Simplicity and complexity in design
Every design presents a relationship between form and function. The goal of every project is to achieve a product where this relationship is harmonious and logical. What makes the product work is what makes it beautiful, and no part should seem out of place or underdeveloped.
For complex products, keeping all the parts of a massive assembly in line with the same design idea can be challenging. But what happens when the designs are simpler? A smaller number of parts does not necessarily mean that it is easier to create a good design, but rather presents its own set of challenges. Our Senior Industrial Designer, Erlend Storsul Opdahl, shares his thoughts on the subject using examples from his personal portfolio.
Working with fewer parts
At Edea, we often work with big and complex designs, sometimes consisting of thousands of parts. Each component has a part to play and needs to be carefully designed to strike a balance between mechanical requirements and limitations in manufacturing and assembly. Parts that are visible and in contact with humans are often subject to stricter scrutiny and safety regulations. They need to be safe, comfortable and intuitive to use and in most cases also pleasing to look at.
When working with products that consist of fewer parts, more of these requirements will have to be met within the same part. This places a stronger emphasis on the styling of each component, as often no parts will be solely or even primarily decorative. Some products are even made from a single piece of material, meaning that all functional, mechanical, ergonomic and aesthetic goals need to be achieved at the same time.
Finding harmony between form and function
These tumblers are from an interesting project I worked on, and make a great example of simpler products where individual part styling plays a bigger role. They include some smart components in the lid, but are otherwise constructed like regular tumblers. There is a main plastic body, a silicone sleeve, a drinking lip, an exchangeable handle, a cap and an electronics enclosure – a total of just 6 parts. For example, the drinking lip fastens the main body, the silicone sleeve and the handle, and includes threads for the cap. At the same time, it forms a protruding edge that is comfortable to drink from. Having a single piece meet all these requirements while also being a key part of the product’s appearance means that the design process needs to take the functional and mechanical aspects into account from the get-go.
This project output several variations, all using essentially the same components, but achieving a range of sizes and appearances. The material and finishing of each part is crucial to the success of such a simple product. This often means going through a lot of samples to find just the right colors, materials and finishing (CMF). By varying the roughness of the transparent exterior plastic, the glossier interior could shine through with the desired effect, creating depth and drama without any purely decorative elements.
The ultimate simplicity
These tumblers consist of 6 parts, but some products are made up of only a single piece of material. The ultimate harmony between form and function! Ergonomics, technical and mechanical functionality and aesthetics all need to be achieved with only one piece of the chosen material. One good example of this is found in bottle openers. They need to be accurately designed so they open bottles efficiently, while at the same time being comfortable to hold and use. Despite these limitations, a great variety of openers exist.
This opener, which I designed while working in Korea, is made from pressure-forged brass, giving it a nice weight and premium finish. The rounded edges make it comfortable to hold and do not scratch skin or surfaces such as tables and pockets. The cutouts and chamfers reduce the mass, while at the same time forming sharper edges that meet the bottle caps and give the fingers somewhere to rest for a stable grip. All these elements combine in the unique look and feel of this bottle opener.
As these examples show, form and function can exist in harmony, and even the simplest of products can have a unique appearance without compromising usability. A good design does not sacrifice looks for performance, or vice versa, but rather works out a pleasing aesthetic that makes sense functionally. In a complex assembly or a single piece of material, it is always possible to bring out unique aesthetics and characteristics in a product, as long as the design process also includes in-depth understanding of material properties and production methods.