Thursday, 6th of October 2011 - Fan: form and symbolism

One of the major visual stimuli in the interactive product will be the fan (second to the flames..or maybe not) and it is important that there is a focus on how this fan will be viewed by the user. Will it look harsh, sharp and dangerous OR soft, welcoming and motivating... there is definitely a strong push into what direction the form should go considering the context and what it's purpose is.

With the aim of the product to motivate and promote productivity in a group collaborative environment, the form of the product is very important. However, we must also follow "design law" and follow the form off of the function while still considering how it relates symbolically to the user.

But it's a fan... how can you make a fan relate to the user in a way that it will change the way they think and act in a positive way..? It is as simple as what has just been mentioned.. "harsh, sharp and dangerous OR soft, welcoming and motivating".. if we can describe how the fan should look, then we can design the fan to suit the description.. rather than what normally happens of describing something that already has form..


Some words that may spring to mind when thinking of the context of group collaboration... stress, procrastination, deadlines, distractions, assignments, group members, exhaustion, frustration, collaboration, "burning the candle at both ends", communication, achievements, togetherness...
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Q6. How should the fan look?
A6. The fan should have a soft feel, easy to hold.. and shouldn't hurt you when you go to remove it from its position. I think it should feel intuitive to place whilst welcoming to be grabbed at the same time..
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With this information we can start creating forms and exploring shapes in which the fan will be:

Sketch: Fan blade form concepts 1

Sketch: Fan blade form concepts 2

 With the previous information we can begin to see which fan blades would most suit the users. With a fan spinning it must also be remembered that a level of safety is required. All the of the sketched fan blades look as if they would spin in the direction of the sharper part which is something that needs to be avoided.. However sketch 7 seems to suit the manner of what is required looking soft and motivating, yet applying a sense of purpose. If this were to be placed upside down with the defined point on the top side, it would mean the fan would spin in a direction in which the curve would lead and take out any safety issues - it almost brings a sense of.. "follow me.." with the form of the blade. This form will be further explored through computer aided design and simulations.