0:00:05.584,0:00:09.751
I believe life is connected.

0:00:09.769,0:00:14.614
I believe people are connected[br]to their social and physical environment,

0:00:14.615,0:00:18.927
and I believe mankind[br]is connected to the planet;

0:00:18.928,0:00:23.599
but our society has lost[br]touch of this connection.

0:00:23.600,0:00:28.480
We've built a society[br]that thinks in straight lines:

0:00:28.490,0:00:33.466
we buy things, we use things,[br]we throw them out, period.

0:00:33.467,0:00:37.616
We have companies that try to achieve

0:00:37.617,0:00:43.527
maximum growth,[br]maximum profit, maximum efficiency.

0:00:43.921,0:00:47.653
Nature works slightly differently.

0:00:47.654,0:00:51.243
In nature, when you use something[br]and you throw it out, it rots,

0:00:51.244,0:00:53.743
and it becomes a source of new life.

0:00:53.744,0:00:55.803
It's a cyclical process.

0:00:55.804,0:00:59.582
In nature, there is[br]a dynamic balance of species

0:00:59.583,0:01:02.458
that are intricately connected[br]to each other,

0:01:02.459,0:01:06.319
I believe our future

0:01:09.312,0:01:12.311
is based on an integration[br]of these two worlds,

0:01:12.312,0:01:16.312
integrating that industrial society[br]with its natural roots.

0:01:17.249,0:01:20.849
So, after I graduated from university

0:01:21.264,0:01:24.984
I started making shoes, as you do;

0:01:27.052,0:01:29.032
but they weren't just any shoes,

0:01:29.732,0:01:35.511
they were the world's first[br]biodegradable shoes that bloom.

0:01:35.512,0:01:38.612
They were shoes that you could wear[br]just like any other shoes,

0:01:38.613,0:01:42.192
and once they were worn down,[br]you could plant them in the ground,

0:01:42.193,0:01:45.542
and the seeds that we put inside[br]the tongue of the shoes could grow

0:01:45.543,0:01:48.032
into a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers;

0:01:48.033,0:01:51.893
and of course, the shoes[br]would decompose into the earth.

0:01:53.203,0:01:57.317
It was based on a notion[br]I had in university

0:01:57.318,0:01:58.773
that products can be more

0:01:58.774,0:02:02.833
than just perform a function[br]and look a certain way.

0:02:02.834,0:02:08.393
They can offer us a new perspective[br]on how we see the world.

0:02:08.394,0:02:12.672
They can connect us to a bigger reality.

0:02:12.673,0:02:16.069
That goes into how we experience products,

0:02:16.070,0:02:19.697
and to explain a little bit[br]how that works,

0:02:19.709,0:02:21.751
I'm going to do a little quiz with you.

0:02:21.757,0:02:24.816
You don't have to raise your hands[br]or call out any answers;

0:02:24.817,0:02:28.516
just play along in your head,[br]and we will see where we end up.

0:02:28.517,0:02:30.789
I'm going to show you three axes.

0:02:32.739,0:02:33.868
The question is

0:02:33.869,0:02:37.869
which is the best axe for cutting wood[br]when you look at these three?

0:02:38.583,0:02:43.332
Chances are[br]you probably took the first one.

0:02:43.333,0:02:46.927
This is how we experience[br]the first dimension of product design:

0:02:46.928,0:02:51.347
utilitarian function, what does[br]the product do, how does it do it,

0:02:51.348,0:02:55.348
how well does it do it,[br]is it comfortable, is it durable?

0:02:56.451,0:02:57.611
Second question:

0:02:58.831,0:03:03.500
if you have to divide[br]these three words between the axes,

0:03:03.501,0:03:06.668
which one would you say[br]is aggressive compared to the other ones?

0:03:06.674,0:03:09.174
Which one is modest?

0:03:10.505,0:03:13.555
I'll give you a little bit of time[br]to make up your mind here.

0:03:15.197,0:03:20.067
If you are anything like my friends,[br]you said something like this:

0:03:20.751,0:03:25.283
first one's modest, second's elegant,[br]the third one looks a little aggressive.

0:03:25.284,0:03:28.942
This is how we experience[br]the emotional attitude of a product,

0:03:28.943,0:03:31.272
it's how a product strikes us[br]when we see it.

