Дизайн для реального мира

by Виктор Папанек

Книга всемирного известного американского дизайнера и педагога В. Папанека о задачах и роли дизайнера в современном мире, об этике дизайна, о новых принципах и методах проектирования, о дизайне как универсальном виде человеческой деятельности, интегрирующем в себе самые разные знания, а также о новой системе подготовки дизайнеров. Книга переведена более чем на двадцать языков.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Architecture, Sustainability, Art Design, Business, Art

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

Reviews

[Matt McLean · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some excellent insights in this book, especially regarding the power of and need for collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams to solve design problems facing the world, but I found Victor's tone a bit combative and I didn't particularly enjoy slogging through an excess of examples of poor design. Even so, I found myself agreeing with him wholeheartedly regarding the role of education in the lives of young designers, as well as the missive to avoid specialization.

The book is a product of its time (1971), which makes it feel dated, but Papanek's call for designers to be world citizens and always mindful of the useful contributions of their work is timeless.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

What are we to make of the fact that this book, itself a designed object, written with the methodological assistance of a flow chart process, with a direct intention to fill in a clear gap in socially-aware industrial design, is a mess with abrupt shifts in topic and sudden returns to a well-worn discussions? Wouldn't such a presentation engender the criticism that presenting something so clearly important to the writer in such a way lead to undermining that very content with the dismissal that it is the product of sloppy thinking, or is this concern a fallacy that fails to address the facts of the book?

There are a lot of good things in this book, from critical facts about important problems to any number of design projects with the potential to do real good. There are even a few helpful techniques and methodological suggestions. The reader is given a certain kind of compendium or reference interesting developments, say in bionic (or, in our language, biomimickry) approaches and promises. However, while each paragraph presents its point with clarity and forcefulness, there is no usable infrastructure behind the ideas of this book, itself retaining the form of decades-long brainstorming session.

To be fair, I may be placing the reading demands of a certain time, place, or culture upon the book. In some ways, a current design education inherits the positive legacy of this book without the negative, able to unabashedly work on social problems with the kind of presentation we now expect. Yet, I wonder if we've also inherited the negative tradition, letting a certain bite, vigor, or passion substitute for a synthesis that actually synthesizes. The error of presenting the raw functionality, but not the form or empathy that really allows people to use it, though heartily complained of, is to my mind what this book eventually suffers.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed the way I taught design.

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a very few of them. And possibly only one profession is phonier. Advertising design, in persuading people to buy things they don’t need, with money they don’t have, in order to impress others who don’t care.”

First published half a century ago back in 1971, and reprinted and updated a few times since then this book still carries the weight of authority and maintains a largely relevant voice today. This man doesn’t suffer fools gladly or indulge the worst excesses of the creative world and he has plenty to say about plenty of issues.

As well as ideas around the design world, we also get time for other side stories thrown into the mix, apparently in Galician and Polish backwaters of the old Austro-Hungarian empire village pharmacists did a brisk trade in male model photographs, at the outbreak of WWI. They were given four options, one of a clean shaven man, another with a moustache, a third with a full beard, whilst a fourth had a beard and a moustache. A young man called up for military service bought one which most closely resembled his own face and then presented it to his wife or sweetheart to remember him by, before he went off to fight in the war.

“A whole elitist nostalgia craze has elevated some of the most uncomfortable seating arrangements yet devised by man into trendy and expensive status symbols that lie halfway between refined torture racks and “art objects.” The chairs are enormously expensive, unspeakably uncomfortable, and the movement affects only small bored cliques in New York, Milan or Paris.”

Papanek seeks out design based solutions to a vast catalogue of flaws and failings with so many everyday machines that we engage with as part of day to day life. It’s interesting because Papanek’s ability to think outside the box and examine the problems of the everyday, we soon begin to look at the world in a different way too.

“The cancerous growth of the creative individual expressing himself egocentrically at the expense of spectator and/or consumer has spread from the arts, overrun most of the crafts, and finally reached into design. No longer does the artist, craftsman, or in some cases the designer operate with the good of the consumer in mind; rather, many creative statements have become highly individualistic, autotherapeutic little comments by the artist to himself.”

