DSDN 171 Assignment 8

I agree with Hannes Mayer's argument that design is a product of science driven by new technology and the potential to mass produce the design.  It is because of this view point that we have most of things we do today. For example, if designers had not used the technology of computers and designed them in such a way that they could be produced for the masses at a good price, the world would be a very different place.  Although I agree with this the is one thing that I believe that Mayer missed and that was the influence of art.

Fig 1

I believe that design to today is a combination of both art and science.  Science is very important as it tells designers how to make an object with a function that works.  For example, the above picture is of Microsoft DOS(Disc Operating System)  While it had the same functionality of more visual operating systems these days, it was not immediately obvious where to go if you wanted something, as you had to call commands to find things.  This is where the art comes in.  Artist know how to convey a narrative to an observer so applying this to the design of an operating system they were able to make it so that the operating systems became more intuitive and needed less prior knowledge to use.

For science to do something for the masses it needs art to interpret it so that they can understand what science has done, in turn art needs science to give it a reason greater than just making beautiful things.  Design in the combination of this, so that the discoveries of humanity can be put to use by the greater population.

References


Benjamin, W. (1992). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (pp. 211-244 ) in Illuminations, trans. Harry Zohn. London: Fontana.


Fig 1: Edward H.(2002) "MS-DOS Prompt MemoryCheck" Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.subsowespac.org/sh_xp/silent_hunterxp.shtml