0:03:31.273,0:03:33.602
It can be supportive,[br]it can even be arrogant,

0:03:33.603,0:03:36.422
it can be tough, it can be cute.

0:03:37.273,0:03:40.033
That was the second dimension[br]of product design.

0:03:41.220,0:03:45.629
Third question: imagine the person[br]that would own this axe.

0:03:45.630,0:03:48.102
I can already see the images[br]racing in your head,

0:03:48.103,0:03:50.243
but I'm going to help you a little bit.

0:03:50.243,0:03:52.043
(Laughter)

0:03:54.073,0:03:56.143
Which one goes with which axe?

0:03:58.113,0:04:01.312
I put it down like this; is that[br]what you had in mind more or less?

0:04:01.313,0:04:03.636
I see a lot of people nodding,[br]that was good.

0:04:03.637,0:04:06.466
First one: a regular axeman,[br]cutting his wood;

0:04:06.467,0:04:10.396
second person,[br]or the creative type, let's say

0:04:10.397,0:04:12.167
(Laughter)

0:04:13.017,0:04:18.853
and the third one might not have[br]cutting wood in his mind

0:04:18.855,0:04:20.214
at the moment.

0:04:20.214,0:04:21.675
(Laughter)

0:04:22.857,0:04:25.466
This is the third dimension[br]of product experience

0:04:25.467,0:04:28.956
and it's the cultural style of a product.

0:04:28.957,0:04:32.567
It's basically the style[br]that we identify with.

0:04:32.568,0:04:35.298
A British aristocrat[br]will have a different style

0:04:35.299,0:04:37.751
than a breakdancer from New York.

0:04:40.875,0:04:45.074
So when products connect with us[br]on all three levels,

0:04:45.075,0:04:47.241
that's when it hits us in the sweet spot,

0:04:47.242,0:04:49.652
and we identify with that product,

0:04:50.532,0:04:51.759
and when we buy it,

0:04:51.759,0:04:56.239
it becomes an extension[br]of our identity to the world around us.

0:04:57.439,0:05:00.699
But to say that the products [br]are really meaningful,

0:05:00.699,0:05:02.699
that they have a purpose ...

0:05:02.699,0:05:05.698
No, you need something else.

0:05:05.699,0:05:08.718
I believe there's one more dimension

0:05:08.719,0:05:11.979
of product experience we need to consider:

0:05:11.979,0:05:15.528
and it's fundamental to creating[br]those meaningful products with a purpose.

0:05:15.528,0:05:19.488
It's based on the work of a psychologist[br]in the 1960s, called Clare Graves

0:05:19.489,0:05:21.029
- look him up -

0:05:21.729,0:05:26.139
and in relation to product design,[br]I call it the belief system of a product.

0:05:26.991,0:05:31.741
To explain how that one works,[br]let's go back to the axes.

0:05:32.304,0:05:36.674
Which sentence fits which axe the best?

0:05:37.734,0:05:41.871
Which axe fits the idea that life is[br]about power and conquest?

0:05:42.721,0:05:45.500
Which axe is more about[br]hard work and dedication?

0:05:45.501,0:05:51.480
And finally, which maker of the axe,[br]or the buyer of the axe sees life

0:05:51.481,0:05:53.756
as being about self-expression?

0:05:56.436,0:05:58.156
I'm making this easy on you.

0:05:59.476,0:06:01.505
Anything like you thought?

0:06:01.506,0:06:04.655
That's the way we see the world.

0:06:04.656,0:06:08.586
The belief system is[br]basically how you see the world,

0:06:09.428,0:06:12.907
and that is the basis[br]for the purpose of your actions.

0:06:12.908,0:06:17.427
If you see life as a competition,[br]and you want to win it,

0:06:17.428,0:06:20.377
you're going to spend[br]a lot of your time doing things

0:06:20.378,0:06:22.567
to try to beat the competition.

0:06:22.568,0:06:26.227
So when we go to the axes, and we imagine[br]the people making those axes,

0:06:26.228,0:06:31.389
we can imagine what purpose[br]they might have making these axes.

0:06:32.157,0:06:36.916
I ventured to guess and said,[br]"If life is about power and conquest,

0:06:36.917,0:06:40.409
chances are you're making[br]that axe to help your tribe

0:06:40.410,0:06:43.319
conquer some other tribe."