Granted much of the commentary and beliefs surrounding computer technology is so dated as to be laughably quaint, but still the underlying points behind his concerns still ring true. He also raises some hugely important concerns regarding public safety with automobiles (along with the likes of Ralph Nader). He talks about the US car makers explaining to congress committees why they can’t meet basic safety laws and how the major players of that same industry colluded for so long to not introduce pollution measures as well.

“With new processes and an endless list of new materials at his disposal, the artist, craftsman, and designer now suffer from the tyranny of absolute choice. When everything becomes possible, when all the limitations are gone, design and art can easily become a never ending search for novelty, until newness for the sake of newness becomes the only measure.”

Then there’s his concerns about the many dangerous chemicals being transported by poorly designed equipment, lack of regulation, and of course not forgetting - far too much greed and selfishness. Elsewhere he discusses challenging the effectiveness of safety goggles, hard hats and steel toe capped boots and many other items which are not quite as "safe" as the manufacturers would have us believe.

This book is creative, political and polemical and a real pleasure to get into, Papanek reaches into so many compelling and worthwhile areas, his problem solving skills make otherwise difficult or seemingly insurmountable issues appear simple or clear and that is a huge talent that cannot be ignored. The writing in here is clear, direct and engaging and it’s easy to see why this book remains so popular all of these years later.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I did not expect such a dense volume and such thoughtful discourse on the power of design.

Until I read the book, I didn’t realize it was originally published in the 1970’s and last revised in 1984. I also didn’t realize the author, Victor Papanek, is deceased. Many design professionals have recommended this book to me. It’s the first book designers often think of when you ask them for resources about design and ethics. So I assumed it was published much more recently.

Papanek shared his holistic view of design throughout the book. He argues that all people are designers. “All that we do, almost all the time, is design is basic to all human activity.”

Most of the design Papanek addresses in the book is industrial design. UX design wasn’t a thing (at least by name) until years after the second edition was published.

Some of the examples Papanek uses in the book are charmingly vintage. I chuckled a few times when he talked about computers and the technological advances he anticipated after 1984.

But what matters is that the principles of the book are timeless.

I appreciated some of the examples he shared that are no longer an issue in many parts of the world, such as auto safety. US auto safety regulations were not widespread until around the time the book was published.

By reading the book, I learned that major automakers resisted the demands for safer cars up until the 1970’s. Automakers claimed that designing safer cars would be too costly and put them out of business. Thankfully, they’ve been proven wrong, and auto safety is now a priority.

Papanek writes extensively about how design and the environment (what we now refer to as climate change). He argues that while design can have profound, negative consequences on the earth and humanity, instead, we can harness the power of design and use it to improve the world around us. “Design can and must become a way in which young people can participate in changing society.”

Lastly, this book inspired me to learn as much about the world around me as possible. Papanek was a true Polymath—he connected concepts from multiple disciplines to create new design solutions. He knew many things about earth science, history, and architecture, and he used that knowledge in his work.

Despite its age, the book holds up well. Many themes in the book are still in our discourse today.

I expected to gain an understanding of design ethics from this book. It reached me in many more ways. I highly recommend the book if you work in the design field in any capacity.

[Andrew Tatge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking and often impassioned but chapters can meander. The main thread of a chapter can get lost amid examples, asides etc. and finishing individual chapters was daunting because material seemed arbitrary at times. Many chapters, however, have snappy attacks on design/industrial design; every now and then there are great frameworks or explanations about design values that might stick with you long after reading.

Most of the ideas here are surprisingly prescient and jive well with humanist/humanitarian/life affirming design. The argument for designing for impoverished or under-advantages groups is repeatedly made in a wide range of examples and ways, but the underlying defense of this perspective is underdeveloped and frequently iterated. If you have drunk the kool-aid like I have, it can get a bit didactic but still leave a big impression. If your values don't line up with this worldview, Papanek's at times confrontational tone will put you on the defensive rather than persuade. Then again, perhaps his matter of fact outrage is something we could use more of, and as an intelligent call to action for those in the field, the book succeeds in that regard. What designers should do as professionals can seem daunting and difficult to reconcile with our workaday lives, but as designers that is, perhaps, exactly what we should be tackling.

