What is Open Design? "Open design is the development of physical products, machines and systems through use of publicly shared design information." However, open source design appears to have a changing meaning.
It has become relatively popular in recent years; especially with the aid of devices such as the Raspberry Pi and the accessibility of information.
One example is:
It offers: free software, competitions with lucrative prizes, a community, a way to better your skills and create things you would love to own, as well as the chance to be noticed for your efforts. What use is an amazing design if it never gets to be created? It also has a huge amount of instructions you can follow and amend - make whatever you desire :)
https://www.opendesk.cc/ Has an interesting take on open design as there is only input from a few designers yet the output is free to be used and altered. I like these products and feel this approach works well here
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A lot of designers are apprehensive and unwilling to embrace open design. I mean you go to university for years to study and want a decent design job at the end of it - shouldn't you get paid for this work and ideas? I mean you wouldn't expect a trained plumber to give his service away for free.... but is that really how it works? There are plenty of online tutorials on how to fix plumbing etc - yet plumbers still exist. So why shouldn't we be able to design and create our own visions?
There will always be those who want new exciting things yet don't possess the skills or time to make them. Those who love discovering the nuances and personality of new products they've bought. Design work will still thrive.
There always has and always will be an element of customization and attempts to recreate products - who are we to say people shouldn't use individuality to create something they truly love?
I believe all this will make the design community a more accessible place and with a higher level of understanding, better user feedback and more resources. These just add that spark of competition which should drive designs to be better.
Maybe design would be better without the pretentiousness and exclusivity....
Could this affect how products are sold? Would just buying the instructions be enough?
Ikea hasn't destroyed furniture design but some brilliant visions have been created from it.
Ikea still make money and people get exactly what they want. This gives Ikea the potential for them to see what users really want and adapt - so why not, it gets everyone involved and excited!?
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