Design has the power to
simplify.
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PS:What does design have the power to do?
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KF:
Design has the power to simplify. It can make things more accessible, whether that be storytelling or bringing things down to a human scale. It doesn’t have to be lofty. It could be helping you tell the story of hunger in Africa but think about what Dieter Rams did for Braun – there’s beauty in that.
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PS:Why is it design can partner with other disciplines?
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KF:
It’s because ‘design’ doesn’t mean anything. Whenever someone asks me what I do I say “I’m a designer”. They ask me what kind and I say “I don’t know! Depends on the project.” I’m not perfect at everything but I can have a hand in a lot of different things. I think its that observational nature which manifests in different people in different ways. I think that’s why we can partner with different people, because it’s a term that doesn’t mean anything. The meaning comes from what it gets attached to. It’s like tofu. You add the ingredients and that’s what it tastes of – that’s what design is. That’s why we can work with these things.
RI:It’s also the skill of being able to see both the big picture and at the same time the minute detail and piece these together. In design you’ve got to be a good storyteller and that’s why.