The Masterclass with Peter Sheehan

For our latest CDC class, we had Peter Sheehan as a guest lecturer. He has worked for many companies throughout the years including Blackbox and Design Partners and has now set up his own studio. During this time he has worked on many design projects such as the History chair, IBI memories and various other projects for companies like Logitech. Peter Sheehan left us more than just a boring lecture about his life. He gave an insight into what his design philosophy was and what he thought design should be about. He thinks that the design process should revolve less around sketches and more around models and actually getting to know the product that we are trying to make in an indepth way. His attitude is more about quick, rapid model making and little sketches used to simply portray a point as opposed to over rendering and over sketching it. One of Peter's best pieces of advice is not to get stuck in a hole while designing. To get out of it he said to always have a release away from work and the pressures of it. My way of relieving the pressures is Drama and in my experience it helps my design as a result. He also said to surround yourself with influences and be open to new ones and to stay off the beaten track which in itself will allow you to discover new influences may give a new perspective on a subject. Travelling is one of the ways he said to do all of the above as it gives a new perspective, something that we did as a class recently which broadens your mind to an extent that you didn't think possible. He also said to be passionate about something and to bring that through your designing. All of these things I knew already but when brought together at once and said from a professional designer that has experience backing him up it was extremely mind-altering. Mind-altering is good in the designing business as it can lead to new and exciting products or services. It is also needed in our industry since each and every one of us gets so distracted by the constant deadlines and new projects that we forget to look around for the ways that inspire us and the new technologies that could help us in the future in our own professional careers.

Peter also did a exercise with us. The task was to make and explain in one sketch sheet a iPad Case that has a fold away keyboard. Once he explained the brief to us there was abuzz in the studio needless to say everyone wanted to impress Peter who just changed our lives and hopefully for the better.