August 26, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
The lure of Innovation
Innovation is a buzz word at the moment. Defining innovation is a difficult task. Everyone knows what it means but can't agree on what it is. Innovation...just happens. The following passage is a quote from this years AIDA yearbook in which I discuss the moving sands of our profession.
"Industrial design as a profession is changing. The role of design in identifying and exploiting market niches is becoming more technology dependent. Emerging technologies and communication systems are challenging our professional boundaries."
We need to contextualise this around innovation. Managing innovation in these circumstances is critical to a successful outcome for the product. Generally innovation has a cost attached to it and no small amount of risk. What is the sequested role a designer can play? Balance is the key, being selective about the levels of innovation used and keeping a good focus on the commercial aspects of the project. A particular innovation might be a good idea, but is there any real benefit to the user and does it compromise the profitability of the overall project investment.
Comments (0)July 26, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
CMD Wins 2008 Product Of The Year Award - Flaik
The inaugural Standards Australia 2008 gala presentation night in Sydney for the Australian International Design Awards was a huge event. Finalists from international companies such as Philips, Audi and Miele were all in attendance. Things were looking good when the Flaik was awarded a place in the Powerhouse Museum, then shortly after, an Australian design award, but we raised the roof when the Flaik was awarded 'The Product of the Year'. Truly a remarkable achievement.
This is the first time that the award has been given to a Queensland company. A real bonus for product design in Queensland. The award is the tenth ADA that CMD have received and this coincides with the companies tenth birthday. CMD also picked up an Australian Design Mark for the AI Scientific 'Pathfinder 900' a Pathology Sample Management System. All in all a good night.
Queensland was well represented in the awards. Notable ADA winners included 'Innotech' for the excellent Guardian safety system product (also a product of the year finalist) and the '3Di Design' Wrino boat hook.
Ai Scientific Web Site http://www.aiscientific.com
June 24, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
Balls of Steel 2008
June is the traditional time for the annual inter-firm competition between CMD and Infinity Design. Up for grabs; the coveted 'Balls of steel trophy'. This is the fourth year of the competition. Past years have included; Pool, Ten pin bowling and Clay pigeon shooting. This year it was Paintball. The mild mannered CMD crew faced up to the heavily armed, 'all business' Infinity warriors.
What can we say? We came, we saw, we conquered. Eight hectic battles were fought, CMD emerged victorious in all. The trophy is currently being engraved with the names of the hero's.
Footnote: As the boss here at CMD I am pleased to say that no one shot me in the back. Sadly this was not true for the leader of the opposition ...
A few 'shots' of the day bellow:
June 23, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
CMD - Cybershack Interview
Fame at last. CMD made it onto the small screen, with a feature on the Chanel Nine tech show 'Cybershack'. The Focus was on this years AIDA awards and the product of the year winner from CMD, the 'Flaik.' Follow the link below to see it online.
http://cybershack.com/media.php?id=447
or download a copy from here.
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Queensland Design Awards
The QDA presentation night was held on Friday last week. CMD sent a couple representatives along, we had no entries in this years competition but did supply a judge (Neil Davidson - the CMD design manager). It was an interesting night with some interesting awards being given. Firstly I have to congratulate Glen Bevan and his team at Infinity Design for the well earned win of a Gold Award for the brilliant and very technical Leica Geosystems 'Machine Automation' device. I also have to point out at the juncture that a gold award was also given to a well designed 'menu'.
The event is run by the DIA and has a strong focus on the creative arts. I find myself wondering why Industrial design is included in this awards competition. Industrial design has well and truly moved on from this. Our core business in not a creative industry.
Let me explain: Industrial design is in the business of innovation and intellectual property commercialisation. Therein lies the difference. Creative arts dealt with visual impressions which attract copyright protection at best. Whereas Product designers operate in the realm of intellectual property and the serious world of patents. You can't patent a menu, an interior, or a exhibition space. So what we have is two very different ways of looking at the world and ergo, two very different sets of criteria for assessment of a design's worthiness for an award.
