Create2011 Help File: Let’s talk Design

When we say “to design”, we usually mean “to look good”, “to make pretty”, or “to decorate”, rarely do we think “to plan”, or “to devise”.

That’s also design, and Wikipedia defines design as “planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system…it means applied arts and engineering” (Wikipedia).

Thus design is an integral part of engineering. Like the rest of this series, we’ve gotten our Creators’ of Tomorrow take on design and engineering.

So to design or not to design? To design, of course!

But really, shouldn’t we be asking “how to combine design with engineering?”

Idea First

“It's always better to have an idea first. This is key. After that, you need to research the feasibility and do-ability in engineering. If you figure that out, you should consider the aesthetics, practicality and implementation of your idea.” – Pete Moss

“We're looking for a bold and innovative idea, not necessarily with all the details. You need to check the engineering details to be sure that you're not proposing something that requires faster-than-light travel or anti-gravity. But the design idea is the main thing.” – Andrew McGlinchey

Imagine it!

“Design 1^st, engineer 2^nd. Let your imagination go and run wild when designing. After that, let the engineering bring you back to Earth. They need to go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. A design without engineering will forever remain in thin air. Engineering without design will forever remain in the back storeroom.” – Jason Chionh

Keep It Real

“A product has to be aesthetically pleasing and applicable to real life. If any of them is missing, the product would not be a good or sellable.” – Susan Chong

“Engineering just means creating an actual real-life solution and combining the practicalities of the actual production process with design ingenuity. So the two really go hand-in-hand. Anything we engineer does have to be aesthetically pleasing as well, or else it'll just end up in the bin.” – Marc Teo

Beautify it

“Engineering products do not have to be dull – think: iPhone 4, iPad, or A380. We are only limited by our environment. Break out, be naive, and be creative. Add a splash of color and daring design to make it stand out.” – Justin Chiam

Take the Create2011 engineering challenge and tell us your vision of Future Mobility to win the grand prize of: A Nokia Experiential Journey in Beijing and Singapore! Check out our Facebook fanpage for exciting contests & giveaways!

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