or should i just leave it be, do i really need any more light output?
the cost of a xp-g is about £4, so itd b a fairly cheap upgrade, n id probs use the old led for somethin else anyway!
what do you guys think?
]]>I sacrificed my old Cateye lamp which was proving to be inadequate but kept the mount and lower casing to act as a craddle for a BULB. The result is secure and adjustable. I had to stick some blue tape over the top of the bulb since the glare was effecting my night vision!
]]>Design
This is a role that definitely requires qualification – I know of no designers who haven’t been to a design college of any description. The only exception to this is people who have started their own brands and may not have had any formal design background. The ones that I am aware of and appear to have some credibility are the Performance Design courses at Derby and Leeds. I have used several people from these for projects and the quality/calibre of the graduates is, in my experience, very good.
Sales
Whilst “sales” may not be considered in the same light as design or marketing, be warned – they have a big influence in many organisations on what gets developed or into the market. I have dealt with many, many sales people within the industry and they are, let us say, a…..variable bunch. This is a breed I really don’t understand, and how they get into this role is one that mystifies me. Just about everyone I dealt with in an organisation came from a sales role from another company, and it looks a bit like musical chairs (many sales people I know have worked for at least 5 brands in the outdoor industry). But how any of them actually got into sales in the first place, I don’t know.
Marketing
Again, just about everyone in this area I have worked with came with a professional background and formal qualifications etc, but there are exceptions. People in the marketing departments of outdoor brands have come from a wide range of previous employments – from sports brands to FMCG. As a discipline, marketing translates across any kind of industry very well – in theory, anyway. Strangely enough, I find the marketing people often have very little empathy with the industry they have chosen, and that includes outdoors.
Product management
This is a weird role – a combination of market and sales analysis leading across to product outlines, briefs and specifications. In some companies, PM’s are actually the designers – in a crude kind of way. The scope of this role certainly makes it one of the most interesting and satisfying, but it can be equally frustrating. However, I think this is also a role with probably the most diverse range of approaches to entering the industry, or at least, one that you could get away without any formal background. However, I do qualify this statement as being true for people of my generation in the industry (15-20 years) – it might not be so now as, at least with the big brands, everything is so much more professional.
How did I get into the industry?
I will relate my tale as I believe this is still a way in. My first job in the industry started as an assistant product manager at Berghaus (the “training school” for so many in the trade) – or was it? In many ways, my involvement started a few years earlier. My background is enviable. Born and bred in New Zealand, I was brought up in the outdoors and subjected to what was then a very good education system (I don’t know what it is like now). I studied and graduated in chemical & materials engineering at Auckland University. After 5 years professional life in NZ, I let my passion for mountaineering take over and discarded my career to become a “climbing bum” travelling around the world. It was during this period (of 6 years) that I started working in outdoor shops to finance the next expedition. This, in a way, could be considered my real start in the industry, but I do think it is typical of many attitudes that “retail staff don’t count”. However, I absolutely believe that two critical elements are here – I understood the end use (being a very active and regularly abusing, destroying but always using outdoor kit) and I understood what ordinary customers wanted (working in retail selling to them). My university degree wasn’t important, although the intellectual rigour that this requires (regardless of discipline) was helpful (if you don’t have it naturally) and I suspect was a background factor in getting my first job.
So, in summary
1. Be active (the level isn’t important – I was an average climber)
2. Use lots of kit and be critical of it in a rational way. Ignore brand-names and marketing hype. Challenge perceived wisdom.
3. Work in an outdoor shop and listen to customers
4. Cultivate contacts with sales reps or anyone else from the industry
5. Go to tradeshows and meet people, express interest etc.
6. Take a balanced approach – there is no perfect product and everybody is different in their experience and expectations.
7. Pursue a course of formal qualification relevant to your skills and ambition
8. Have passion, patience, perseverance and positivism, but especially passion
A final warning
Working for an outdoor brand may appear to be great, but one’s outdoor life can suddenly become seriously compromised as work takes over. Designers can become disillusioned with some brands as commercial realities often conflict with the ideals and flair that is their gift.
[ed] Carol McDermott is the inspirational force behind Crux and Lightwave.
]]>Backpacking:
Its about being lightweight
small
strong
multifunction
ultimately utilitarian
Cyclists:
Its about being lightweight
strong
smart (looking)
highly specialised function (you may need to have a graduate degree in
design or CAD engineering!)
Climbing:
Its about being lightweight
strong
highly specialised/engineered
The point is that smaller, lighter, stronger, and smarter looking will account for about 80% of your “new” idea. So maybe like Nick suggests in the intro, remaking the wheel is not necessary, but start looking at your gear with these ideas in mind. Then when you figure out some wild “what if” way of reducing weight on your backpack, tent or stove you may have just stumbled upon a simple idea thousands of people would be interested in buying if it was taken to market. The really bright ideas that ive seen while searching the web for new product designs usually take an existing product, and think hard about what is “really” needed for that product to work. Eliminating the rest in a strong, smart, and lightweight way may make for a novel product.