0:06:43.320,0:06:45.609
If life is about hard work and dedication,

0:06:45.610,0:06:47.479
maybe you're making this axe to sell it

0:06:47.480,0:06:50.930
and provide for your family,[br]send your kids to school.

0:06:51.840,0:06:53.649
If life is about self-expression,

0:06:53.650,0:06:57.319
maybe you're helping young artists[br]to express themselves

0:06:57.320,0:07:00.294
by having to make this axe, these axes.

0:07:02.979,0:07:04.398
Chances are

0:07:04.399,0:07:07.978
one or two of these belief systems[br]are things that you might identify with;

0:07:07.979,0:07:10.489
I doubt you identify[br]will all three of them.

0:07:11.319,0:07:12.503
Chances are as well

0:07:12.503,0:07:15.353
one or two of these purposes[br]might be something

0:07:15.353,0:07:18.794
that you could empathize with,[br]you might want to even support them.

0:07:19.904,0:07:24.233
That's the key to making[br]a product meaningful.

0:07:24.234,0:07:27.573
Meaningful products are based[br]on a belief system we can identify with,

0:07:27.574,0:07:30.393
and they serve a purpose[br]that we can empathize with.

0:07:30.394,0:07:35.057
If you look at our little circles[br]of the product experience dimensions,

0:07:35.058,0:07:36.827
I put in this fourth one.

0:07:39.091,0:07:41.940
There's still the sweet spot[br]in the middle, obviously,

0:07:41.941,0:07:45.801
where, if a product aligns with our ideas

0:07:45.801,0:07:50.641
of the function, the attitude,[br]the style, and the belief system,

0:07:50.641,0:07:51.951
we all want to have it;

0:07:51.951,0:07:53.196
but it becomes meaningful,

0:07:53.196,0:07:56.396
we want to support[br]the people making this product.

0:07:58.046,0:08:02.435
So the belief system is really the core

0:08:02.436,0:08:06.070
behind all the activities[br]and all the design decisions

0:08:06.071,0:08:08.041
that you make as a product designer.

0:08:09.825,0:08:13.154
If we look at the dominant system[br]in Western society

0:08:13.155,0:08:14.954
as I've said in the beginning:

0:08:14.955,0:08:20.134
we're all about maximizing growth,[br]maximizing profit, efficiency,

0:08:20.135,0:08:23.655
and we can see that in the products[br]that we find in the stores

0:08:23.656,0:08:25.876
when we go to shop.

0:08:26.267,0:08:31.796
Most products are cheaply made,[br]they're not great quality,

0:08:31.796,0:08:35.816
we don't use them very long,[br]they're not easy to repair,

0:08:35.817,0:08:39.046
so we thrown them out, buy new stuff

0:08:39.047,0:08:42.645
that's usually made with toxic materials,

0:08:42.647,0:08:45.883
unhealthy materials, unhealthy ingredients

0:08:45.884,0:08:49.514
by people that don't get paid[br]what they should be paid

0:08:50.667,0:08:54.207
not in the circumstances[br]that they need to survive well.

0:08:57.757,0:09:00.636
Is that a system[br]that we can identify with?

0:09:00.637,0:09:02.796
Is that a purpose that we believe in?

0:09:03.289,0:09:04.459
No.

0:09:08.329,0:09:09.979
We're already seeing

0:09:11.090,0:09:13.950
a growing attention[br]for sustainable products

0:09:15.125,0:09:16.375
because subconsciously,

0:09:16.400,0:09:20.509
we're already starting to make our choices[br]based on this belief system, as well.

0:09:20.510,0:09:23.474
I think by being aware, consciously,

0:09:23.475,0:09:29.645
of how a belief system affects[br]all the decisions that a company makes,

0:09:30.501,0:09:34.110
it allows us to make these choices[br]more consciously

0:09:34.111,0:09:35.781
and show to these companies

0:09:36.751,0:09:39.901
that it's worth their while[br]to change their ways.

0:09:41.961,0:09:47.324
Sustainability implies a belief system

0:09:47.325,0:09:49.855
that values a dynamic balance

0:09:50.945,0:09:52.534
and a symbiotic relationship

0:09:52.535,0:09:54.934
between people and their environment.

0:09:54.935,0:09:58.795
That was the whole idea[br]of these shoes I was making.

