Monday Design Tip: Be Water, My Friend
posted ago by baron
Let me start by saying that, contrary to what you might think, this is not a shameless attempt to work Bruce Lee into a Quirky blog post. At least, that wasn’t my ONLY motivation when planning this week’s design tip.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the title of this blog post refers to a famous quote written by Lee during the height of his martial arts fame:
“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now, you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
In telling the listener to be like water, Lee refers to the benefits of adaptability when facing a foe: a fighter who adapts to an opponent’s fighting style will always have the advantage over someone who adheres to a rigid, unchanging technique. These are words for all martial artists to live by, but this advice can also help anyone who encounters conflict on a regular basis, with product designers being a notable example.
You see, in the unpredictable world of product development, a product’s form and function will always be in a state of flux. More often than not, the first solution a designer thinks up will be quashed by one obstacle or another, whether it’s a higher-than-expected production cost, an unviable mechanism, or a favorite feature of the designer’s that consumers simply don’t like. So, to ensure that the final product is as effective and efficient as possible, a good designer should always be willing to make changes and drop features if the evidence suggests it will be an improvement. This doesn’t apply in every case, as there will always be times when you should stick to your guns, but if you find yourself cutting corners and burning the midnight oil just to fit an awkward feature into your design, it may be best to start searching for an alternate solution. The same can be said when dealing with critical feedback: you don’t need to heed every suggestion or complaint in your ideation’s comment section, but you shouldn’t ignore a reasonable, well-backed critique just because it doesn’t fit your vision of the product.
The development process for Quirky’s Pen Zen is a good example of how adaptable design can result in a better finished product. In his initial submission, inventor Edwin van de Bospoort envisioned a pen and pencil organizer that would work in a similar fashion to a McDonalds straw dispenser. However, when QDS began working with Edwin’s initial design, this method was found to be unviable, as it would restrict access to the pens, and would only allow the device to be compatible with a limited range of writing instruments. Instead of toiling to make a flawed concept work, Edwin and the design staff chose to pursue the “Magic Fingers” feature suggested by member chaosplan in a Community Design Phase, which addressed the issues with Edwin’s original design while maintaining his goal of simplifying pen/pencil organization. You can judge the results for yourself in the Quirky Shop.
So remember, be water my friend. No idea is too good to be improved.
Bruce Lee from Makeda Mind on Vimeo.
Comments (13)
Ernesto Tan
Oh my God! I'm a big fan of Bruce Lee! I also took martial arts when I was younger! I still practice once in awhile! Love the Enter the Dragon Movie between him and Chuck Norris fighting ...:)
Ernesto Tan
WAAAAAAAh Wooooooooh !!!
Ernesto Tan
I have not invented a "new style," composite, modified or otherwise that is set within distinct form as apart from "this" method or "that" method. On the contrary, I hope to free my followers from clinging to styles, patterns, or molds. Remember that Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see "ourselves". . . Jeet Kune Do is not an organized institution that one can be a member of. Either you understand or you don't, and that is that. There is no mystery about my style. My movements are simple, direct and non-classical. The extraordinary part of it lies in its simplicity. Every movement in Jeet Kune-Do is being so of itself. There is nothing artificial about it. I always believe that the easy way is the right way. Jeet Kune-Do is simply the direct expression of one's feelings with the minimum of movements and energy. The closer to the true way of Kung Fu, the less wastage of expression there is. Finally, a Jeet Kune Do man who says Jeet Kune Do is exclusively Jeet Kune Do is simply not with it. He is still hung up on his self-closing resistance, in this case anchored down to reactionary pattern, and naturally is still bound by another modified pattern and can move within its limits. He has not digested the simple fact that truth exists outside all molds; pattern and awareness is never exclusive. Again let me remind you Jeet Kune Do is just a name used, a boat to get one across, and once across it is to be discarded and not to be carried on one's back. — Bruce Lee
Ernesto Tan
I'm sorry that was "Way Of The Dragon" when Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris had a fighting Scene at the end! :)
Ernesto Tan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqzQ2qrtBeg
Ernesto Tan
If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. Bruce Lee
Dan Turk
more like "be wa-TAAAAAH," amirite
JonesAndJones
Thank you for the article, Baron. And the quotes, Ernesto. Economy of movement and expression... the opposite of "feature creep".
Elizabeth Wingfield
Deep breath, Ernesto. It's gonna be ok.
Sebastien Lauzon
LOL EW, too bad there is no LIKE button ;) Quirky got the subject right for Ernesto ;) Nice job Q with the design tips!
Ernesto Tan
Here's a like Button , Sebastien! It's not clickable but you can just copy and paste it if you like! LOL:D
Brandon Murray
I shared the Bruce Lee video on facebook page! :-)
Lillie
Great example of social development and community input working together to take an idea from plateau to peak!