Design for life

This video kept me interested since I felt very connected to the situations that the students were facing. It was interesting to see everyone in the competition designing for their life. It was a life changing experience for everyone competing and I can see the passion that all the contestants had inside them. I watched this video thinking what if it would be like if I had the chance to be in that position. This kept me engaged and wonder what may happen next to the contestants.
When I put myself in doing task 1( choosing a product in a supermarket that represents male, female, good for environment and bad for environment) I have chosen two obvious items as well, which would result in going back home. I have learnt to think outside the square and think more creatively when task like this is set.
I was a little disappointed by the results on task 2. I wasn’t impressed by the quality of their presentations and I thought most of us studying industrial design in uni can do a much more better presentation.
The tasks that are set were very broad and the time limit was too intense. It is challenging to come up with a set idea concepts to models and presentation and I think this is the skills we as design students must have. I am not sure if this skill is something we can improve by practice and experience or if you are just born with the skills and you have to discover it through experience. It once again made me realise that designing is not easy and it is hard to come up with a innovative design that will please the person who set the task or the client.
By episode 3 when everyone failed to please Philip stark, the feelings that contestants was very much like what I felt when I failed to come up with a good design.
Overall atmosphere of submitting and task being assessed resembled the atmosphere of our uni life. It was more engaging because I can understand their feelings awaiting for Philip stark’s comments after their hard work. I feel like I should try more hard in every task that is set for me realising that our task may not be so intense like facing Phillip stark but our task will all lead to success in future life. Sometimes when the projects don’t go well and having trouble coming up with a design, I wonder if I am in the right position. It leaves me with a question, should designers always enjoy what they are doing or is all the stress that we are getting just a process that everyone goes through to become a successful designer?
I was amazed to see the final result of the last two students. I think the best part of studying design is when producing something so amazing that you did not realise you and achieve before.