Table of Contents

Sections

1- Team Approach

2- Problem Solving

3- Creativity

- Subjects I Would Like To Know More About

- Things That Inspire Me

4- Bad Designs

- Good Designs

5- Interesting Design Problems

- My Designs

6- Design Process

Sections of the portfolio may be accessed from this table of contents, or from the "Sections" menu at the side of the page.

MacBook Charger

The MacBook charger qualifies as both good and bad design, as some elements place it in one category, others in another. I usually tend to explain it as a great design with serious flaws.

The Good: MagSafe

Unlike most laptop charging cables, the MacBook cable attaches solely by magnet. If for some reason the cable is yanked (or tripped over, or gets caught on something...), it quickly detaches to prevent the computer from tumbling to the floor. I have been saved by this feature countless times and the MagSafe adaptor is one of the features of my computer that I appreciate most.

The Bad:

This charger also qualifies as a bad design due to it's stunning lack of durability. My first charger came with my computer and looked like this:

As can be seen in this photo, the plastic sheathing tended to detach from the connector and leave wire exposed. This was a very common problem, leading to a class-action lawsuit and eventually a redesigned charger. After mine became unusable, I bought the new design, which looked like this:

This eliminated a lot of the stress on the connector, but caused a whole new slew of problems. First, the connectors on a MacBook look like this:

The port on the left is where the charger cable attaches. When the cable is attached in one direction, it blocks the Ethernet and mini-DVI ports. When attached in the other direction, it tends to bend close to the connector, and the plastic sheathing begins to split. In my experience, these chargers (both the old and new design) have a lifespan of about two years before they need to be replaced.

Wegmans Reusable Shopping Bags

When Wegmans' asked their customers what features they would like to see in reusable bags, the responses nearly perfectly matched what I look for in a reusable bag.

• Waterproof material that can be cleaned with a sponge
• Sturdy straps
• Flat bottom to prevent tipping, increase capacity

Wegmans' bags are some of my favorites. They are not an inconvenience I am willing to deal with for the sake of the environment- I actually enjoy using them more than plastic bags because they meet my needs better than plastic bags ever could.

Reusable Shopping Bags

I do not mean to suggest that reusable shopping bags are a bad idea, merely that the majority of these bags that are sold are poorly designed.

Mistake #1: Cloth

All reuasable grocery bags should be waterproof. Things happen on the way home from the grocery store: eggs break, milk bottles leak, fluids escape from packages of meat. Cloth bags are not up to the task of containing these messes.

Mistake #2: Not Square Bottoms

This is an area where the plastic bag can not only be equaled, but surpassed. Reusable bags can take a much greater variety of shapes and sizes. Their sturdier construction means that they can be bigger and more rigid, leading to much more efficient packing of groceries. I use two very large reusable bags, and often fit about 5-8 plastic bags-worth of groceries into the pair.

Both of the types of bags pictured above do not efficiently meet the needs of the consumer, but many other reusable bags do.

Rubbermaid Chug Bottle

The Rubbermaid Chug bottle earns the distinction of being the worst water bottle I have ever owned. It was difficult to grip and would often slip out of my hand. It was small and had only 20 oz capacity. It was prone to sweating. But the very worst of all, it leaked. The white cap over the mouth piece opened far too easily- it would open on its own while being bounced around in my backpack, or when I dropped it. This $2.50 water bottle caused at least $200 worth of water damage before I finally threw it away. I needed a leakproof and durable water bottle (as do many other consumers), and this product did not meet my needs.

Alberto Giacometti

My Photos

More Photos

One of the design topics that I would like to know more about is composition, because it is a crucial part of photography. I didn't "design" the landscapes in these photos, but I did design the view that I wanted to capture and how I wanted to place the frame.