David Kelley: Human Centred Design

An intuitive insight into human centred design that is surprisingly coherent with current issues within the design world. Kelley exposes how the importance of human/machine interaction is relative to good design by exploring various projects undertaken with the design team at TedDesign. From a new look at the retail industry with a redesign of the human interface system in the NY Prada store, to the reworking of the humble office cubicle, Kelley is able to highlight the importance of "including behaviours and personalities" in every approach to design.


Of interest to me are the stunning displays the design firm has been able to create in terms of applying this "human centred" focus toward the more aesthetic face of creativity. Within the recycled waterworks a sensual display of revolving squares overshadowed by a clean water feature shows the design team grasping at every possible design cue in order to relate the issue back to the human.

Delving further into this interfacing is the exquisite weaving of "emotions" within the London Museum, exploring how design is able to turn something so electronic, so mechanical into a thought provoking system of lights and beams.

By putting forward this ideology of human centred design, Kelley has demonstrated a key aspect that must be addressed in virtually every design situation. More interesting still, is the ability of this very same process to be successful both within the early period of 2002 and the present day, further underscoring the relevance of his talk. Let's face it, one year is a long time in the design world, let alone six!