How can you design a distinctive product using shape and form?

When you are talking about the shape of a product, it stands in your mind in a 1-second look. For example, when we are talking about the shape of a laptop, you answer immediately: a rectangle. When I ask about the form, you might say it has a gaming appearance with sharp edges. That's where we are talking about the form. When it comes to form, besides the detailed explanations, it merges with senses and perceptions.

Shape refers to the outline or configuration of an object, while form encompasses its three-dimensional structure. Incorporate unique shapes and forms that align with the product's function and brand identity. Experiment with curves, angles, and proportions to create visual interest. Striking a balance between aesthetics and functionality ensures a distinctive and memorable product design that stands out in the market

Crafting a distinctive product through shape and form requires a thoughtful exploration of visual elements. Designers can use shapes and forms to evoke emotions, enhance functionality, and communicate a brand's identity. The careful arrangement of curves, angles, and proportions contributes to both the product's aesthetic appeal and user experience. Paying attention to these details ensures not just a visually pleasing outcome but also one that resonates with users' perceptions and usability needs. By finding the right balance between innovation and functionality, designers can make a product stand out, leaving a lasting impression on users.

Acredito que a forma complementa a forma, e vice-versa. Todo produto tem volume e contorno, logo trabalham juntos. No ato da concep??o do produto, pensamos nos dois ao mesmo tempo. Possuem a mesma importancia.

You only sometimes need to add many details and elements to differentiate your product. distinctivity comes from presenting something that others can't. It might be simplicity, details, contrasts, sharpening or rounding edges, color, dimensions, or ... as long as it remains in the user taste range. Again, about a laptop, one distinctive design for gaming laptops is Razer Blades. It is a simple black cubic form for a gaming laptop, while others are in a war for having the finest edges, edgier textures, etc...

Designing a distinctive product using shape and form requires merging aesthetics with function. Shapes evoke emotions—curves for comfort, angles for strength. Understand the audience, align shapes with brand identity, prioritize usability, and prototype iteratively. For instance, crafting a unique speaker involves form exploration, integrating functionality, aligning with brand values, and user-centric prototyping to create an exceptional, emotionally resonant product.

To create distinction in your product or service using shape and form, start by understanding your consumer, underserved populations and gaps in existing solution. Focus on designs that are easy to use and offer clear and agile benefits. Ensure that the form enhances functionality, making the user's experience intuitive and straightforward. What design element could you change to make your offering not just distinctive, but also more intuitive and beneficial for the user?

Align shapes with brand identity, experiment with unconventional forms, and prioritize a harmonious balance. Consider user experience, explore diverse materials, and draw inspiration from various sources. Iterate through prototyping, ensuring the design not only looks distinctive but also enhances functionality. The strategic use of shape and form enhances visual appeal, setting the product apart

As a fundament, let's review that each design has three levels of understanding — visceral, behavioral, and reflective. All these levels combine to form an effective and impactful design that offers a delightful experience to users. Considering these perceptive levels helps designers achieve affordance using contrasts, colors, etc.. Using gestalt principles to create a more understandable affordance or straightforward aesthetics. Using colors and proportions to create visually appealing products. And at higher levels, shaping the product to achieve meanings and metaphors!

shapes convey messages; for instance, circles suggest unity, triangles imply stability, and curves evoke flow. Align forms with intended emotions or concepts, using sharp angles for dynamism or soft curves for elegance. Consider cultural associations and context in shaping meaning. A purposeful combination of shapes and forms in design enables effective storytelling, enhancing communication through a visual narrative.

For example, the unique form played an important role in one of my successful work experiences, Resoxy, a finalist for Reddot and IF design award, and winner of the Iran Design Award in medical products. During the Coronavirus pandemic, the use of oxygen generators became more and more everyday products. However, home oxygen generators have existed for a long time; their role has become more prominent in homes. What we did was a simple change in how we looked at the product. We changed a medical form in other products that you could feel the smell of hospital and alcohol by looking at it to a modern home device—a soft white look with a soothing blue light.

Designing a distinctive form for the product requires a deep understanding of the market and competitors, needs, functions, and personas. All this isn't very meaningful if you do not have a suitable and sufficient visual experience. With good form-creating skills in your team, you can start creating the appropriate form by relying on this knowledge and clarity in what you want to present. Also, it is better to know that a form is not created at once, and good ideas need to be cooked and addressed in detail to meet the user's needs in various fields, such as aesthetics, affordance, simplicity, and user experience. Just being eye-catching does not make a product distinctive.