Industrial Design Status in China

An analogy for the industrial design status in China
If you can use a metaphor to describe the industrial design status in China: we have been raising pets for customers but do not have our own pets, no new pet is created for the customer
either. We are lack of certain professionalism for nursing work. In many cases, we also do not have the capability to own or to create a pet.
Nursing a pet
Most of the Chinese product designers have been designing products in accordance with customers’ ideas and requirements of product design, involved in the development of enterprises’
products, creating value for the enterprise and the society. This is case also this is a stage that Chinese industrial design must go through. But the value and influence of this kind of design is
not the all content of industrial design or product development.
Have to do nursing work:
Even if this kind of consignation design can not reflect the real value industrial design,
But considering the industrial design and product development company Status quo and the design requirements of the customers, we had to do this kind of consignation design, and need do
a good job for this kind type of product design job, this kind of job is the basic of industrial design.
The lack of nursing professionalism:
We just want pet to dress more beautiful, but rarely care about pets’ feeling, care for pets’ health, care about their own characteristics.
As a product design, in addition to the pursuit of better appearance, we are lack of the deep research on the structure of the products, materials, craftsmanship, manufacturability,
characteristics, market positioning, and the cultural connotation of the product. So there is a certain degree of difficulty in control the product design. This has something to do with Chinese
existing form of education. The disconnection between theory and practice is a true situation of industrial design education.
Create a new pet:
Many foreign design companies, continue to create a new pet for customers. But we have a big difference on the independence design of new product from theirs .The cause of the problem
includes the following three points:
(1) The organizational structure of China’s industrial design company: most of the design company China includes clerk, ID designers and structural designers and accounting personnel.
Among them ID designers have occupied the most proportion of work. So in the development of new products, apart from knowing more about modeling, we don’t get familiar with electronics,
materials, process and analysis of potential market, which constraints our creative design thinking. The advantages of team integration don’t play the strongest strength because there is no
perfect resources procedure.
(2) Chinese customers’ cognition level of o product design : a lot of Chinese enterprises mark a path for the designer to follow to design and develop products, and it constrains the initiative of
designers. There are few large international companies in China. And there is very few ones who can put forward higher requirements. They worry about the company's survival condition
which is a chain that prevents our designers from creating new pet.
(3)Distance between theory and reality: Design is a cutting-edge innovation work, it requires the designer not only to have prospective understanding of the epidemic trend and method of
design but also have certain understanding on the existing machining, new materials and new processing technology, ,material applications, the development of electronic technology, the
application of new technology, analysis of products in the market and market positioning and so on. These elements are the knowledge other than books .Industrial design education should be
in close contact with reality, or it will restrict the designers’ ability to improve their designing skills. This is a stage for sure during the development of China .The development of design industry
not only needs the joint efforts of colleagues in the design, but the adequate support from government departments and educational institutions to create a platform for designers.
Current situation and development prospect of industrial design
1 Since reform and opening-up in China, the design has not only been recognized by the society, but become the great industry that can not be ignored. Today, the product design and product
development has been deep into all aspects of life, and change people's awareness of their own day in and day out. Designs in different areas develop in different degree, such as
advertisement, industrial product design, electronics design and development, interior design, fashion design, environment desgin, architecture design and so on. Now, walking on the streets
you will see all kinds of the banners of design, which are held to promote products. The term "design" is applied so widely that people are too busy to attend to all. With the development of
society, Design is becoming more complex and fuzzy.
2 The design of the status quo
2.1
The big social environment
Because the whole society is in the period of transition, It’s is full of impetuous flavor around us. Designs are inevitably caught in them. Impetuous is not a kind of disease, but a national norm
of a developing country that do all one can to catch up. We are catching up with the world and the world opens arms to welcome us. It’s really hard to keep calm when living in the world. The
design is still in the infant stage in our country, how to face such a strong social background is worth thinking deeply.
2.1.1
The weak of the overall design of consciousness，
Take the industrial design as an example, the modern industrial design is materialization of modern consciousness and modern psychology, which is the structure of rational and emotional, and
the organic unity creation of technology, art, economy, society. Then, the design consciousness has risen from individual consciousness to social consciousness,
Only when the social consciousness of showing the design desire, design activities will be recognized and highly respected. While the design development of a country is also determined by
the design requirements that it demands for.
It’s not lack of excellent designers in any field In China any time, from "Kao Gong Ji", "Heavenly Creations",
"Xiu", "Zhi". Long days oral inheritance craftsman formula, from China's pottery, bronzes
A process to the four great inventions in ancient China, Concentrated mix of ancient China designer creations in the design and the spirit of hard recognition
Knowledge and thinking。 This is a strong show of ancient designers of individual consciousness。Even in modern times, this kind of individual consciousness division of designers still
continues to emerge and continue to expand, which can be described as talented .However, because of the absence of social recognition and attention to the case, these individual
consciousness can’t the social consciousness, either can not become the society Consciousness. the gap between design and development is inevitable .