A final note: being written in 1984, there's some interesting, non-politically correct language when it comes to how Papanek refers to the mentally handicapped, developing nations, etc. . This is all acknowledged in the foreword, and I appreciate both the warning and leaving the flawed language as an indication of the times. Even with the best of intentions and liberalist worldview, the book is a product of it's era, as we all are products of our own. I'm sure I'll read this review one day and cringe at the terms I chose for this paragraph. Even so, it was sometimes jarring.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to design products, this book is a five. It's a bit dated in spots, but the author is dead so updates are tough. Many of the same issues still face us, crappy, wasteful buildings, poorly planned urban areas and shoddy consumer products along with the corporate apologists for this mess.

Includes how to design thoughts and methods as well as old news.

[Barbara Emanuel · Rating 1 out of 5]

"first-world" designers teaching poor "third-world" designers how to think/design... good luck to the "first-world" people who read this book and believe this is the current design reality in the world...

[Tom Sussex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more old books I read the more you realise humanity never changes. We will always face the same problems we were facing 50 years ago when this book was written!

Still, Victor speaks with a great deal of insight as he looks to the future of design and the way forward. When he's not going on an endless rant at poorly designed product (which can make this book rather tedious and long at points) he offers a radical and alternative way of designing products.

He ends the book with this quote, which reflects his rather odd mix of cynical optimism:

"Design, if it is to be ecologically responsible and socially responsive, must be revolutionary and radical... That means consuming less, using things longer, recycling materials, and probably not wasting paper printing books such as this."

[Alan Tsuei · Rating 3 out of 5]

雖然名為“為真實的世界設計”，但內容更像是說服大家往一個烏托邦式的理想國而奮鬥前進，也難怪在成書半個世紀後的今日，世界只是離作者的想法越來越遠，設計師這份工作一向是個夾心餅乾，在以消費為樂的大眾與嗜錢如命的老闆之間求生存，要他們負起替天地立心，替生民立命的責任，實在是太過強人所難了…

[Shreyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enlightening design book. This book covers the very fundamental of design, as to what design should do and what roads it could pave. You are reminded of the intensely wielding power that industrial design possesses. A quote that has struck me still, after reading this book, is that unlike other fields, designers try to create new problems so that they could construct their own elegant solution towards it.

This reminds me of the fingerprint lock for mobile phones. Nobody actually wanted fingerprint locks for mobile phones when they had number digit locks, there was no necessity, however, a need for this feature was created.

The book continues along this line and explores a wide range of topics. I have noted down several ideas from this book from which I could continue to make meaningful product design ideas. He also covers topics from bionics and biomimetics, which needs to pondered upon more deeply. I am planning to read it again hopefully.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read, not just for designers, but for anyone in a creative field. A call for ethics and pride of what you put out in the world. Something I've always admired about science (wrestling with responsibility), but hadn't seen in my field. Well, here it is.

The only drawback is that it was last updated in the 80s and so doesn't talk specifically about web design (focused more on physical product design). If anyone knows of a good "updated" design book that talks about human ecology and social change for design in the internet age I'd love to hear about it.

[Ashkin Ayub · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first edition of this book was published in 1971 and revised in 1984. Although some of the content and language are dated, it is a classic still used in many fields of design.

The book has defined how basic our needs are as a species. We need the challenge of research, space promise, and knowledge fulfillment on a small spaceship named Earth. A designer needs to be powerful enough to impose murder on mass production basis the imbibing moral and social responsibilities. The biggest political issue that the world faces right now is the geographical difference in developing technology. This effect can be hugely seen in the widespread of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.

First, it brings new dimensions to the authority in power and allows governments to easily manipulate information consumed by citizens, monitor dissent, track political opponents, and censor communications.

