Putting a juicer in a living room as a work of art might seem strange. For Professor Don Norman, it’s just an appreciation of great design.
“It’s not about the juice,” he said, describing a metal juicer with spider-like legs. “It’s about conversation.”
During the second night of the Segal Design Institute’s fall lecture series, Norman, co-director of the institute and a professor in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, discussed emotional design,” or why people love or hate everyday objects
“Emotions are a fundamental part of human behavior,” he said. “You cannot avoid emotion. It’s (a part of) all aspects of life.” In his lecture, he spoke of emotion as a way humans pass judgment on the world – and products – around them.
During his lecture, Norman showed the audience several pictures he’d taken of an airplane bathroom. He also displayed photos of people reacting to different product designs.
Norman explained the aesthetics, or lack thereof, in each product’s design. People’s emotions toward each object influenced their reaction to the product. Norman also showed the audience a Sony electronic “puppy” that he said lacked quality, but conveyed such a cute personality that people were willing to pay $2,000 for it.
Jian Jia Cheo, a McCormick sophomore, said he has been to both lectures in the institute’s series so far. On Monday night, about 30 people were in attendance.
“It allows students to interact with some of Northwestern’s most acclaimed faculty, such as Don Norman.” he said. “I’ll be there next week.”
The idea for the institute’s lecture series is new and still being worked on, said Phillip Jacob, program development coordinator for the institute. He added that the idea is to do a lecture series each quarter, but beyond that they are unsure how the program will play out.
The lecture series is required for about a dozen master students in the Management Program in Design and Operations, MMM, and other design and engineering programs, Jacob said. The institute decided to open it up to the rest of campus because of its content.
Professor Norman will run about half of the lectures this fall, Jacob said. Each of Norman’s lectures will be based on one of several design books he has published, which include “The Design of Everyday Things” and “The Design of Future Things.”
The rest of the lectures will be coordinated by McCormick Professor J. Edward Colgate, the other co-director for the institute. The institute, which is part of McCormick, will feature speakers outside the Northwestern community. The lectures will cover the topics of haptics – the science of touch – and robotics, according to Jacob.
The lectures will run Monday nights through the end of November. Lectures will start at 4 p.m. in room M152 of the Technological Institute.
“I think it’s great,” Cheo said.
