Synecdoche (pronounced /sɪˈnɛkdəkiː/; from Greeksynekdoche (συνεκδοχή), meaning “simultaneous understanding”) is a figure of speech[1] in which a term is used in one of the following ways:
Part of something is used to refer to the whole thing (Pars pro toto), or
A thing (a “whole”) is used to refer to part of it (Totum pro parte), or
A specific class of thing is used to refer to a larger, more general class, or
A general class of thing is used to refer to a smaller, more specific class, or
A material is used to refer to an object composed of that material, or
Many interesting points raised here. Very inspiring talk on a subject I have been working alot on lately. There’s so much here that we haven’t explored in our Medica Helping Hands concept at Ergonomidesign. And so much that we’ve addressed in the concept that hasnt been thought of or demonstrated by anyone yet. The field is wide open!
A very honest, humble and insightful interview about El StevO by the man who was hired by him only to fire him later. Of course, the rest is legend.
Some excerpts:
I didn’t know really anything about computers nor did any other people in the world at that time. This was at the beginning of the personal computer revolution, but we both believed in beautiful design and Steve in particular felt that you had to begin design from the vantage point of the experience of the user.
He always looked at things from the perspective of what was the user’s experience going to be? But unlike a lot of people in product marketing in those days, who would go out and do consumer testing, asking people, “What did they want?” Steve didn’t believe in that.
He said, “How can I possibly ask somebody what a graphics-based computer ought to be when they have no idea what a graphic based computer is? No one has ever seen one before.” He believed that showing someone a calculator, for example, would not give them any indication as to where the computer was going to go because it was just too big a leap.
What makes Steve’s methodology different from everyone else’s is that he always believed the most important decisions you make are not the things you do – but the things that you decide not to do. He’s a minimalist.
Man: “…This dream was easily the best dream in the history of all dreams”.
A library assistant plods through an ordinary life in LA until a chance meeting opens his eyes to a the power of creativity and ultimately, love. When this new life and love begin to fall apart, he discovers he has a lot to give. This short film proves that ordinary is no place to be. (via IMDB)
View the trailer here…
I was reading some essays on Design Fiction by Julian Bleecker recently and was especially struck by this film after reading it. ‘I’m Here’ is such a perfectly imagined and made work of design-fiction in the sense that it makes you completely believe in the World which is created here. Not only are the ‘props’ and costumes entirely authentic, the fact that its set in the Almost Present makes the impact breathtakingly moving and simple. It focuses on human/robotic emotion while keeping the work of design very secondary.
This scene in the movie was such a brilliant piece of architectural fiction. It almost made me believe that such hospitals exist.
My moral from this story – A truly moving piece of design fiction is infinitesimally more valuable than a billion half-resolved design truths.
The Story of Stuff Project was created by Annie Leonard to leverage and extend the film’s impact. We amplify public discourse on a series of environmental, social and economic concerns and facilitate the growing Story of Stuff community’s involvement in strategic efforts to build a more sustainable and just world. Our on-line community includes over 150,000 activists and we partner with hundreds of environmental and social justice organizations worldwide to create and distribute our films, curricula and other content.
Probably old news to most design colleagues, but I thought I’d post it on the blog for keepsakes.
BoEL is an experimental social ambient interface and web service that presents daily consumption figures to home owners and neighbours to promote joint savings and foster competitive energy saving behaviours. The service includes an ambient lamp that provides feedback on the energy consumption in the household and these interfaces are installed so that the neighbours can observe each others energy status.
This is one of the many projects the II is working on to spread awareness about energy consumption through design provocations and probes that affect behavior positively.
Oh, and I happened to play a cameo in her amazing video too! This is an edited version. Hopefully I’ll get my hands on the full version soon!
