Pink--Design

 Design is a classic whole-mind aptitude. It is, to borrow Heskett’s terms, a combination of utility and significance. In 21^st century, there are so many choices of products and the functions are very similar. So more and more people focus on the design of product. As BMW’s Chris Bangle says, “We don’t make automobiles, BMW makes moving works if art that express the driver’s love and quality.” Especially for young people, we always want to be special, so the need of different design is increasing all the time. “One of design’s most potent economic effects is this very capacity to create new markets—whether for ring tones, cutensils, photovoltaic cells, or medical devices. “Design is the thing we can see everywhere in our daily life.

The question is what is a good design? Good design can change the world in a good way. The first thing came to my mind is Steve Jobs’ Apple products. I think everyone will agree he changed our way of life. It has all the elements of a good design: the appearance is neat, it is very easy to use, very convenient, meet people’s needs, make people’s life easier. And we can also add personal preference to it, to make it become an “emotional device”. What’s more, it changed people’s way of thinking.

Therefore, to teach students design thinking is crucial in conceptual age even if they will not be a professional designer in the future. The design curriculum will provide them a modern version of a liberal arts education. They are learning to bring disparate things together to a solution. It will enhance their ability to solve problems, understand others, and appreciate the world around them. These are all essential abilities of a whole new mind.

For the activities, I think to read design magazine is a good way to sharpen eyes and inspire minds. We can also keep a journal to picture down the design we like, and even make some changes to them in order to meet our own needs. I would love to let my students design their own Nike shoes and shirts to present their own personality.