We as designers we focus so much on all the opportunities that the digital worlds creates, that we sometimes forget about the physical world. Certainly the physical world has a lot of opportunities for a user interface designer. Meanwhile Simone’s career has been all about designing physical objects with a digital user interface, from satnavs and smartwatches to handbags.
The design of a handbag is centuries old, while the way we use a handbag has completely changed. This results in several usability problems! For example, the handbag is difficult to open, it’s difficult to find something, users often miss phone calls, or forget things.
The handbag is the ideal wearable, since it’s carried around all the time. Therefore it has a promising potential for smart technologies. In this talk at IxDA‘s Interaction’19 conference, Simone Tertoolen discusses designing for people on the move while showing her journey developing the smart handbag using several innovative technologies to create a better interface between the user and the bag (and the phone inside the bag). For instance, tactile sensors, 3D printing, lasering technology, etc. However, all these technologies are used without compromising on a beautiful minimalist design for both the digital and the physical interface.
Designing for people on the move
About Simone Tertoolen
Simone is the founder and designer of MINOIS – smart minimalist handbags. After studying Industrial Design Engineering, Simone worked for several tech companies (Siemens, TNO and TomTom). The main theme in her career is designing for people that are on the move. Going from A to B requires most of the user’s energy and attention. Designing for people that are on the move is challenging and something Simone has grown passionate about. For her, designing a smart handbag was a logical next step.
Source: Designing for people on the move – Interaction 19 – 3-8 February 2019 • Seattle, WA
