Print : Out of the shell.

- field Interactions, Product Design
- By William Elks
Why is it a printer looks the way it looks, why do they all function in practically the same manner and does it need to be this way? Is there a reason why the design of a commercial printer has remained stagnant for years. With numerous amounts of energy going into the improvement of technological innovation, improving quality, speed and consumption, very little can be said for the design innovation. In order to disrupt and create change, breaking this stagnant cycle, the same amount of energy that goes into the technological innovations need to coincide with the design; Improving the overall look, while staying focused on making all aspects of the printing process interesting, interactive, predictable, and intuitive.
Essentially my project revolves around a product redesign of a digital consumer printer.
How much do we actually know about how a printer works and do we really care? Its function is hidden away in a shell that’s been hardened due to years upon years of repetitive forms. For most this product is used regularly and is an over complicated process to say the least. You don’t often hear people giving rave reviews of their printers; waste comes in paper and ink, connectivity breeds frustration, ink prices continually increase and ecological concerns point to a time past.
The title for this project is literal – Intentionally removing the outer shell from the printer, celebrating its electronic intricacy and innovation. By removing this shell along with components deemed unnecessary, I am able to produce a printer that is far more artistic in its form and over all function, thus breaking this stagnant cycle.
- field Interactions, Product Design
- By William Elks