ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY

Three million years ago, our ancestors created their first tools from flint. They probably did not have much else. Ever since, the processing of raw materials into products has remained a time-consuming and labour-intensive activity. Products were valuable and used for as long as possible. Repairing defective products was the most normal thing in the world.

It wasn’t until the start of the Industrial Revolution – around 1750 – that artisanal production was replaced by mass production and trade became mass consumption. In recent decades, the massive relocation of factories to low-wage countries has led to a further erosion of both retail prices and value perception. Products have been degraded to gadgets and fast fashion. Nowadays, buying something new is often cheaper than repairing a defective product.

“A shift from the Industrial Revolution to Industrial Evolution”

As an industrial designer, it is my personal mission to develop and apply the ultimate design creation methodology based on a holistic approach. I have applied this approach to a wide variety of clients ranging from start-ups to big names like Maxi-Cosi and Unilever. The most important application of this approach has been my own company, Secrid.

People love their products, but not many cherish these possessions. Companies rush to introduce new trends and produce even cheaper products, while consumers replace these products at an ever-increasing pace. Overconsumption is having an extremely heavy impact on people, nature, and the environment. It’s a downward spiral that can only be halted by consumers by choosing better products that are less harmful to the environment and have a longer lifespan and deeper meaning to users.

Instead of ‘cheaper and worse’, new products must be developed which are intrinsically ‘better, more sustainable and more valuable’ than products that came before. This requires extra attention from designers, who must reinforce the advantages of these products and eliminate the disadvantages. Only in this way can the industry contribute to a sustainable society. This is necessary as a contribution to a balanced earth. We call this the Industrial Evolution, the inevitable sequel to the Industrial Revolution.

“New products must be developed which are intrinsically better, more sustainable and more valuable.”

We – Marianne and René, founders of Secrid – have been working as designers of industrial products in both fashion and technology since 1985. Over the past 35 years, we have experienced how this creative field has become more fleeting. Speed and originality seem to have gradually become more important than thorough improvements. In addition, through mass production in poorer countries, the Western world has unanimously opted for low prices that are linked to low standards in the areas of labour law, the environment and quality. The development of a new product is a complex process, often involving thousands of choices, and good guidelines for these choices are lacking. This subject intrigues us immensely. That is why we have been actively researching it since 1995. We call the results of this research ‘The Principles of the Industrial Evolution’. Secrid is both our testing ground and our platform for sharing these ideas with the rest of the world.

HOLISTIC DESIGN PRINCIPLES

New products should be better than previous designs. Because when every new design is a step forward, the world will move into the right direction. To understand the definition of ‘better’, creators should consider the 7 Holistic Design Principles.

  • Optimize moral value
    When products are developed, created, or used, numerous choices need to be made. Ethical choices require a broad vision, ensuring that the interests of all stakeholders – including nature, environment, and mankind – have been taken into consideration.

  • Optimize impact on society
    Our environment has been shaped during millions of years of evolution. Products leave their traces as well. Sometimes superficial, sometimes impressively deep, but one way or another, everything has its impact. For our future generations it’s crucial to optimise all the remaining effects that products may have.

  • Optimize interactions
    In living nature, evolution has resulted into organisms that have adapted and optimised their interactions for the surroundings they live in. Buildings and products are an integral part of the way that people interact with their surroundings and are therefore closely linked to human evolution.

  • Optimize emotional attachment
    The aesthetics of nature increases our feeling of happiness, health, and eventually even life expectancy. The same is true about the aesthetics of buildings and products, helping people to develop stronger emotional attachments to the products they use. This will result into an increased lifespan of these objects as well.

  • Optimize resourcs
    In living nature, evolution has resulted into organisms that use a minimised amount of materials and energy for optimised health, performance and lifespan. The same should be the case for the structure and functioning of buildings and products.

  • Optimize circularity
    In living organisms, reproduction and growth require matter and energy. After reaching the end of life, the ‘bodily remains’ return into the ecosystem and this cycle is usually in balance with the ecosystems of our planet. Buildings and products should also be circular, leaving no traces after their end of life.

  • Optimize commercial value
    Our economy is largely based on transforming matter into products, to create financial value. Better designs create higher added values, thus combining economic growth while reducing the sources. Industry should shift the focus from ‘reducing costs’ to ‘adding value’.

SPIRID
CREATION
MATRIX

New products should be better than previous generations. The world will move into the right direction once every new design is a step forward. To understand the definition of ‘better’, creators should consider the 7 Holistic Design Principles of my SPIRID Creation Matrix. This Matrix connects all perspectives and stakeholders; starting from alignment and briefing to conceptualisation, detailing, engineering, production and launching products to the market. A helpful roadmap for navigating various dilemma’s and making the right choices.