Monday, September 15, 2014

INNOVATION SPECIAL.....'Natural and Intuitive'

'Natural and Intuitive'

John Ikeda and Jon Harris

Designers, FiftyThree
Pencil

THE CHALLENGE:

To create an iPad stylus (for use with Fifty­Three's prizewinning Paper app, among others) that's "natural and intuitive," Jon Harris says, as well as multifunctional. "T­ypically, a stylus can make only one type of mark at a time. Most apps have some menu to switch brush sizes, but having to switch can interrupt your ­creative free flow."

THE TURNING POINT:

Crayons and pencils became the de­signers' inspiration. "When you show a young child that you can peel the wrapper off a crayon and use it to shade—that's so pow­erful!" John Ikeda says. "You see in their face that instantly a whole universe gets unlocked." The team also studied the different marks that carpenter pencils can make. Adds Ikeda: "Tools are precious—and there's a reason they are that way."

THE EXECUTION:

The $75 Pen­cil's sophisticated circuitry is sheathed in 1.2-millimeter-thick sustainably harvested walnut, echoing wood pencils. In an upcoming version, sensor technologywill allow you to shade if you angle the tip, just as you would with its analog inspiration. Flip it over and you'll use the top of Pencil to erase.

THE RESULT:

Rave reviews--and strong sales. The first production run of Pencil, launched last fall, sold out in five weeks.
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3035110/innovation-by-design-2014/design-is-changing-how-we-innovate

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