Good luck, and hope this helps for that first step.
-derek
in fact a luminous rim to fit on a mytimug would keep it nice & cool and you could drink in the dark. huzzah!
]]>Visit the Innovation for Extremes website for more details.
]]>History and organisation:
eCAADe is a non-profit organisation which has the following goals:
Create an information network about CAAD activities and facilities of special interest existing in schools of architecture in Europe.
Search for solutions to facilitate the exchange of staff, students, teaching programmes, and computer software between schools of architecture.
Make specific proposals towards the creation of closer relations between education, research, and practice in the area of architectural design and CAAD.
Establish contact with governmental, international, and professional organizations and agencies.
Throughout the years, many initiatives were undertaken to achieve these goals (some of them listed below). The main event within eCAADe is the annual conference, which takes place at a different location within the region that eCAADe covers. The first conference was held in 1982 at the Technische Universiteit Delft, Netherlands. The first five conferences were formative towards the official establishment of the association in 1987. The formal statutes are registered under Belgium law in Brussels.
The situation in CAAD has changed substantially from the early years to today. The most influential changes are: increasing computational power of pc’s, development of all kinds of simulation techniques (structure, light, thermal, etc.), and the development of Internet. These dynamics, and the fact that the association has always run as a voluntary effort by many, means that the working of the association and the targets that were set evolved throughout its history. The current structure, means of communications, and working method emerged as good practice from experiences in the past. It is important to note therefore, that the description below reflects the current situation, and that this is based on the experience by those who built up and maintained the association.
]]>Training programs are available from professional design schools or from colleges and universities and usually take 2 to 4 years to complete. Graduates of 2-year and 3-year programs are awarded certificates or associate’s degrees in interior design and normally qualify as assistants to interior designers upon graduation. Graduates with bachelor’s degrees usually qualify for entry into a formal design apprenticeship program. Basic coursework includes computer-aided design (CAD), drawing, perspective, spatial planning, color and fabrics, furniture design, architecture, ergonomics, ethics, and psychology.
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits approximately 250 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design. Most of these schools award a degree in interior design. Applicants may be required to submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.
The Council for Interior Design Accreditation also accredits interior design programs that lead to a bachelor’s degree. In 2005, there were 137 accredited bachelor’s degree programs in interior design in the United States, located primarily in schools of art, architecture, and home economics.
After the completion of formal training, interior designers will enter a 1-year to 3-year apprenticeship to gain experience before taking a licensing exam. Most apprentices work in design or architecture firms under the strict supervision of an experienced designer. Apprentices also may choose to gain experience working as an in-store designer in furniture stores. The NCIDQ offers the Interior Design Experience Program (IDEP), which helps entry-level interior designers gain valuable work experience by supervising work experience and offering mentoring services and workshops to new designers.
Following the apprenticeship, designers may choose to take the national licensing exam or choose to become members of a professional association. Because registration or licensure is not mandatory in all states, membership in a professional association is an indication of an interior designer’s qualifications and professional standing.
Employers increasingly prefer interior designers who are familiar with CAD software. Interior designers also increasingly need to know the basics of architecture and engineering in order to ensure that their designs meet building safety codes and ADA requirements. Other skills obtained through an education in interior design include space planning, architectural lighting, textiles, rendering, ergonomics, etc.
In addition to possessing technical knowledge, interior designers must be creative, imaginative, and persistent and must be able to communicate their ideas in writing, visually, and verbally. Because tastes in style can change quickly, designers need to be well read, open to new ideas and influences, and quick to react to changing trends. Problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently and under pressure are important traits. People in this field need self-discipline to start projects on their own, to budget their time, and to meet deadlines and production schedules. Good business sense and sales ability also are important, especially for those who freelance or run their own business.
Beginning interior designers receive on-the-job training and normally need 1 to 3 years of training before they can advance to higher level positions. Experienced designers in large firms may advance to chief designer, design department head, or some other supervisory position. Some experienced designers open their own firms or decide to specialize in one aspect of interior design. Other designers leave the occupation to become teachers in schools of design or in colleges and universities. Many faculty members continue to consult privately or operate small design studios to complement their classroom activities.
]]>Society goals:
The society has a number of goals, including:
improving the design and development process
building a community among existing designers and create training opportunities for new designers
increasing the impact of educational designers on educational practice
Annual conference:
2005 Oxford, England; Conference chair Hugh Burkhardt
2006 Oxford, England; Conference chair Hugh Burkhardt
2007 Berkeley, California, USA; Conference chair Elizabeth Stage
2008 Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands; Conference Chair Peter Boon; http://www.fi.uu.nl/isdde
2009 Cairns, Queensland, Australia; Conference Chair Kaye Stacey http://www.isdde.org/isdde/cairns/index.htm
2010 Oxford, England; Conference chair Malcolm Swan http://www.isdde.org/isdde/oxford2010/index.htm
2011 Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Conference Chairs Frank Davis & Christian Schunn