I got a new snowboard and bindings recently. In case your wondering, wow, yes it does make a huge difference. Sharp edges and higher performance materials make a massive impact on the responsiveness of the board and the experience of the rider! It leads me to wonder about how the metaphor relates to change in business. You?So, when snowboarding started the typical binding, and even most of them today, are designed so that the user has to engage the binding from the front. Think about it… do you put any of your shoes on heal first? I did not think so. Anyway, a company out there called FLOW re-imagined and reengineered bindings. You step in toe first! This has all kinds of advantages. First, it is easier. Second it is simpler, only one latch to work with. Third, it is faster, and boarders of all skill have a better chance at keeping up with skiers at the top. Fourth, it adjusts to the exact same each time. Now like with all things there are many opinions and various needs depending on what your trying to accomplish. I think Flow’s work is fantastic. I don’t know their process, Flow’s, in developing this product but to my mind it is a great example of user focused design. I love stepping in toe first!So, my new board not only has great bindings but it is also visually compelling! As a designer that is important to me on a cognitive and emotional level. I think it is important to all of us on an emotional level some how, even sub cognition. Regardless, I dug around a bit and found the designers. My Decade snowboard may have been manufactured by Ride but it was visually designed by the Dept. of Energy. Now their location is a bit nicer than mine, they are in Seattle, but they are after my heart in another way too. Not only do they do graphics they also make neat stuff via their company Utility, Inc. Check out their new Ping Pong table!Many people in my experience say that you have to be good at only one thing, you have to do only one thing… but I wonder… is that how change happens? Maybe on a micro level, that is where change happens but I submit to you that macro level change happens when divergent things collide and are seen in new ways, when many disciples are working together. Macro level change will likely hit you when your not looking for it (in the shower for instance) and it will be game changing but unpredictable. I wonder if Flow’s toe first idea and Dept. of Energy’s great graphic design came while they were driving a car. Where are you when you have good ideas?
Tags: department of energy, graphic design, ride, snowboarding