The COVID-19 crisis has intensified these tensions. Governments have seized upon the pandemic as an excuse to invade data privacy and track activities via contact tracing apps, facial recognition, and digital health reports available to the mass government. These data collected from public health interventions have been coined with unethical law enforcement activities. Papanek’s work in this book focuses on how problematic it is to capitalize on design and prioritize social and moral judgments. Humans’ problem also lies in portraying the status objects to look rich and augment their social status.

The designer can display the elegance of viable solutions and the creative tools, materials, and processes. Sustainability has been the foremost concern to tackle the increasing environmental concerns bothering humans. Likewise, it is important to transform the product into a utility and adapt it smoothly, thereby stating that it is essential that the design content it emerges should fit into the general socioeconomic order for it to operate. The other important thing that matters is adding associational values which are universal. It is important to know that these associational values improve elegance, formality, and portability.

We should infer one thing, i.e., deep satisfaction lies in products that have aesthetics and look intellectual to grab the attention of consumers. Papanek’s writing ensures that design should be taken from corporations and given back to the public. The lesson of this book is to design for people’s need rather than their wants. Satisfying the need for tools, shelter, clothing, air, and usable water is not only the job and responsibility of the designer but can also provide enormous challenges.

Humankind's alloplastic ally transforms Earth to suit the needs and wants. Most designers should be aware of the five myths to understand the underlying problems. The myth of mass production, obsolescence, wants of people, designers’ lack of control, and the myth that quality no longer counts. However, Papanek explores it ahead by specifying categories that design has neglected. Designing for the third world, design of teaching, training devices for retarded handicapped and the disabled, designing for medicine designing for breakthrough concepts. Many products have reached the threshold of getting further developed, which has led to the addition of more features or extra gadgets instead of reanalyzing the basic problems and creating new and innovative answers. The designers should focus on creating designs for inclusion and accessibility for a mass audience, and they should easily adapt to the new change. This book has influenced many designers in the practice of design.


It offers many examples of circumventing the formalism and self-conscious style of humankind. However, I feel Papanek’s views upon consumers are disdainful, but his edgy text is apocalyptic in many aspects such as sustainability, socioeconomic responsibilities, moral values, etc. It tries to line up design thinking with real needs, which is crucial since we face grave issues like the oil crisis, global warming, poverty, and social problems. Designers need to think radically for a wider reach of their actions, purpose of design, quality of life, and the future of society. It has gained momentum as design for sustainability is what we are seeking out. Designers need to focus on their products’ environmental and social impact; the opportunity is still limited within the industrial context.


Companies such as Apple, Facebook, and IBM have already begun to promote this area’s work. Large industry commitment to amalgamating environmental and social issues into product development is surging since capitalization and globalization are focused on. Today we can see research in design for sustainability, ranging from the implementation of legislation corporate social responsibility to eco-redesign, and impacts of user behavior. As designers of our century, we need to think beyond achieving sustainable products for better living.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Papanek was such a necessary voice for design; he kept designers accountable. I wish I had read this in grad school though I can sense his influence in a lot of what my professors challenged us to think about. It’s frustrating that much of the problems he lays out in this book from the 70s are still prevalent today.

As I’ve moved from design into growth, I think one of the biggest issues doesn’t lie in the field of design itself but rather in the business functions that drive revenue and profit margins. Everything Papanek writes makes perfect sense as it pertains to things like obsolescence, quality, and accessibility but much of the market forces are outside designers’ control. If there’s one criticism I have of his perspective, it’s that he overestimates the power designers have to fix these problems.

Nonetheless it was a good refresher for me and maybe even inspiring to think about how I can influence better design practice in a business-oriented role.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

pues resulta que el diseño es bastante movida. he aprendido mazo con este libro, supongo que para gente que esté más metida en el campo será más interesante y accesible que para mí que me he visto un poco perdida o sobrepasada con los datos a ratos pero estoy muy contenta de haberlo terminado. me parece superinteresante ver como el diseño afecta a campos en los que ni siquiera había pensado, y creo que me va a ha ayudar a tener en cuenta a mi peñita diseñadora en el futuro y al diseño en general también en el presente.

