What 'problem' does this design solve?

Peh Chee Way Larry: The brand strategy worked hand in hand with Bynd Artisan’s business strategy. One major undertaking was the development of a sustainable business model, which was done by retraining older craftsmen to be client-facing. These craftsmen have a wealth of experience and are encouraged to share their experience with younger colleagues. Bynd Artisan also formed partnerships with people and companies that are able to identify with its brand values.

What challenges did you encounter during the design process? How did you resolve them?

Larry: It was important for the craftsmen, headed by Mr Chong Beng Cheng, to share their opinions, feelings and technical capabilities so that we could craft a better brand story. We looked through his old memorabilia, photographs, files and drawings for inspiration, drawing on those elements to inspire our design. Eventually, Bynd Artisan’s brand essence became “Something’s Worth Sharing” to encapsulate the brand.

The big shift was the mindset of the craftsmen. We wanted them to be the faces of the brand and we thought it was important that they are no longer hidden behind the scenes. It took some getting used to their roles being expanded as they were slowly exposed to the media and started interacting more with customers, and conducting workshops with participants from all walks of life.

Getting Mr Chong and the craftsmen to open up to us was the first step in gaining their trust, so we could reassure them that they and the brand were in safe hands.

How should design improve lives?

Larry: Design should build upon what is necessary with what we have (or will have), and what we need. It must also be sustainable (in terms of longevity of the idea and the product itself), possess the ability to easily evolve over time, and be built around our environment.

Design should help ease people’s anxieties. It’s important to ensure that the message remains clear and distinct regardless of the medium used. The message must remain, but the way in which the message is brought across would differ. New technologies, information and developments will all help to facilitate the transition from the past and present to the future, with minimal disruption.

What's the best piece of adivce anyone has ever given you about design or the business of design? And how have you used that advice in your work?

Larry: “To be a designer isn’t very appealing now, is it? There are better businesses out there like the movie industry, robotics, and education, I think. So maybe that’s why it is always hard for you to find talent.”

These words of wisdom came from my nine-year-old daughter at a casual chat over dinner. I’ve always taken her views seriously and this proves that the design business has a lot of catching up todo with other industries in the casual observer’s eyes. Design always seems to take the secondary role, for instance, after technology or innovation.

But that’s also the way it’s destined to be. In my opinion, I am a firm believer that good design should ‘disappear’ and what stands out is simple the feeling of ‘the-way-it-should-be-ness’.

Which existing design do you think has a positive impact on society?

Larry: It’s difficult to draw the line between technology-led design and the design-led technology. But either way, I think the great aesthetics of mobile phone design – on both the hardware and software fronts – elevates expectations of design and what is considered ‘designed’. Design is also continuing to better lives. For example, things like Apple Pay and the ease of online booking.

I believe every positive design innovation will inevitably have a negative impact. Things like Virtual Reality headsets and driverless cars might be products with well-considered design, but will have both positive and negative impact. I believe the Space X programmes and NASA’s Juno mission probe (including many others like Voyager 1 and 2) are constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be better engineered or designed. And at least they have paved the way for bigger, better and brighter possibilities. On a nostalgic note, I believe the older playgrounds in Singapore were designed pretty well, even if they weren’t the safest with the use of sand.

What's the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you about design or the business of design? And how have you used that advice in your work?

“To be a designer isn’t very appealing now, is it? There are better businesses out there like the movie industry, robotics, and education, I think. So maybe that’s why it is always hard for you to find talent.” These words of wisdom came from my nine-year-old daughter at a casual chat over dinner. I’ve always taken her views seriously and this proves that the design business has a lot of catching up to do with other industries in the casual observer’s eyes. Design always seems to take the secondary roles, for instance, after technology or innovation. But that’s also the way it’s destined to be. In my opinion, I am a firm believer that good design should ‘disappear’ and what stands out is simply the feeling of ‘the-way-it-should-be-ness’.