Star Tech

What advances good technology? Great design.

Technology is now intrinsically linked to our lives. The more we have, the more we crave great technological experiences that make our lives easier. Design, however, is the real game changer. Great design enhances how users experience technology and elevates a product’s functionality.

Photo credit © HKDI Gallery

The current Red Dot Design Exhibition at HKDI examines how design bridges the gap between technological products and human experiences. Hi-tech products, such as smart wearables, smartphones and tablets, reflect how technical products are now developed with design as a prime consideration. Gone are the cold, hard, digital devices of old. They’re now packaged in sleek-chic designs to improve functionality and appeal to the masses.

Photo credit © Design Society

Across the border in Shenzhen, the recently-established Design Society has launched its MINDING THE DIGITAL exhibition. Inspiring and informative, the exhibition showcases the symbiotic relationship between technology and design. In the current digital era, such innovations as the 3D printed chair Microstructures, by Dutch designer Joris Laarman, and the reactive, human-like sphere ANIMA by Dutch artist Nick Verstand, demonstrate the creative possibilities of design when artists embrace new technologies.

Realizing the power of design is one thing, but it’s the combination of technology and design that creates unique experiences. Think Apple and Samsung. Their technologies may now be similar, but the experiences are not. They never will be. And that’s why great design, matched with innovative technology, is what impacts our lives.

Virginia Ngai