Design Research Unit

One of the founding aims of the Design Research Unit was:

"To carry out research into the needs of the consumer and into the ability of machine [industry] to meet those needs, and from this research to evolve types of design which are not only suitable for machine production, but at the same time efficient and beautiful."

Now, this was written in 1943, so why are we still having to coax and cajole companies into listening to their users?

You might say, all they meant was traditional market research (quant) and that's not always the best way to create new innovative design. But I think is is significant that they shared offices with the Mass Observation, a UK Government organisation which from 1937 to 1960 recorded everyday life in Britain through recording "conversation and behaviour at work, on the street" and asking a huge number of the public to keep diaries. (see the http://www.massobs.org.uk archive if you want to know more.)

Why do we have to work so bloody hard to get people to listen to their customers? If they could write such a confident and forward thinking manifesto in the 1940's why cant we now?

I've never worked on a single project where doing some user insight has not added hugely to the vitality, progress and success of the project. No I'm off down the Anderson shelter as I can hear the corporate air raid siren.

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The Design Research Unit, a multidisciplinary design practice, was responsible over 30 years for designing some of the iconic brands of the UK, including British Rail, Westminster street nameplate, and large parts of the festival of Britain.

Design Research Unit: 1942 - 72 is on in the Cubitt Gallery, London till Sunday 24th Oct before touring the UK cubittartists.org.uk  It's a great little show, go and see it if you can.

more photos on Flickr