[Grant Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Victor Papanek’s seminal work contains many interesting ideas for design’s role in the modern world. In particular, his view of designers as generalists is a good one and design leaders would do well to listen.

Papanek’s work set out to change the world and make it more ethical. While admirable in some respects, he has no unchanging source of truth so his ideas are necessarily tied to the latest thing. As such, some of his ideas would be dismissed out of hand in the wider world today—he is a victim of his own creation. In many ways, this book is the guide to the Design Religion complete with rules for living and even its own tithing system. In the end, he expresses some useful principles, though it may be best to abstract them from the system itself.

[Matej yangwao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book helps you understand how design works in the real world :)

Will finish later, someone had to go pee in the morning

>Design is the conscious and intuitive effort to impose meaningful order.

>In the early 90s, designs were solely built for aesthetic and stylish purposes.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look at sustainability, consumption and the relationship of product/things and design.

[Celia Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Design errors can cause damage to life and society.
Example: Plastics. More specifically, the lack of a plan / means to manage the waste generated from plastics.

Book: The effects of pollution caused by misdesign put the wold at risk.

Book: Integrated designers have the power to change the world as long as their primary focus is NOT profit - making.

Summary: C'mon humans! Think before you act!

[Boris Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as a teenager (19).

Missed it so much over the years.

Finally took the time to reread it.

I found it fabulous.

[Ola · Rating 5 out of 5]

BUM!

"Zgodnie z oświadczeniem rzecznika z Detroit z 1971 roku przedni zderzak, który działałby przy prędkości 15 km/h, podwyższyłby cenę każdego samochodu o 500 dolarów i, co jest jeszcze bardziej zniechęcające, jego opracowanie miałoby potrwać od trzech do pięciu lat. By wykazać fałszywość tego twierdzenia skorzystałem z dwóch półek na książki o szerokości 30cm i długości 215cm. Między półkami umieściłem blisko osiemdziesiąt pustych puszek po piwie, tworząc coś w rodzaju ogromnego sandwicza w którym półki zastąpiły chleb, a puszki po piwie – pastrami. Przymocowałem puszki do półek, a potem całe to błazeńskie ustrojstwo do przedniego zderzaka mojego samochodu, po czym z prędkością 20km/h wjechałem w narożnik siedziby senatu."

Facetem, który to wszystko zrobił był Viktor Papanek.

Lektura „Dizajnu dla realnego świata” wprowadziła mnie w stan przekraczającego wszelkie granice entuzjazmu i po prawdzie nie mam zupełnie nastroju do konstruowania zwykłych zdań, o nie. Wydobywałabym z siebie najchętniej różne wykrzykniki typu: Ojej! Ach! O rany! Obawiam się jednak, że niewiele by one powiedziały ewentualnym zainteresowanym, a i sceptyków pozostawiły obojętnymi (czego bardzo nie chcę), w związku z czym oto konkrety.

Na 360 stronach* książki zmieścił się cały ładunek papankowej bezpretensjonalności, multum prostych recept na trudne problemy, nowatorskich metod wspomagających twórcze myślenie i opowieści o różnych rodzajach utrudniających pracę dizajnera blokad. Ale to nie wszystko. Żadna książka o projektowaniu nie mogłaby się obyć bez pozytywnych przykładów, a tych w „Dizajnie” jest bardzo wiele. Zachwycające fotele relaksacyjne dla tancerzy, krzesła z podłużnym otworem w miejscu, w którym zwykle lądują nasze kręgosłupy, dzięki czemu ciężar ciała opiera się na miękkiej tkance tłuszczowej pleców, nie ugniatając wystających kręgów (pomyślcie o nich ciepło, wiercąc się na plastikowych siedzeniach komunikacji zbiorowej), napędzane siłą mięśni pojazdy, przeznaczone dla krajów Trzeciego Świata – nieawaryjne, nadające się do transportu rannych, towarów, do łączenia w łańcuchy, do względnie łatwego pokonywania wzniesień nawet przy pełnym obciążeniu. Można by wymieniać bez końca. Człowiek o tak wielkim poczuciu humoru, jak Victor Papanek, nie mógł jednak zostawić wszystkich tych tanich i solidnych rozwiązań bez złośliwego komentarza – znajdujemy się przecież w kapitalistycznej Ameryce. Otóż i komentarz: wycięta z gazety reklama podgrzewanego podnóżka w stylu królowej Anny, do tego oferta sprzedaży plastikowej dziewczyny, przypominającej nieco znane nam dmuchane lale. Przemierzając tekst książki natknąć się można na kolejne absurdalne przedmioty, a poza tym poczytać o trudnościach, piętrzonych przed Autorem, gdy ten usiłował spopularyzować odpowiedzialny społecznie i ekologicznie dizajn w miejsce bezsensownego projektowania opartego na chęci zysku. Papanek bez przerwy wyraża swój absolutny brak tolerancji dla rynku głuchego na realne potrzeby, traktującego ludzi jak małpy, którym w cenie złota wcisnąć można dowolną ilość tombaku. Nie ma miejsca na nonszalanckie zużywanie zasobów, na brak troski o środowisko, na niewłaściwą utylizację odpadów, na rzeczy źle pomyślane. Brzmi to bardzo współcześnie, prawda?

