This post is the beginnings of a new model of design practice that I am working on developing a theory for, one that does away with any static environment and allows the designer to work without the boundaries of the traditional office environment.
In times past the office was the place in which work was done, however for the modern designer this poses a major problem for inspiration since “creativity cannot exist in vacuum”, in this case the vacuum being the past and in some cases current work environment. As every designer knows it is almost impossible to design something that can be truly used in the world outside the office if you do not venture beyond the office or your own world into new environments and contexts.
With the advent of more powerful laptop computers, cheaper transportation and more robust mobile communication devices this can now change and has already started an evolution in the ways in which people work, some of these ways of doing are good, some are bad. Initially the changes have allowed the designer to break free of the office/work environment, to move out into the world and become inspired. To be allowed freedom and flexibility to be anywhere while they work and yet still be able to connect with others working on the project or those still in the office.
It has allowed changes to the way manufacturing is handled and we are now seeing the developments in global communications and transportation taking effect as more and more people are able to outsource work to manufacturing hubs in China, a place that only the larger companies could once send work to due to the costs associated with having to physically move people around to manage production. Today it is possible to manage these processes via the internet and email.
With so many developments in so many technologies it is now possible for the designer to never have to return to an office environment and become truly mobile, able to work anywhere, anytime and collaborate on projects with designers many miles away. The designer can become a “fluid designer” and the office to become “decentralized”
The fluid designers toolkit:
Sketch/Note Book & Pens – the base design essentials
Laptop – email, internet, calender, CAD, – the list is almost endless of the things you could do with it
Wireless internet/Wireless hotspots – allows the designer to use the laptop to connect to the world
Collaboration software – allowing the decentralized office and the fluid designers to communicate
Mobile Phone – phonecalls, sms, internet, inbuilt camera(used for research)
Kinoko’s – Allows the designer to print proposals, documents etc…. – with the advent of 3d Printers becoming more readily available it is possible that maybe this is where you might have basic prototypes printed.
Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is not being able to disconnect from work, designers this is hard enough as it is and this is amplified when you can just “quickly send that email” or “just make that small change”.
This theory is currently quite loose, incomplete and in its infancy as this is the first time I have made an attempt to put the concept into words – hopefully I will have time to develop it further and will try and post updates on it as time permits.