Today
The world has drifted into a digital information era. Whose symbol is computer and communications technology.
Intellectually we know that a new era has arrived but mentally we're not ready yet!
We have a look around, The design is often considered as a Superficial analogy by the society .Even if it is not be discarded, it is neglected and despised at least .(Zhang Daoyi,1994)As a
result, it can’t reflects the profound psychosocial or reveal
But we believe that when the individual consciousness of the designers is accumulated to a certain extent or a certain stage of development, they are bound to make the design become the
necessities of life and the social need. Finally it sinks into a social consciousness and stands for the whole social awareness. Only when the social consciousness is keen on the design and
the design consciousness takes shapes, the design, in China. has a way out and catches up from behind.
2.1.2
The cognitive defects
A very important issue that people confuse the two concepts of design and art. A lot of people think that the design is the art of design .
They always have a look of contempt on the ones who learn design. They Think designers as painters who looks like out of the ordinary.
.This "contempt" exits for a long time. since the pre Qin dynasty, people pursures a metaphysical way and the non-metaphysical is held in contempt..
Creation belongs to the category of non-metaphysics, Thus, It is included in the secular stream from the ideological concept and social practice ,which influence in history.
It is followed in this traditional "despising" thought,
The Strong demand of the practice of the social urges the process and product to get involved in human life and become as the the material strength that influences the society and men.
However, People despise the craftsman who art work from their bottom of heart.
As a result, a large number of artists don’t obtain properly economic status and social status
Morever, as a culture, creation has not obtained the corresponding recognition and importance in the overall sense.
China ancient people sit and prattle about the general principle, they thinks " althought it is small, there will be considerable thing, but may not for long time .So gentleman should not be " ,which
affects many people. It shows the impact of China's traditional culture.
2.2
Education status
2.2.1
The problem of Teachers
Take the industrial design as an example, the teachers strength is very weak. Original industrial design teachers mostly are from professional art and arts and crafts College
, and they don’t turned in the direction of the teaching standpoint so they lead the students to a track of pure appearance, which makes bad influence on the correct cognition of industrial
design and development. Certainly a little Optimistically,
In recent years the situation has improved, for example, the new teachers emerge so that the degree of specialization increase.
But another problem we have to faced with is that they Mostly are college undergraduate or graduate students and have no real experience in design.
They still copy The book knowledge to educate the next generation and that lacks of image and Persuasiveness; secondly, we pay attention to students’ "skills" training especially the
application and hand computer software but the training design history are involved rarely.
Thirdly, with the great social influence,
Most of the students worship of foreign design blindly .
They just compare the design of northern Europe with Japan the United States. They don’t look for Innovation from ourselves and just follow them wituout understanding.
2.2.2
The issue of theory Education
Education is not to apply mechanically is not to talk all days, but to guide practices to let students establish the theory of head Brain.
Here to talk about the relationship between "skill" and "Taoism".
The equivalent of "operation" Is the practice of Marx's "",”. Or "physical labor".
"taoism" is method that is the law. "Han Feizi explained that Taoism" is about all things, is foundation of all logic. He also pointed out that Taoism is theory and mothod from little aspect and is
great wisdom after mastering skills.
From a design perspective ,the Taoism on the design is a event of solving problem creatively after understanding the design deeply.
Here, the skill is Technologies and techniques .One is expression technology, the other is the tips of modeling process.
There is no doubt that China's domestic industrial design development go behind the west, both on the theory and the Practice .But it does not mean that China's industrial design will always
lag behind. We are still in the learning stage of improving and strengthing the research ,which is necessary for enrichment in theory of industrial design.
Then the burden falls on the education, It inspires students’ creativity and enrich their visual experience through the theory of education which Lay the foundation for further professional
design
.No solid foundation, no grand Building Similarly’, China will never stand in the modern light design world if there is no design knowledge.
Therefore It is a pressing matter of the moment to put the industrial design theory support into our industrial design education.
It is imminent for us to research on the theory of industrial design
If we do not learn to think in the process of learning,
If we do not strengthen the research on design theory and improperly belittle oneself,
If we just consider the industrial design as a kind of advanced technology to be cited Into
If we forget the container experience and the present actual situation.
We will move towards a dead end!!!!!
3 How to solve the problem
3.1
The interal of design
3.1.1
Correct the understanding of design
A correct understanding of the design and art, is the primary prerequisite for good design process
I believe that design is communication and convey. Art is performance and the creation I don’t mean that the design don’t involve performance and artist don’t need communication.
However the degree of great importance we place on these two is a large difference.
Design is not about feeling but take all factors into consideration and use the most correct way to translate the own feeling into effective visual language that people accept.
Design is like writing it express and communicate through different ways. The nice design tell a story and good writing let us see a picture which we can’t draw up.
3.1.2
Strengthening designer Literacy
Designers are establishing some new lifestyle when they are designing or thinking.. the wonderful design shows a designer’s pretty design accomplishment.
