I couldn't get the categories to work, so here's the reading response to "Problem Solved Ch 2. The Astonish Me Problem."
--> but now I have; didn't see the box-to-be-checked under "categories."
As the first line says, "sometime plain old flat, straight and normal just doesn't get people to sit up and take notice," the chapter sets the framework for any outsider or amateur designer to world of attention getting which is a designer's realm of play.
The book (I'm guessing) and chapter is rife and abundant in good examples of vibrant and pop images that flow and offer a more engaging medium other than the text. If your visual, like myself, this helps profoundly. As you read a paragraph or two there's a pic-- BAM, right there to help guide your flow from top to bottom and also offers a visual means for understanding what has been said.
Other than the eye candy, the hierarchy of text is simple enough. Talking about base elements to design, do's and dont's, pros and cons, this is a good introductory piece that (I think) all designers should sit down and at the very minimum skim through.
The page / section that I thought to be the most interesting was page 6 where it talked about Dutch furniture manufacturer Artifort. They advertise their products in cut out, amoeba-like styles to get that "it's hip, it's now" feel across to the customer. Hell, "art" is in the company name. Running three lines in entirety, this brief look into Dutch pop culture is a snapshot of the grander pop culture. Design is all about making your product look the best and be the best...hence profit can be made ( Setp 1. Good Design, Step 2. ???, Step 3. Make Profit).
Loud, colorful, and yet informative, "The Astonish Me Problem" was an entertaining read.
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