlock
Tizio Table Lamp
TMX Tickle Me Elmo
TOUCH! Tableware
Transistor Radio TR-610
Tykho AM/FM Radio
Variable Balans Stool
Vespa 150 GS
Walkman TPS-L2
Wiggle Chair
Wii
XO-1 Laptop
Zippo Cigarette Lighter
ZX81
Contributors
References
Index
Acknowledgments
Credits
About the Authors