Old_Responses_Slow_Design, Past Student Work

Slow Design Research

Posted by Test User on

The principles of Slow Design can be applied in many facets of life, from artworks to large computer systems. The first project which displays some principles of Slow Design is the Philips Tea Maker (pictured above). This tea maker is a water kettle and tea pot in one. Once the water is done boiling, the user will be notified. Then, when the tea leaves are done brewing, a light turns on. This Tea Maker displays the Slow Design principle of EVOLVE; once the tea is done brewing, the tea leaves are meant to be placed inside a mold where they will be transformed into a tea cup. Thus, the user builds up a supply of tea cups, each representing a different time they had tea. The Philips Tea Maker also exhibits the principle of PARTICIPATE. The handle of the Tea Maker is a “snake handle”, which allows the user the opportunity to transform the handle into a shape they find the most useful and ergonomic.

Another project which I believe fits some of the Slow Design principles is Git, a version control system used for software development. Git is an open-source software, meaning that anyone can view and suggest changes to the source code. This fits well within the principle of ENGAGE that Slow Design posits. Git has been around for 11 years and, in that time, has made great changes into how software design is implemented. Git allows software systems to be designed in a world without time. Changes made to a project 5 years ago can be revisited with a few keystrokes, allowing designers to see how a system came into being. I believe this fits the principle of EVOLVE.
Three Slow Design Project Ideas:

1. Modular Chair
It is common for humans to spend 8+ hours a day sitting, so what we sit on should be of utmost importance to us. A Modular Chair would allow those who live a more sedentary life to truly customize their sitting experience. Being able to add and remove peripherals such as arm rests, head rests, back support, etc should be as easy as possible. For a chair to be truly modular, it would allow for users to create their own peripherals; someone who prefers a different seat, wants to add a leg rest, or decides to take a break from work and rest in a recliner should be able to do so easily (PARTICIPATE). A website would go along with the Modular Chair which would allow makers to post their peripherals, allowing for open source design (ENGAGE). By being modular, once a part of the chair begins to break down, it can be easily replaced by a duplicate part or a variation on the part (EVOLVE).
2. Flint Pencil

When sharpening a pencil, we hardly think about the nature of this action; the source of the wood or graphite we are throwing away. If instead of wood, a pencil were made of flint, we would be forced to consider the nature of our actions and source of the materials (REVEAL). Additionally, this pencil could be used for more than writing, as it could be an excellent fire starter (EXPAND). While a wooden pencil does not force us to consider the life of the tree the wood came from, a flint pencil would force us to think about the source of the flint as we sharpen it, since it would be shooting sparks all over the place (REFLECT).



3. Cereal Box

Cereal boxes are typically made of cardboard, which most people throw in the waste instead of recycling. If we instead made cereal boxes out of cereal (a mixture of grains), the boxes themselves would be a food source (EXPAND). Also, the name would truly reflect the object (REVEAL).