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Netherlands
From Fall '22 - Winter '23, I studied abroad in the Netherlands at Delft University of Technology.
This was the industrial design building where I took my classes (or industrieel ontwerp in Dutch).
I chose to take classes centered around ideation and creativity. This was because I was constantly struggling with idea generation at the time.
This is from a brainstorming session about trying to solve "lack of motivation to read".
The courses consisted of mostly collaborative projects, students from across 10+ majors, and
lots and LOTS of research and writing.
I'm in the back!
After completing my Connected Creativity minor at Delft, I've learned the importance of 'postponing judgement' during ideation and what methods work best for stimulating my personal creativity.
One of our final deliverables was to create a method we could personally use when encountering creative block.
Click on Connected Creativity to learn all about my minor!
My time at TU Delft was both enriching and a fresh breath of air. Now, alongside my technical ID skills, I have an arsenal of creative tools I can use to strengthen my ideas and embrace the unique.
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You will definitely see these tools at work in
each and every one of my projects!
STORYTELLING
Even though this is my portfolio for industrial design, I am a STORYTELLER at heart.
Kevin Hart is one of my biggest inspirations. His stand-up routines are some of my favorite examples of unforgettable storytelling.
STORY is what separates good design from unforgettable experiences.
Building Stories:
When I'm developing the stories behind my products, I always keep these five things in mind:
PURPOSE.
Why does/should my product exist? What problems does it solve? Purpose is a crucial foundation to establish before design begins.
AUDIENCE.
Who is this product for? What are their pains? How do they interact with their environment? The users should be at the center of the story.
FLAVOR.
Stories are defined by their characters & style. The same goes for products. What makes my solution stand out? Form? Experience? Color?
AUTHENTICITY.
No gimmicks. No unnecessary buzz-words. No tomfoolery. Stories should form an empathetic connection with users and establish trust.
FLEXIBILITY.
When it comes to design, the stories never end. There are no perfect solutions and therefore no perfect designs. There's always room for growth!
Telling Stories:
Once I have a clear vision of the story, it's just a matter of putting it all together. Within all of the stories I tell, there exists three important elements:
THE HERO.
The user is the hero. They have stumbled upon a challenge too difficult to overcome. At the beginning of all my stories, the hero gets a grand introduction.
THE KING.
Consistency is the king, it keeps the story immersive and in order. To retain the unique vision for each of my projects, the context and visuals must feel cohesive.
THE KEY.
The final product is the key. It's the answer the hero has been looking for all along. The key is intuitive in its use and fits with the rest of the hero's tools.
Telling
Building
© 2024 by Dwight Maxwell
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