0:09:59.888,0:10:04.567
By adding to the function[br]based on the belief system,

0:10:04.568,0:10:08.787
we added this function of biodegradability[br]of these seeds that grow into flowers.

0:10:08.788,0:10:12.507
And this way, we could connect people[br]to their natural environment,

0:10:12.508,0:10:15.358
make people part[br]of the natural cycle of life.

0:10:16.208,0:10:17.337
It added the bonus

0:10:17.338,0:10:20.357
that natural materials turn out to be[br]really nice for your feet;

0:10:20.358,0:10:21.938
it's a great feeling.

0:10:22.788,0:10:25.107
It affected the style and the attitude

0:10:25.108,0:10:27.581
because we were working with[br]these natural materials,

0:10:27.581,0:10:30.091
putting them[br]into a very linear, geometric design;

0:10:30.092,0:10:35.112
created a unique attitude[br]for an urban, creative lifestyle.

0:10:36.679,0:10:41.438
But it affected our decisions in terms of[br]supply chain and other things, as well.

0:10:41.439,0:10:44.998
We chose to make them[br]in Europe to keep the line short,

0:10:44.999,0:10:48.758
to be able to secure that people got paid[br]what they needed to be paid

0:10:48.759,0:10:50.046
- the right circumstances -

0:10:50.046,0:10:52.967
we sourced[br]all of ours materials in Europe.

0:10:53.787,0:10:57.906
Even the people making the shoes[br]said, "We really like you guys

0:10:57.907,0:11:01.066
because otherwise,[br]we make shoes with glues inside,

0:11:01.067,0:11:05.066
and we're inhaling these vapors[br]the whole day, we go home stoned."

0:11:05.067,0:11:09.106
Our shoes are made without glue,

0:11:09.107,0:11:11.407
it's a much better experience for them.

0:11:15.419,0:11:19.328
It's our choice what products we buy,

0:11:19.329,0:11:24.028
and by making that choice,[br]we force companies to make this change.

0:11:24.029,0:11:25.826
When companies are aware

0:11:25.827,0:11:29.657
of how the belief system is at the core[br]of all their activities,

0:11:30.334,0:11:32.793
they can evaluate all those activities,

0:11:33.394,0:11:36.853
they can look at who are the owners,[br]whether private or public.

0:11:36.854,0:11:38.583
What are their purposes?

0:11:38.584,0:11:42.523
What do they see as the goal of life?

0:11:42.524,0:11:44.494
How do we treat our employees?

0:11:44.494,0:11:46.962
Is it a competitive system?[br]A cooperative system?

0:11:46.962,0:11:50.091
How do we award them?[br]How do we approach our customers?

0:11:50.092,0:11:51.371
How do we relate to them?

0:11:51.372,0:11:54.481
How do we treat our partners[br]in the supply chain?

0:11:54.482,0:11:56.292
Finally, how do we treat the planet?

0:11:57.452,0:12:00.291
As a company,[br]that's a daunting thing to do.

0:12:00.292,0:12:03.742
If you have to shift gears like that,

0:12:03.743,0:12:05.993
it's an enormous change to make,

0:12:07.093,0:12:09.922
but you can do that[br]one little step at a time.

0:12:09.923,0:12:13.993
Once you make that commitment,[br]and you communicate that to people,

0:12:14.793,0:12:16.642
you create a purpose for your company,

0:12:16.643,0:12:20.847
a purpose that customers like us[br]can empathize with,

0:12:21.495,0:12:25.035
a purpose that connects us

0:12:25.785,0:12:29.884
to the shared environment[br]that we have with the companies,

0:12:29.885,0:12:31.917
and the purpose that we want to support

0:12:31.918,0:12:34.587
so when we're going to come back[br]and buy those products,

0:12:34.588,0:12:38.408
we'll tell our friends more actively[br]what we think of these products.

0:12:39.314,0:12:42.583
That's, I think,[br]how we change this system.

0:12:42.584,0:12:48.954
So, if we talk about sustainability,[br]I think we have to start at the root

0:12:50.010,0:12:51.811
which is the belief system,

0:12:51.812,0:12:54.292
and then, the first question to ask is,

0:12:55.030,0:12:58.099
"What is life about for you?"

0:12:58.100,0:12:59.449
Thank you.

0:12:59.450,0:13:01.220
(Applause)