Apple Designs Make Work More Enjoyable

Long before I started studying design, I knew Apple knew good design. Or is that Jobs? Most of Apple’s best designs have come under his two reigns.

And yet Steve is not a designer. If anything, he is a marketer. But a marketer with a very rare quality to truly and intrinsically appreciate the importance of design in marketing.

Yesterday I enrolled for my second year of graphic design. The media arts department had promised that new Macs would be coming, but I remained skeptical. However, and thankfully, my skepticism was proven wrong. But I was also wrong about my expectations of the latest iMac design. I did fall into the same trap with the previous white plastic Macs, thinking they were average. But when I was around one I could hardly keep my hands off of it.

And so again, I found Apple still has the ability to inspire raw lust with its designs. It’s remarkable that something so featureless could be so emotive. The G4 iMacs had a distinctive design, inspired by a sunflower, and these were always a favorite of mine. But they had the advantage of a rather uncomputer-like design.

This is unlike current iMacs, which have virtually nothing to work with; consequently, the detail becomes paramount. The materials, the form, the lines, the shapes, the textures, the colors. Of course, these were also important to the G4 iMac, but with it, the designers had more latitude. Apple’s designers, though, with the latest iMac, have still succeeded in causing an intense positive emotional response despite the considerable limitations on form.

So, on entering the classroom, I discovered a dozen stunning 24” anodized aluminum iMacs. No amount of pictures can ever do justice to Apple’s industrial design of its products, and these were no exception. You can make all the judgments you like about Apple’s designs, but seeing them for real is a totally different experience.

The effect on me was primal and almost embarrassing. I had an urge to jump on the desk and do things I couldn’t write about. Well, maybe not that bad, but certainly I wanted to caress the cool metallic lines, the sleek and slim keyboard, and the glassed, glossy LCD.

I try to avoid being a fanboi when I write here, but anything I could write about these computers would sound fanboi-ish.

A lot of Mac users claim the visual presence of a Mac has a positive effect on their enjoyment of working at the computer, and thus improves productivity.

Some people suggest that’s a whole lot of kool-aid. I’ve tried to explain it to these people before, but failed because I couldn’t really put my finger on it. But I’m going to try again because I think I’ve worked it out.

We like to decorate our working space to make it a more pleasant and inspiring place to work. We might have a photo of our kids, a potted plant, flowers, a window nearby, or posters of beaches, forests, or sunsets. All these sorts of things contribute to a positive working experience. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who disagrees with that idea. And so that is how and why I believe Macs make a difference.

Seeing these new iMacs reminded me that Macs, by their design, and unlike most PCS, contribute to that visually aesthetic environment and so make it that little bit easier to work.