As far as design goes, generally, what we see is what we get. However, design is much more than what we simply ‘see’. When we talk about product design, we need to consider things like the product’s characteristics, specifications, materials, colors, local cultures, emotion, uniqueness, eco-friendlinessand, of course, a lot more. Design in not just an independent stage early up in the product development process, but rather an on-going process of realizing a value proposition.
Considering how large a role all of those play in design, we didn’t really get to hear much about them – until now. www.design.samsung.com is Samsung Electronics’ newly launched website dedicated to the creative processes that go into design at Samsung, and some of the behind the scenes stories related to design.
“As global lifestyles become more diverse, the way people pick and choose their products has changed. Design has become central to consumers’ purchasing decisions and Samsung’s product innovation continues to evolve to meet these needs.” according to DongHoon Chang, Executive Vice President and Head of the Design Strategy Team of Samsung Electronics. And he goes on, “People are increasingly curious about how Samsung products are designed and who makes them.”
Sharing how we Make It Meaningful
www.design.samsung.com is to be the resource for people who are interested in Samsung’s design. The website plans to project its design message “Make It Meaningful,” which separates into three categories — Product Stories, Meaningful Stories, and About Us.
Product Stories will cover a broad range of subjects, from product stories to UX to service designs. For example, visitors can explore the rich story behind the Galaxy S4, from design sketches to interview videos of the designers.
The Meaningful Stories section explains Samsung’s design heritage through experimental design stories and collaborations with third party artists. This section also highlights design events that Samsung has participated in, such as the Seoul Living Design Fair in Korea and the Milano Furniture Fair in Italy.
Finally, the About Us section helps readers better understand what drives Samsung’s design process, alongside news of award-winning work and information on the latest design news.
Samsung, a Design Powerhouse
The development of this site really doesn’t come as a surprise, as Samsung is no stranger to the design industry. For example, Samsung was awarded 825 design awards in 2013 from prestigious design bodies such as iF and IDEA. 38 Samsung products were recognized for design excellence at iF International Forum Design in 2014 placing Samsung at the top of the iF rankings over the past three years. Therefore, if you are interested in Samsung design, http://www.design.samsung.com promises to deliver insightful stories.
Before you go on and check out the site (unless you were too excited and already clicked on some of the links above), here’s a closing quote for this piece straight from the CEO:
“At Samsung we spend countless hours refining designs to ensure that when a product is released it meets the needs of our customers and enriches their lives. Creativity is channeled at every level here at Samsung, and this website offers visitors the chance to explore and see first-hand the passion that our designers bring to work every day.”
- BK Yoon, President & CEO, Consumer Electronics, Head of Corporate Design Center