Design Slam

 As part of the Contemporary Design Culture and Design Studio modules, we got the opportunity to visit Logitech in Cork. This was my first visit to a company focused on product design and innovation. This trip was made more exciting by the Logitech Design Slam, a brief set for us to complete within the week in groups.

 It was inspiring to see graduates of our course working at Logitech, especially after visiting the studio and facilities there. While studying, it can be easy to get sucked into the world of our course and forget the possible futures we are working towards. The tour of their facilities gave us insight into the processes designers use when working within a large company like Logitech.

 I enjoyed seeing the mouse forms made of the same clay we use here in the studio. It is cool to think of a skill we are practising right now being applied in the working world, particularly since using clay is one of my favourite ways of modelling. It was definitely eye-opening to see a specific section for CMF design. CMF has been a part of our projects before, but never a sole focus. The idea of focusing on and specialising in a subject is intriguing.

 The Design Slam itself was about the ‘Future of High-End Video’. After visiting Logitech in Cork, I was extremely motivated to do this project. Exploring the brief with my team, we looked at it through the lens of Logitech’s beliefs and their design aims.

 This was the first project which allowed us to apply the skills we had been learning via other projects. Each project’s aim is usually to develop a new skill, but getting to use Affinity Designer, model-making, and sketching to present a real design concept felt very freeing and gratifying.

 I was really delighted when I found we had been chosen by Logitech as the winning team. At first, the more competitive nature of this brief made me feel apprehensive, but looking back now, I can see it really motivated my team and me to push ourselves further.

 Competition can be dangerous, though, as the added pressure can cause people to crumble, or even worse, become combative and unpleasant. That was my fear upon hearing there was a prize on the line, but this project never came close to negativity. The tight deadline was another angle of pressure, but the process my team and I followed worked for us, and led to an outcome I am truly proud of.