A teraz niespodzianka: „Dizajn” pisany był w latach 1963-70, na półki sklepowe trafił zaś w 1971. Mało tego – za datą wydania przemawiają właściwie tylko jakość fotografii i fryzury modeli oraz modelek, pojawiających się na niektórych ilustracjach. Skala pionierstwa Amerykanina jest porażająca; ta książka to bomba i nie wyobrażam sobie, by kiedykolwiek miała przestać wybuchać.

Przykre jest dla mnie wracanie myślą do przełomu lat 60. i 70., kiedy "Design For the Real World" odrzucali kolejni wydawcy, tłumacząc decyzję stosowaniem przez autora pojęć tak mało znanych, jak ekologia, etologia, czy Trzeci Świat.

I śmieszno, i straszno.

__________________________
*Trochę kłamię, ponieważ 35 wieńczących dzieło kartek to odautorska bibliografia oraz indeks. Ale co tam.

[Peter O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All men are designers. All that we do, almost all the time, is design, for design is basic to all human activity. The planning and patterning of any act towards a desired, foreseeable end constitutes the design process. Any attempt to separate design, to make it a thing-by-itself, works counter to the inherent value of design as the primary underlying matrix of life. Design is composing an epic poem, executing a mural, painting a masterpiece, writing a concerto. But design is also cleaning and reorganizing a desk drawer, pulling an impacted tooth, baking an apple pie, choosing sides for a back-lot baseball game, and educating a child. Design is the conscious effort to impose meaningful order." - page 17

Design thinking starts here. Design for the Real World was an interesting and knowledgeable read that has lost a lot of its original value, as most of the environmental and design subjects discuss therein are common knowledge and practice today (although, they could still be more so), but at the time of its original publication it would have been a trailblazing read... and the fact that the design concepts it advocates are now commonplace today, in the form of design thinking, demonstrates that the book has achieved its goal.

However, reading Design for the Real World now is still a valid reminder of how much work is still yet to be done to design a sustainable environmental that all human beings can thrive in that also maintains the equilibrium of the natural world.

[Sherry Wu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Having experienced real design work, the designer will forever after feel a little ashamed when he designs a pretty, sexy toaster.” ——Victor Papanek, Design for the Real World

Design for the Real World is one of the world’s most widely read books on design. In this book, Victor Papanek denounced marketing-driven design (e.g. obsolescence) and exposed a set of issues by irresponsible design - tawdry, frivolous, useless, unsafe, waste, pollution.

In the 2nd half of the book, he claimed that design should be Integrated. Design must focus on human and humane factors. Design must place the problem in its social perspective. Design must consider social groups, classes and societies. A designer should be a generalist instead of a specialist.

Additionally, he discussed innovation thinking and advocated that a design team should be cross-functional to attempt Integrated Design. This could be viewed as the origin of Design Thinking.

After all, design must be social and moral responsible.

