Challenging the status quo through design

Challenging the status quo often leads to some revolutionary products that set the norm for innovative design. For example, when the market was saturated with mp3 players, the iPod was introduced with a brand new user interface and it literally took over the entire market. There are numerous other products and services that challenge the status quo, thereby creating a competitive advantage for themselves. In the service industry, let us consider the rental car example. Enterprise challenged the conventional notion of going to a rental car facility to pick up one's car and created the "We'll pick you up" campaign, which was a remarkable success.

This post's motivation was a concept I saw on dvice.com as I was browsing today. We are used to seeing conventional desktop computers with their cuboid towers with multiple drives, a noisy whirring fan etc.

Conventional PC:

But take a look at the following deisgn by Dell - dubbed the "O project".

 

  

The sight of a small plant/grass growing on a computer grants a unique aesthetic to this product. It is a refreshing change from the traditional box occupying valuable space beneath the desk and susceptible to being switched off by mistake if you move your legs.  More than being a computer, this product makes a statement about the owner. It might mean several things for several people. For some, it might be an indication of their love for the environment and preserving it. For others, it might be the cool new gadget they "have to" own.

Either way, it is proof that product design can be leveraged to make an impact on the consumers. By challenging the status quo, the design receives instant attention and if developed properly, could be a competitive advantage.