While watching the Netflix series “Abstract”, I learned about Tinker Hatfield and the Nike Air Jordan. The most impressive part of Hatfield’s design process was his understanding of the modern athlete’s needs. He began with creating a shoe that best served the needs of the athlete, and then the aesthetics came later. He pushed the box with the design of the shoe, some of which risked losing a lot of money; he eventually began to start trends. An example of Tinker’s innovative design is E.A.R.L, or Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing, which allows for basketball player’s feet to breathe while they’re taking a free throw or sitting on the bench.
Tinker Hatfield discusses that his goal as a designer is not to be self-expressive- it is to solve the problem. I like this simple approach to creating a product; however while it sounds simple, creating the best solution possible may be a daunting task. It seems helpful to have this foundation and be able to come back to this mantra. He designs for the consumer rather than for himself.
