RR02 Reading Reflection

Cradle to Cradle Introduction:

I really enjoyed the intro chapter of this book, mainly because of all the interesting environmental tidbits that Bill and Michael throw in there. I have never really been a "green" man but this book along with the recent environmental lectures has kind of opened my eyes a bit. The thing I enjoyed about this chapter was reading the different ideas that Bill and Mike threw around (for instance, the seed in the can seemed like a cool idea, albeit a tad out there). I like how they don't just try and get things done by sitting around and protesting, but rather, they have the means to design and implement new products and structures in order to realize their vision of getting everyone to go green and make our cities and environments healthier.

Heskett Chapter 7:

In this chapter, Heskett elaborates on the concept of identity, including both national and corporate identity. It was very interesting to hear his perspective on globalization and how businesses really struggle when it comes to designing products for other cultures. I never really thought of how different the cultures of the world are from ours in terms of the products they use and the way they use them. For instance, when Whirlpool was designing a new washer for the overseas markets, they had to take into consideration that people in India need to be able to wash their 18-foot long pieces of clothing, while people in Brazil need to be able to have a soak cycle or else they won't believe that the washer will yield a clean wash. As for corporate identities, I agree with Heskett's idea that corporations can spend all the money they want on new logos and advertising campaigns, but if their products and services do not back up their new image, then all that money was spent for nothing. Without quality goods and services, a company will not be able to change their image and reflect efficiency, great service, or any other trait that they wish to accommodate.

Heskett Chapter 8:

This chapter focused mainly on systems, which I really didn't know much about before reading. I didn't really see how systems pertained to the field of design until Heskett started talking about the transportation systems around the world. I found it really interesting how much work is put into street, freeway, and all the other roadway signs that I have seen everyday for 19 years. I could see, then, how these systems pertained to designers, as it is the designers goal to make sure that these signs are made properly in order for the public to be able to navigate such roadways with ease. This section of the chapter reminded me of a field of engineering that I was looking into studying more; industrial and systems engineering, where a large portion of work is dedicated to helping a company run more efficiently in order to minimize costs and make the company run smoother. A very interesting connection which, at least for me, once again shed light on how wide the field of design stretches and how designers are pretty much involved in just about everything we see in our environment.