Working, Beautiful, or WOBE?
It is more important that: it works, it is beautiful, or it works being beautiful?
During my laboratories I use to ask this question to my students, especially during the maker workshop, for example when it regards a project to realize a DIY controller to connect to Scratch via Makey-Makey.
The first answer is almost always: “ It is important that it works!”. I didn’t collect scientific data, but I noticed that this type of reply has been given mainly by male students.
In going ahead with the debate, students generally agreeing on the aspect that the controller, or the object we are making, must be functioning and nice; it must be WOrking and BEautiful: it bust be a WOBE product.
At this point of the discussion, I ask:
Why it should be beautiful?
Answer 1
Because if it is beautiful, people will buy it
Answer 2
because of the marketing
After this replies, I go on with a dialogue like this:
Question
What do you think, is better live in a world made by beautiful objects or only by working object?
Reply
Live in a world made of beautiful objects
Then I ask them if they are agree that the answer to my question: “Why it should be beautiful”, is:
“ to live in a world made of beautiful objects “
My goal is help them to pursuing with WOBE in creating something, is help them taking care of either technological and beautiful aspect, or better artistic aspect. I try to support and inspire them, in order to lead their creativity to the beauty and an aesthetic direction than to marketing and selling vision (they will have time in their adulthood to do that); now is important allow them to be creative and realize beautiful projects around them (us.
Hoping that this approach will contribute to have in the future many innovators, creators, and communicators, and in case seller of beautiful objects: WOBE objects.
When I recommend of creating something that is also beautiful, I meant first that it could be the result of their effort and creativity, as they need to get used to bring out the artist that is into every one of us, fearless and shamelessly .
If they make something with innovation and inventiveness, they are on their way to make a WOBE product.
Obviously the beautiful aspect is not only a result of commitment and creativity, therefore even in simple small activity of makers is important do not forget aspect such as: decoration, coloration, and not least the ergonomic and tactile aspect.
If we intend to make a WOBE product is important keep in mind that what our senses perceive as quality what gives emotion and positive sensation, and it can be considered Beautiful, (but I prefer not go into deep in such complex meaning)
This is why in my tinkering labs we don’t make just scribble machine but instead we build the ScaraBot, object that can be defined WOBE without doubts.