I believe that it is confusing to run two completely divergent judging platforms in the one competition space. Particularly when the top level media banner for the competition places all the emphasis on 'creative' visual aspects of design. I believe that this is 'off' message for industrial design and does us no favours as an industry.
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June 2, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
AIDA 2008 - Results Are In
Well its great news for CMD. The Friday Gala presentation night in Sydney for the Australian International Design Awards was a huge event. Finalist from big name companies such a Philips, Audi and Miele were all in attendance. Things were looking good when the Flaik was awarded an Australian design award, but we were completely blown away when the Flaik was awarded The Product of the Year Award.
Truly a remarkable achievement. This is the first time that the award has been given to a Queensland company. A real bonus for product design in Queensland. The award is the tenth ADA that CMD have received and this coincides with the companies tenth birthday.
Queensland was well represented in the awards. Notable ADA winners included 'Innotech' for the excellent Guardian safety system product (also a product of the year finalist) and the '3Di Design' Wrino boat hook.
Pictured below Craig Mounsey (managing director of CMD) accepts the award.
May 29, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
AIDA - Gala Night Preparation
The Australian International design awards are being handed out tomorrow night (Friday 30th May 2008) its their 50th anniversary. Its also our 10th anniversary. Should be a good night. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the finalists the very best of luck. Without sounding too parochial Queensland has done very well this year, securing ten finalist births.
Industrial design will be the winner on the night I'm sure. Its always interesting getting a thousand highly competitive product designers together in a small space. CMD has two finalist this year: The Flaik (Snow sports tracking device), and; the AI Scientific Pathfinder (A pathology robot). Both excellent products. Good luck to those respective clients.
Comments (0)May 8, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
Sustainability - Don't dig a hole for ourselves
CMD is committed to a balanced approach to sustainable product design. Let me explain. We need to be careful how we approach this issue as a profession. Agreed, Industrial design must lead the way in educating our clients and suppliers in the ways of sustainability, but by involving them not by dictating to them. Despite what we may think of ourselves we just don't have the credibility for that kind of position, especially in Australia.
Like all things of significance the key to sustainable design is balancing objectives against acceptable outcomes. Product design by its nature is counterproductive to a reduction in the use of resources. The goal of our endeavours is to maximise the return on investment for our clients. This is achieved by constantly inventing and reinventing products to foster market sales. If it sells swell. So our world turns.
We have options as designers, during the development process, to make decisions regarding the outcomes of the products we are designing. Most of these decisions are invisible to our clients. I believe that if we share some of these critical decisions and the implications both to the environment on the return on investment, we may be pleasantly surprised by the concessions that are given.
Finally: Standards Australia hosted a forum on sustainability in Sydney recently (30/04/2008), The topics were valid and the speakers good. What was disappointing was the attendance. Come on guys show some interest. If I can get my butt 1500km down there from Brisbane (carbon debt offset paid for - don't you worry about that) surely other ID business owners can get a cab across town (or a bike).
Comments (0)April 22, 2008 - by Craig Mounsey
Nano Composite Technology Seminar
Just recently CMD director Craig Mounsey was asked to give a workshop seminar at the QCAT (Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies) facility in the CSIRO complex in west Brisbane. The focus of the seminar (over 80 delegates attended) was the avenues for commercialisation of emerging nano composite technologies, specifically regarding plastic materials.
The thrust of the discussion was that Industrial design and product design practitioners are key factors in the early adoption of emergent technologies. It is in the specification and utilization of new technologies at a design level that opportunities for commercial applications, and hence market acceptance, are provided to companies producing nano composite materials.
CMD has several such projects under its belt and was well placed to provide an overview of product examples and case studies. Highlighting the triumphs and pit falls of design with nano composite materials. It was a lively seminar, with much interest from the floor during question time.
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