Good Design of Mine

For my first assignment, I was told to choose 3 objects in my house that I felt were good design.

But what is good design? That seems subjective, in my opinion.

If you dive a little deeper into the subject, you'll find that experienced designers have realized that a design can be deemed good based off of a variety of principles.

For instance, let's say I went to the store because I needed a pair of new socks. I walked up to a wall of socks that had every brand, colors galore, and any kind of style you could imagine. My options were endless. After looking for a few minutes, I grabbed a pair of colorful striped Smartwool socks.

But why those socks?

1. I thought they were cute. AESTHETIC
    Aesthetic is important. Liking the way something looks makes you want to use it. So as ridiculous as it may sound for girls to go off of the "cute factor", it turns out they are just looking for good design interaction. 
2. Brand reputation. LONG-LASTING
    Whether I have personal experience with this product or it came as a recommendation from someone else, word on the street says that this company is known for being long-lasing. The longer a product lasts, the longer the user can enjoy it without having to spend more money. This is crucial, especially when it comes to something that we use on a daily basis. 
3. Materials used. ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY
    I love wool socks, and these are well made. Without nerding out on the benefits of wool, I can point out that it's a natural fiber. Using environmentally-friendly materials and processes is becoming more and more important as we use more and more materials. 

Object 1: Smartwool Socks
I cheated. Turns out I own more Smartwool socks than I can count, so if this sock shopping scenario were real, I would have been extremely biased. Most of the time when you think of socks, you don't think of good design. The object is understandable, so when you look at it, you know it goes on your foot. Socks have been made for years, so what makes these socks better than others? Apart from the three points listed above that are from Dieter Rams: Ten Principles of Good Design, I'd say that I have a strong emotional response to using this product. They are so comfortable, that it's pleasurable. Nothing beats putting on a brand new pair of Smartwool socks. Don't believe me? Try it.

Object 2: Klean Kanteen Insulated Cup
1. This thing works. USEFUL
     Nothing is worse than having cold coffee, and with this cup, I rarely do. The cup itself can keep warm beverages hot for 6 HOURS and cold for 24 HOURS. Talk about efficient. Because this on-the-go-cup is so reliable, I use it every day. I bought it to be used and surprise, the good design makes me want to use it.
2. It's simple. UNOBTRUSIVE and LITTLE DESIGN AS POSSIBLE
    Because the cup is double-walled and made out of stainless steel, it doesn't look like there is much to it. There aren't handles or fancy patterns. It comes with a leak-proof screw cap that vacuum seals the beverages, but there is also an option of getting a cafe cap for ease of drinking hot coffee/tea (not leak-proof tho). 
3. It's clearly a cup. UNDERSTANDABLE
    Regardless if I'm using the cafe cap or the traditional screw cap, there is little to no question as to how it works. It's a travel cup. It fits in universal car cup holders. It's simple in it's design, so it could be used at work. It's made out of stainless steel, making it durable for hiking/backpacking.
Object 3: Grip Equipment Disc Golf Bag

1. There's nothing like it. INNOVATIVE
    It takes a lot of observation to recognize what is wrong with the status quo of a sport, which is exactly what the designer of this bag did. This disc golf bag is a prime example of setting a new standard for design. Because the bag was "Developed on Tour" it created a design that was geared toward comfort, usability, function and aesthetic...something that didn't currently exist in the sport. 
DISCLAIMER: my boyfriend is the head designer and founder of GripEq. 
2. This bag has a place for everything. THOROUGH TO THE LAST DETAIL
    There is a place for everything. Pencil holder, putter pocket, straps to hold a chair, water bottle holder, valuables pocket, rain fly pocket, etc. This makes the product extremely user-friendly. Players can interact with the bag in a way that doesn't require a lot of thought, but really, there was a lot of thought put into the design. It's stable. With a lot of backpacks, they tip over when they get top heavy, but the Grip bag can balance on a travel chair without tipping over into the mud...