As the weather gets cooler, ID heats up

It has been a few weeks, and much has happened here at ID. The International Dinner has come and gone. A-session is close to wrapping up. We also have a line-up of exciting things happening over the next few weeks, from Alessandro Franchini coming to ID to the creation of an Interaction Design Group. And even people within engageID have shifted their positions. Phillip LaFargue, editor extraordinaire, has passed on the reigns to a new face, Laate Olukotun , who will do his best to follow in Phillip's footsteps. So here is the engageID Posse's shout-out to Phillip for doing such an amazing job with the newsletter over the past year! We look forward to your continued correspondence in the next year-and-a-half.

- engageID Posse

Alessandro Franchini Lecture
Wednesday, October 6, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Mr. Franchini , Creative Director for Crate and Barrel will be speaking with students in the Nathan Center at ID. Established in 1988, Crate and Barrel's in-house graphic design department is currently responsible for creative brand direction, design and implementation of all corporate identity materials, private label packaging, catalogues, advertising, signage and the web site.

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Cobie Everdell
Ziba Design Internship
Summer 2004

Tell me about yourself. What is your background?
Well, I got my undergraduate degree in Art and Art History from Colgate University , focusing primarily on architecture. Then I spent a semester in Florence studying architecture. I was always interested in design, but felt that a liberal arts degree would be helpful as a foundation for future business activities or what not. I always had plans to study design after college.

How did you end up at ID?
Through a board member at ID, Bob Blake. He's on the board at Teague as well. We're connected through a friend of my Dad's. He ran Phillips for a while, and has done a lot with design in general. I told him about all the schools I was interested in – RISD, RCA, Pratt, CCAC – and he mentioned ID, which I hadn't heard of until then. He gave me a pretty convincing pitch, speaking to the business perspective of the curriculum here, so when I looked at the curriculum and courses offered , I saw how appropriate it was for the way I thought about design. I included ID in my applications, and after further research, it became pretty clear that this was the place for me.

So tell me about your internship search last spring.
My experience is kind of similar to Brandy's. As a foundation student I sent out work samples to a bunch of companies, whereas this past year I focused a lot more on my connections, IDEO, Ziba , Doblin , and IDI in New York, for example. I also got some new connections through recruitID . Ziba sort of happened at the last minute. I had a friend there and they didn't think there was anything there for me until about two weeks before school ended. The position was in their Research and Design Planning group. RDP, they called it. At that point I had a couple of options, and I decided that Ziba would be the best place for me.

Why was Ziba the best option?
Mainly because of their product portfolio, and because of their reputation as a product company. I was interested in design research, but I wanted to learn more than just research, for example, I wanted to learn about how products actually got made.

What was your position there? Describe a typical day.
After I started, I was put immediately on a project on Satellite Radio that had started 2 weeks before I got there. Initially, I was in a support role, sort of making stuff, preparing for the interview phase of the project – they use a lot of “props” for cardsorts , etc. so I was helping to make those. For that project, I traveled to a couple of different places, Boston , Nashville , Portland , etc. for research, interviewing people. In addition to research, we also did a lot of analysis – immediately after the interviews, we would do a download, and then do a more involved analysis session in the evenings. Other things we did included brainstorms with the client to start developing concepts. The project teams were really interdisciplinary – they try to include people with different, synergistic roles. Design planners, researchers, and industrial designers, for example. It was great.

Tell me a bit more about the primary research that you did?
They were mainly in-home interviews. They were different from the ones we did for school because Ziba relied a lot on these “tools” or “props” rather than on a list of questions during these interviews. It took some getting used to, but after being the support for a couple of them, I started leading interviews myself. I really, really liked leading the interviews. < face lights up> They were really fun, because I felt like I could control the flow of conversation, anticipate what they were going to say, and felt like I could get them to the important insights.

What did you think of Ziba ? Would you work there again?
Yes, definitely. [ laughs ] I didn't want to come back to school. I felt like I was learning lots of new stuff, and making it real. The projects had exciting and interesting implications. The people were all different and interesting, and the environment was great. There was a high energy level, there were lots of interesting things going on, there was always something exciting happening. Lots of talented people doing stuff. Also, Portland is the place to be.

What advice would you give to ID students looking for summer internships?
Well, I would say you need a resume and portfolio that communicate your potential. It needs to be something that says: this person is capable of doing the “bottom level work”. It's not like you can go in at a manager's level, so your stuff should communicate that you understand that and have some skills that make you useful. And connections. Connections are key . I know it's a terrible thing to say, but it's kind of true. Another thing is, you can make these connections through doing stuff, like if you have a great interview with someone, then they'll remember you, so it's not a hopeless thing. Also, the cover letter is really important. I've been encouraged over and over again to mention extra-curricular activities, in addition to the design things that I've done in my cover letters, from people working at places like IDEO.

