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Possibilities Ballpoint Pen by Dave Colliver |
Home > Winners > Design #54513 >Interview |
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FS: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
DC: Elegant simplicity for daily inspiration. Removing barriers and complication to allow the basic elements of a design to give the most enjoyable experience in a simple every day task we often take for granted.
FS: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
DC: Products that people use every day can have a positive influence on them. They can provide concepts and ideas that give them the motivation to do great things, amazingly creative things. That’s what I wanted to achieve.
FS: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
DC: Manufacture it and share it with the world.
FS: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
DC: All up it’s been over five years but because of the holistic approach taken, it can be a bit of a fuzzy divide between market research, design, prototyping and business start-up effort.
FS: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
DC: It was definitely pursuit of an inspiration. I wanted to get it right and take as long as was needed to do so.
FS: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
DC: The design is ready to be tooled but not yet being manufactured. I am currently looking for the right funding model to allow me to produce it myself. I want to keep in touch with the product in the most basic way possible.
FS: What made you design this particular type of work?
DC: Despite the onset of more and more electronic devices and applications, I believe writing is one of those simple necessities and in fact pleasures that will endure for many people. In keeping with that, it was important to create something that was timeless and durable and that people wanted to use every day.
FS: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
DC: There are products and brands in particular that I draw my inspiration from. They have stood the test of time and are quite varied but all have some common values. Zippo, Audi, Porsche, Sony, Remy Martin and the perhaps lesser known Crix and R.M. Williams have all played a part. There are also a number of Italian pen manufacturers who’s passion for visual and tactile subtleties have reminded me of their importance and, to some extent, given permission to increase the focus on them. Lessons from my university lecturers still resonate with me too: Sandy Walker, Heinz Luettringhaus and Stuart Gluth at UniSA, Thanks guys.
FS: Who is the target customer for his design?
DC: If I were a utilitarian purist, I would say anyone who wants reliability and durability in a pen but I’m not. There is a huge range of emotions that go with putting ideas on paper that creative people of all types appreciate. These are the people I believe will enjoy this design.
FS: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
DC: I wish you could touch it, hold it in your hands and run your fingers along its curves. Feel the shapes and textures, the balance and the action. Functionally, there are many individual features and benefits that set the if… pen apart from other writing instruments but it’s how they all work together with a neat minimalism that doesn’t compromise on the experience that has been the focus.
FS: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
DC: I love the idea that all creative solutions are already out there just waiting to be discovered. If we can just put aside preconceptions and explore the possibilities unhindered (if… then…) we can achieve anything.
FS: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
DC: Subtraction, but even further, Eliminate – Combine – Rearrange – Simplify (ECRS). I have always found this approach the most successful in good design. A holistic use of Value Analysis and Lean principles were invaluable too.
FS: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
DC: I would have to say the activation method is the most unique aspect. It’s intuitive and its motion is nicely seen from end to end. But it’s also the basis for many of the other features, the protective cover, the ergonomic grip, the closing pocket clip and the refill replacement without disassembly.
FS: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
DC: There has been considerable collaboration with local quality manufacturers and of course, people who love pens.
FS: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
DC: Materials and manufacturing techniques are improving every day which is very exciting. In the case of the mechanisms, the materials selected improve reliability and durability. The metal injection moulding process for the barrel reduces cost, increases quality and minimises waste.
FS: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
DC: Lots of market research influenced the design from the very beginning. A key goal was that people could be proud of their purchase as well as the product itself so it had to offer greater benefits than other market players at an equal or lower price. Value Analysis was used to make sure this was achieved. I wasn’t out to exploit any potential prestige value. That’s not my thing.
FS: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
DC: The first concepts were pitched at an ideal, of a simpler internal mechanism, with even less parts. It was very elegant on paper but the available prototyping technology just wasn’t precise enough to prove its viability so I had to make some compromises. It was hard to let it go but necessary in order to move on to something I could prove would be reliable and durable.
FS: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
DC: It’s in keeping with my goal to share my best with the world.
FS: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
DC: Reach for the sky first and let pragmatism take effect during resolution. If we only aim for what we think is possible without exploration, we will never find the limits.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A' Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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