Design inspiration is often sought in the latest and greatest design examples floating around the web and in the slick pages of design magazines. But sometimes the items that are part of our everyday, the ones that enhance our daily tasks, are the items that can provide inspiration and bring our focus back to who and what we’re designing for.
Along with the millions of other commuters in Toronto, Canada, I travel to and from work on the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) each day and for various reasons my payment method of choice is the token. After years of hurriedly digging through my coin purse to find a tiny token (which tends to deek and hide among the similarly sized dimes) in the rush to get on the streetcar, I’ve found a sense of calm and appreciation with the acquisition of a simple gadget – the Rocket Wheel.
The Rocket Wheel (named after the commonly used nickname for the TTC, the “Red Rocket†is a plastic token holder created by Spacing Magazine in 2012 as a promotional product. It’s a simple rounded pentagon that holds 10 tokens. Only 1,500 units were made so those who were able to snatch one up are holding on tightly.
Content and context play a big role in the success of a design. Specifically in website and intranet design, we designers often rely on placeholder content to work out our layout and design but it’s important to give good and careful consideration to the real content that will eventually fill the pages. Look at your design in progress and ask yourself questions like, ‘Will this headline type style suit longer headlines?’ and ‘Will this image area be difficult to use (if it’s an abnormal shape, your client may have trouble sourcing suitable photography)?’ Whenever there is existing content, place it in the design to reveal any potential problems that may arise.
So what are some everyday objects that enhance your daily routine? Does good design play a role in their success?
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So my favorite object that I enjoy every day is build into my jacket, it’s the top pocket close to the zipper that allows me to have my phone handy, keep my lower pockets empty and be close to my body so I can feel the buzzing when someone calls me on the street and I can’t hear the ringer. I realize how well it works every now and then! smaller things cause big happiness.
Tedde