First of all ,It’s most important to learn to be a man before design. Facing the impetuous society and environment a designer should learn to find inspiration to be in charge of human and himself
and makes design moves toward the direction of green, sustainable healthy and Humane.
We went to Chengdu ,Sichuan and then Beijing .Apart from meeting with Chinese industrial designers and western business who explore in china design market, we were invited to Jiangnan
school of design ,one of the influenced school in China industrial education to attend a lecture 80 miles east away from Shanghai. We are grateful for their enthusiasm and hard-working.
So we think we should share the feeling with net friends in core77.
When talking with the teachers students and practitioners about the current situation We are shocked by the challenge they are faced with.. There are more than 400 design schools in China
and 1000 graduates every year. We find that there is only a small part of students who find the design work really. The number of graduates makes you feel that the demand is big. However,
Chinese students are not as optimistic as American students to job prospects. The expectations they can work in the design category in the near future is low.
When we support that design education is useful Outside the traditional boundaries a problem that what the thousands of graduates mean exists.
Will the large number of designers lower the wage? Will it help to Commercialize the design ability? Is there enough work to take in the students?
What does it mean to other countries that Chinese designers are keen to the wrk? Maybe something will happen ,for example, the talented person will go to aboard?
Chaotic market in China
When the excess of graduates is not appealing to Australia ,The british , The United States and other countries
When we talk to hundreds of Chinese students (
Stephanie do a report on 2020 To facilitate the exploration project in Chicago commodity exchange trading exchange; and Bruce do a report that Sue Haworth Research and product of
advisers on the office environment to explore), they showed obviously
more attention to the social reality of the business, this is a little bit embarrassing.
Most Chinese students are not connected with the concept of Prospective thinking,
Even the design project of a powerful and unconstrained style .This type of program in the United States are sought after by people's identity.
But China Students ask: "Why?" From their questions and comments, we are very surprised that they did not evaluate the urgent need of everyday life to the usual commercial manufacturing
needs.
We have the right to say that it seems to be the most different between Chinese industrial design education and American.
many problems as mentioned above，This kind of innovation and problem definition should be the key way to differ the United States from other countries on the commercialization of industrial
design in the future.
As a matter of fact, The designer only get a small part of the fees when providing design ,
What other choice do we have? We agree that the industrial design education in the United States should focus on more forward-looking content to avoid debranching problem
On this view we can look over Elaine Ann ‘s article "the ten misunderstanding and the truth of Chinese product design" ,which was published In the Core 77.
It also gives us a problem .How long does it take to have the opportunity to engage in this kind of work for10000 Graduates in China?
A Chinese professor think that, according to the investigation, the concept putting forward and definition of skills, in certain forward-looking strong Professor Department of design, Chinese
students have to live 40vto be widely use. Of course, An estimated that can give some time for Western countries, But we still need to ask that What will happen? This is very interesting and it
shows that thinking about the design , paying attention to the future development of any country are all uncertain attempts.
something We didn't talk about
Some is rarely mentioned .for example, the design challenge china faces is relevant to the social and political factors. Many domestic and foreign experts point out the many obstacles Chinese
will face in the future. Please Remember that they are socialist countries, but they do some capitalist operation.
A large number of individuals and Free social events challenges the core Chinese political system.
At the same time, Chinese are busy with social life Production practice. They drive hundreds of millions of farmers to leave the land to the newly built city.
They wish there are more job opportunities and people here are polite and the life is happy. In the city infrastructure construction, Excessive investment phenomenon is also very common .For
example ,they build up highway without destination and the huge hospital project are given up halfway to left to Chinese homeless as a temporary habitat.
There are also large number of speculative events of economic aspects (a huge challenge any socialist countries face)
,gangrenous stock market (In the recent events in the America and European market)
The event that people are unwilling to obey the intellectual property rights in China, ,The challenge of international relations; the seriousness of the problem on Taiwan that Few people
understand; the event that Older people with dictatorship press innovation and challenges in a very deep cultural foundation of country.
The typical American optimism.
Therefore, It’s important that we recognize that these events in china ,are the existing opportunities and threats to the United States (including Many other countries)‘s development of industrial
design.
The correct evaluation of a lot of society, Culture And political factors and the challenge is also a important thing. Unlike other industry who have something wrong because of the outside
losing of talent.
The industrial design community have an excellent opportunity to reconsider the The competitiveness of the market and make the appropriate adjustments to it. Our view is: If we are smart to
Look at this issue, Now the opportunities we are faced with are more than threats. However, We also need to、Try to avoid falling into the trap which will lead to failure. Such as the fear to
Chinese, The sense of superiority and so on.
The problem gives us an opportunity to rethink what is design education and what is the chance of commercial design.
If the United States is in a leading position of prospective design thinking,
Problem definition and the concept ,we can now use this opportunity luxuriously to apply the ability to the design. Let's move!
(perhaps it will eventually be "designed in China", but not “Made in China”)