Scratch Head Aji | Gong Yunji
One
Founder of Scratching Head Design
Behance/Station Cool/Universal Elephant
Very popular official recommended designer

In fact, before I met Agee
Old workers have been designing websites
I have seen his original design works and articles many times.
I was very impressed

So then there was this interview
I believe that this article will also
Bring new thinking and help to everyone ~

About-"Scratch Agee"

In fact, the reason why it was originally named "scratching the head" was because it was associated with the action of "scratching the head" involuntarily when thinking. I guess maybe this behavior is written into human DNA, which can promote blood circulation in the head and help relieve tension and anxiety? So I took "scratching my head" as an id, hoping that I could keep thinking and learning.

Designer, a profession that makes people feel full and pleasant.

Old Worker: What kind of profession do you think designers are? Or what kind of designer do you want to be in the future?
Agee: It may be too idealistic to say that one pen and one computer can begin to conceive of the world. At least I think designer is a profession that can make people feel full and pleasant on the spiritual level.

In good times, you cut through difficulties, give full play to genius creativity, integrate all kinds of advantageous resources, and create fantastic works. In case of adversity, even if there is no budget, no technology and no supporting resources. Still, no one can stop you from using a pen and a computer to record your unconstrained thoughts and show them to the world in the online world.

Regardless of whether it is good or bad, your work can glow in a unique way. Isn't that exciting?
Therefore, in fact, it is very simple. In the future, I can use my works to continuously bring happiness and happiness to others and myself is my ideal designer.

Old Worker: How do you usually get your design inspiration?
Agee: Generally speaking, we can stimulate inspiration by looking at excellent design websites and works, such as behance, LeManoosh, Puxiang, Zhanku, etc., or communicating with excellent designers.

But what I want to say is that inspiration essentially comes from the bits and pieces of life. The situation where design A directly inspires B is often only a small part.

More often, we will get unexpected inspiration from fields that have nothing to do with design. This is why Agee has been calling on everyone to learn more about fields other than design when doing design. Astronomy, geography, physical chemistry, historical creatures, etc. should all be within your reach.

Over time, these seemingly irrelevant knowledge and insights will become your "spiritual library", produce wonderful "chemical reactions" when you need them, and become the source of your creativity.

Old Worker: What are the differences in your perception of design since you came into contact with design? What is the definition of good design in your eyes?

Agee: From the previous more flamboyant design style and expression, it has gradually changed to more thinking about what positive gains design and products can bring to users.

Regardless of all external interferences and human definitions, artificial objects or natural creations that can bring joy to people safely and healthily can be called good designs.

Old Worker: Most of your design works are closely related to daily life. How do you observe and record your life in your life?

Agee: I won't make any observations very deliberately. It's just that I use the notepad and drawing tools that come with my mobile phone to record what I see and hear on a daily basis. It can be one or two words or a "crude" painting.

Personally, the way of observing or experiencing life varies from person to person. Some may be through communication with people in different fields; some are watching various videos or documents, etc., so everyone can choose the way they are used.

Old worker: You have designed a number of "explosive" products. In your opinion, does a explosive product have its necessary elements?

Agee: Personally, I understand that "explosions" are not necessarily the optimal solution to the problem. But it must be a popular solution to a problem nowadays.
A unique idea and idea is likely to create an "explosive" product immediately. Before, I wrote an article on the basic logic analysis of "explosive" products in my public number "scratching my head. In short, learning to make rational use of the popular and healthy "stalks" in society and shaping the unique "design" of products are the key elements in designing "explosive" products.

Of course, whether it is "stem" or temporary creation of "things" will eventually have the day when the heat receded. Therefore, most "explosive" products often do not last long. However, truly excellent good products should last for a long time and benefit human society in the long run.

Therefore, as a mature product designer, we should reasonably allocate the proportion and position of these two different design logics in our hearts. It can not only flash inspiration, generate creativity, but also patiently precipitate and study deeply.

Old worker: Which design work are you most satisfied with, and what are the more important or interesting things to share in the design process?

Agee: Actually, there is no most satisfaction, only more satisfaction. Fawn hand warmers, Zen routers, animal wind headphones and so on are all my favorite works. Interestingly, most of the inspiration or ideas for these products are obtained by chance. I have not experienced hard thinking, special guidance or appearance research, etc.

Therefore, I have always firmly believed that flash of inspiration is the best and most enjoyable moment in the design process. This can be said to be one of the driving forces behind my passion for design.

Old worker: I often meet some designers who have worked for 3-5 years to tell them about their confusion at this stage. Have you had a period of confusion at this stage, and how did you break through? Can you share some experience and methods?

Agee: Confusion is normal in the process of human growth. Tracing its source is mostly caused by individuals who want to make further breakthroughs but cannot find the right direction.

For an ordinary person, after working and studying in the same environment for 3 to 5 years, he will often reach a relatively stable period of his career. At this time, the original platform can give you the improvement of your ability, the expansion of your knowledge and the accumulation of contacts may all reach the bottleneck. Obviously, if you want to break through at this time, you have to start from the above three angles.

1. improvement ability: both the hard ability of software use and the soft ability of design thinking are worth our efforts to improve. The former is very simple, and there are a lot of free teaching videos on the Internet for learning. Or you can sign up for some special software classes to improve. The latter needs to learn more about excellent design cases at home and abroad. Take its essence and discard its dross.

2. growth of knowledge: not only the design field needs to be deeply explored, but also other seemingly unrelated fields. Doing so will expand your "knowledge base" and become an inexhaustible source of inspiration for you in the future.

3. network accumulation: try to take the initiative to get to know some big players in the industry. Learn more, listen more, and observe the way they behave. Maybe there will be unexpected receipts in the future. Find the most suitable breakthrough from the above three points. I believe you will soon be able to regroup and eliminate confusion.

Old worker: Can you give some new young designers some advice on learning?

Agee: The core competitiveness of designers is always in the head and not in the hands. In other words, if the design hall is divided into 10 stairs, then you can probably climb to the 5th and 6th steps with superb craftsmanship alone. The rest of the class needs more creative minds, elegant artistic appreciation and keen market observation to have the opportunity to go further.

Therefore, after you have a solid grasp of the basic artistic expression ability, it is more important to learn more and read the works published by excellent designers and design brands at home and abroad. To learn and think about the way others use and express one lens, to why they decide to make this or that product. Find your own shortcomings and learn from each other.

Note: The product design and rendering in this article are Agee's original works, and the real pictures are taken by Party A.