Over Design is a Trap
Posted on 02. Jun, 2009 by Raven Starkly in design
I’ve got to watch myself. I’m a sucker for features or gadgets. I like clips, zippers, pockets, holders and Velcro. The world is full of geek candy like that. But when is enough ‘enough’?
I used a vintage bike messenger bag for years — just a bag with a single inner zipperless pocket. So I was understandably excited about the new one, with two zipper pockets inside, a couple of pockets without zippers, a pocket for a cell phone, a place for some pens and two outter pockets — one zippable and one not — and a clip to hold my keys. It also had a couple of detachable reflective flaps that are intended to give me added visablity. I was excited about all this, that is, until I started using the bag.
In the old bag, I always knew exactly where to look for things. There were only two places — in the bag or in the pocket — and it was very easy to do that. In the new bag, on the other hand, I can never remember which pocket contains the thing I’m looking for and so time is wasted zipping and unzipping pockets. I end up frustrated because I don’t see what I want. And the detachable flaps are also annoying because I think I’m opening the bag and I’m really detaching a flap. No doubt about it — this bag is over designed. I may end up sewing most of the pockets shut.
Compare these two baby backpack:
While the first one might look better, I assure you, 9 times out of 10 times it’s not
Same with knives:
These classic French Opnel knives:
Are way better for cutting pears on a hike then these absurdly over designed ones:
Okay, that was a joke, but this is not:
I’ll take an Opinel any day.
