The Next Big Thing?

I am trying to figure out the next "big" thing in design. Who isn't. However, I did recently read an article in my new EETimes by Chappell Brown entitled "Next Big Thing
May Be Process, Not a Product" (ElectronicEngineering Times, October 31, 2005) which got me thinking about not only the information technology (IT) industry but conversely, how that notion applies to the design industry as well.

In the engineering and technology world, the big buzzword is "disruptive technologies."
Information technology relies on new ways to build semiconductors that do not simply take existing technology further in a linear fashion but rather, as Paul Horn, the current director of research at IBM points out in Brown's article, "are scaled out vs. scaled up."

How does the esoteric (in terms of the typical designer's mind) notion of scaled out quantum mechanical tunneling affect the simple idea of custom design? Or more succinctly, the business of design?

I would venture to say that the design process is going through a similar migration from that of the designer offering "the best solution" to one of selling the client the design process or the "why" and "how" of the design problem as opposed to the "what" of the problem. Simply stated: Designers need to transition themselves out of the role of reactive problem solver and into the role of active solution integrator. I know, that all sound like a bunch of hyper-business strategy crap spewn from the mouth of some douche-bag consultant but think about it. Could you improve your services to the client by showing them how to design rather than just telling them what to design? As a designer, are you comfortable with the idea of giving up some of your so-called "trade secrets" in order to bring more long-term value to a project.

Like I said, I am just trying to figure out what comes next for this over-competitive industry we work in. Are you not just sick of competing on price only? It is killing the creativity of this biz if you ask me.

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The New Reading List

These are some of the business stragegy books I am reading (or have read) right now. I think some of the strategies could easily be applied to the design business. I'll let you know what I think about some of this stuff in future posts.

What? Was I Just Supposed To Leave You Hangin' ?

Howdy fans,

OK, so when I start getting email from people I don't know asking why I shut down this blog I guess I have no choice but to respond. Firstly however, thanks for the ego-boost. I don't know, anytime I get any validation for what I'm doing I just become a sucker...

A little backstory: the past 3 months have been busy. I have moved out of my shop after 7 years into a newer, smaller space that cuts my overhead by 100%. because I own it. No more renting (in reality, I rent from myself so I can expense it). It was a monumental move that had me cleaning the shop out after all those years. I sold most of the big stuff that I was not going to use and scrapped a massive amount of steel. I can't stand all that heavy stuff anymore.

I worked on a couple of projects in the meantime: Donkey Den and Grenade being two that got put together over the last 6 months. My favorite is Grenade. I am now starting to work on a retail concept that relates to custom blank t shirts (thats all I am allowed to say at this point) that will be built out in Orange County, CA somewhere (location hunting right now...) by April 2006 I guess.

I have also kind of moved away from Blogger and now use WordPress which I love. I presently have these sites I am trying to integrate into kind of a network that includes all my weird interests and projects:

http://www.patryan.com
http://www.industrial-luxury.com
http://www.acme101.com
http://www.ryanstudioinc.com
http://www.patryandesign.com
http://www.workingparts.net

Most of these are in early prototype mode.

Now, why would I try and maintain all these web sites? I have this idea about creating a kind of web-based art project that integrates media and design stuff within a time-based framework for a sort of “communication sculpture”. Now before you think that I am getting all art-farty on your ass let me explain my theory: I need to reinvent myself on a regular basis or I go crazy. I don't change my fundamental personality in any way - I am not that weird - I just like the realm of New and Trend type stuff. I am one of those early adopters that people really can't stand. You know, the dude who has to show you the latest electronic toy or gizmo that supposedly “makes my life easier than yours.” I always change my mind a lot and need to update my design and design products way too often. I never hold onto anything for too long anymore. I used to. I would keep everything I came in contact with over the course of collecting stuff for projects and painstakingly store it until “I needed it”. When I finally realized I was never re-using most of this crap, I made the decision to jettison all that baggage and guess what - my life got simpler and I never missed any of it. Hmm.

What the hell, I digress. Basically, I guess every now and then I'll throw something up here on The Design of Times We At ( a name I just don't really even like) here on Blogger and hopefully get my little Working Parts web network set up in the meantime.

Oh yea, by the way designers, if you are still trying to use Lumacite in your projects, you're still an idiot. Also, read Blue Ocean Strategy and try to figure out how to compete in the lame-ass “interior decorator” category.