For my industrial design project in Introduction to Design, I designed a kayak. Remember that post over the summer, about kayaks? That’s what I went off for this project. I had the solution in my mind, I knew what the perfect kayak would be like. I was really exited when I first started the project. I was going to make amazingly watertight hatches that would be flush with the rest of the body, and a seat made of Aeron-style stretched webbing with thigh support so your legs wouldn’t be sore. The cockpit is small, so it’s watertight and warm, perfect for open water with big waves.
That pattern of elastic straps on the hull? That was going to be a logo for the whole brand.
This kayak was going to be great.
However, my thinking was all wrong. I had the solution in my mind, I knew what the perfect kayak would be like, and that was what made this terrible. There wasn’t research. There wasn’t brainstorming. There wasn’t technically design at all. My “process” here was essentially “Have a plan – sketch out plan.” There was no creativity. This wasn’t good. I realized this fairly early on in the process, but failed to adjust my course of action.
This was terrible. I would consider this to be a failure.
I am so glad that I did this. This project taught me how important process is, and how much it matters in producing a good design. I am so glad that I experienced this failure.
Fail hard. Fail early.