Any last remarks?
[ thinks really hard ] Design is cool.

- Jenny Fan

Extreme Sports Vehicle

By: Laate Olukotun

Something special is happening this fall on Monday and Thursday afternoons on the 2 nd floor at ID. From the beginning of the school year until early December, Chris Conley is teaching a new Product Design Workshop for thirty first-year and demo-year students. A special combination of lecture and practical application, the Workshop is a chance for students to incubate projects that are meaningful to them. Whether working solo or in teams, students are exploring new solutions for many areas, including computer systems, eyewear, transportation, healthcare, and communication.

Our tools are drawing pads, markers, pencils, computers, razors, foam board, and yellow foam. Our knowledge of the process is rapidly growing, thanks to Chris's instruction and the knowledge of our classmates. Our aims are to win two international design competitions, Braun and Dyson, at the beginning of next year.

I am thrilled to be working on a fun, outlandish project this fall: creating a new type of human-powered extreme sports vehicle. Through my own experiences, interviews with extreme sports enthusiasts, and through interactions with classmates in brainstorming sessions, I am exploring several exciting concept directions. But regardless of which concept I eventually plan to pursue, I promise you that the behavioral prototyping phase will be enjoyable. Imagine going out into the parking lot behind ID and being a test pilot for a craft that has never existed before. In a few weeks, your wildest dreams may come true! (But please bring your own helmets.)

- Laate Olukotun

Chicago International Film Festival



While not as well known as some of the other world festivals, the Chicago International Film Festival packs a vast number of quality homegrown and international films in a three week span from October 7 - 21. Many of the films shown will never make it to Chicago again on the big screen and can also be difficult to find on video (see Facets section below). See them at the International Film Festival and you may get a chance to meet the director! In addition to film screenings the Fest presents panel discussions and educational programs about film production, history, meaning and criticism. A couple of notable entries from countries with students at ID include:

WHISKY ( Argentina ) -- A Cannes favorite and prizewinner, Whisky spins a gentle, understated and funny fable about two absurdly non-communicative co-workers, locked in a relationship of stiff formality and utter co-dependence. Jacobo runs a failing sock factory, aided by Marta, his right arm and loyal manager for 20 years. Their repetitive lives are disrupted by the arrival of Jacobo's chatty younger brother, Herman, whom he hasn't seen in years. Wishing to paint a better picture for Herman, Jacobo asks Marta to pretend to be his wife, a proposal she accepts with some enthusiasm. Pulled into a series of comical situations and improvised stories for Herman's benefit, including a seaside holiday he suggests, Jacobo and Marta gradually emerge from their shells. Directors Rebella and Stoll (25 Watts) credit Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan as an influence on their droll visual aesthetic.

RAINCOAT (India) -- Chokher Bali collaborators Rituparno Ghosh and Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai return with a love story set against the backdrop of a rainy afternoon, a bittersweet reunion of sly word games, unspoken feelings, and protective layers—actual and metaphorical—that may recall Before Sunset. According to Indian literature, monsoon season is a time of partings and grief for estranged lovers.

Facing hard times, Mannu (Ajay Defgan ) leaves for Calcutta , hoping to borrow money from former classmates and to see his childhood love, Niru ( Rai ), who left him for a wealthy man. He sets off on a rainy day, in a borrowed raincoat, and finds himself at Niru's door. Draped in silk and gloom, she now prefers to hide in the darkness of her well-furnished home. As they wait out the storm, she tells Mannu of her happy life, while he goes on about his successful TV career and upcoming marriage. But as the rain continues to fall, their lies wash away leaving both vulnerable and exposed.

Individual ticket prices range from $6 - $15 depending on the film, time and whether it is being "presented" by a director or critic. Passes to the entire festival are also available. To check screening schedules, locations, buy tickets to films or more, look for the Film Festival pull-out section in the Chicago Reader, call 312-332-3456 or visit: http://www.chicagofilmfestival.org/.

- Zachary Paradis

// engageID //

Editor: Laate Olukotun

HTML Author: Geoff Colbath

Contributors: Lucas Daniel, Hillary Schuster, Sara Cantor, Jenny Fan, Philip LaFargue II, Christine Choi, Taylor Lies, Eric Holubow, Zachary Paradis 

to send newsletter submissions: newsletter[at]id.iit.edu