Thoughts
Mental baggage
Just imagine if it were possible
An experience can be a particularly useful tool, but overexposure to something can develop an individual’s mental baggage. When mental baggage is prevalent it can be difficult to consider any other creative direction other than that of the overfamiliar, and it can be arduous to persuade others to explore an alternative path when they also have a preconceived notion of what the product is. It is only when things can be thought of differently, without accustomed barriers, that it is plausible to innovate markets. If the problem is not confronted with a ‘why attitude’, similar to a small child constantly asking questions about something, it is almost impossible to understand and develop. In the event that mental baggage can be broken down through repeated enquiry and probing, it is likely that a delightful and practical proposal can emerge and be accepted broadly.
The G Force bagless vacuum cleaner, designed by James Dyson was initially sold in Japan. Dyson had questioned the accepted standards of a vacuum cleaner. The ability to ask the basic questions and to ignore convention and mental baggage is at the heart of good design. Dyson continues to ask why and continues to manoeuvre around preconceived ideas and boundaries to remain innovative.
G Force James Dyson’s G Force vacuum cleaner. The functionality of the design differed on many levels to its predecessors and in 1991 won the Japanese International Design Fair prize.