[Christopher Nilssen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A kind of terrifying read once you get through it and realize that, while some things have improved, many of the most toxic elements that Papanek rails against have gotten significantly worse.

One of the recommended reads for “Human-Computer Interaction”, though would be worthwhile for any designer to at least leaf through.

In the end, the utopian ideal of designers being able to refuse work they found morally objectionable is a good one, but like most utopian ideals lives much more easily in dreams than reality.

[Judith Pinyol · Rating 5 out of 5]

lectura obligatòria per tothom

[Jacquie Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

The whole time reading this book I kept wondering why it hadn't been presented to me during my time at design school. This is a fantastic read that touches on ethical and inclusive design.

Though written in the 70's I found so much of Papanek's criticism of the practice of design still — very much unfortunately — relevant.

Though some language I found was outdated in parts (I did though read an older edition I found in a second hand store)

[Margot DeMarco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that sent me to design school. The first page is a deadly attack on industrial design as the worst profession in the world (second only to advertising). The rest of the book is filled with hope for the potentials that design can have in shaping the world in new, positive, directions.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great points made regarding responsibilities as designers and makers. A down right feisty read as it starts out with: "There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a few of them." Which is a call to action to challenge how and what we design.

One of my favorite lines: "The only important thing about design is how it relates to people."

[Elizabeth Maggio-Kotkowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book written in the 1970s, I’m certain this book was pioneering and it truly is insightful. Papanek predicts or perhaps influences much about the direction design and society goes. Design for the real world covers in much depth the situation of the economy, the social beliefs that plague us and the system of obsolescence and churning out crap to earn money.

The book gives some insight into problem-solving and the importance of tackling the real issues of the world by collaborating with specialists, testing and developing perhaps with the aid of nature’s blueprint. He discusses the myths that govern design and that truly good design is well made and will last with a resounding impact.

Papanek talks about things in a sober and logical way though the language, examples and social norms are somewhat outdated. I was particularly entertained by his use of the word “zany” all the time, his perception of the commodification of women, his questionable way of talking about “the third world” and his belief that anything other than heterosexuality is a product of overcrowding. The first sentence of the book “all men are designers” was the first hint.

I believe the main message is to design as the title suggests for the real world, in a way that creates meaningful impact, recognising that design shapes our world and that designers have much more power than they are led to believe. We are responsible for creating safe, useful, healthy, representative products that provide all information needed and are receptive to feedback.

Papanek ends with:

“Design, if it is to be ecologically responsible and socially responsive, must be revolutionary and radical in the truest sense. It must dedicate itself to nature's principle of least ef-fort, in other words, maximum diversity with minimum inventory (to use Peter Pearce's good phrase) or doing the most with the least. That means consuming less, using things longer, and being frugal about recycling materials.”

[Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Design For The Real World is a book on how to design responsibly—I should elaborate on this later, but let's talk about a little background for now. This book was originally published in the 70s. Despite the fact that this is an old book, the main principles Papanek talked about still remains the same. Viktor Papanek was an Austrian-American designer who worked abroad in many third world countries. While he worked there, he helped to design many useful tools for poor, illiterate, disabled people. He was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright and also worked for UNESCO & WHO, so I assume he knows what he's talking about.

The main point in the book is about designing responsibly. This applies to all people who worked in all design branches: product designer, urban designer, graphic designer, architect. It's also a critique of "irresponsible/bad" design if you want to see it that way. Papanek wrote the book based on sociological, psychological, ecological, political, and cultural point of view. One example is how to properly design for the disabled, the elderly, and children.

I like that he's bringing awareness and everything, and even some of the problems still resonate until today. Papanek offers interesting theory and he put lots of emphasis on functionality. In the end, it's really a morality problem and some of us don't even care as long as we get paid.

The writing/criticism might seem a little arrogant for some people. I know this is an old book, but sometimes I just lost focus on what he's talking about. The book contained broad topics compressed in just 350 pages, which is insane.

To sum this up, Design For The Real World might not be for everyone. The writing's really outdated but still understandable. This book could be a useful reference for design students or teachers. It's for designers who are hungry and curious about how to design responsibly.