A book cover that attracts you to read, an app that keeps you exercising, a search engine that is easy to use ... these all need good design. Good design makes our lives easier and better. But what makes good design?
Fortune magazine recently published* a list of the 100 greatest designs of modern times. The list shows a clear change in design idea over the past years, according to Fortune. In the 1950s, design mostly referred to the aesthetics* of a product, such as the beautiful design of a sports car. But today, the key point is how it can solve problems and change society in a good way.
One example is the Chinese app WeChat. It offers many kinds of functions*, including messaging, video calling and online payment. It's a "one-stop shop" that makes our life much easier.
Mobike is also on the list. In big cities, many people have to travel a long way between the bus or subway stop and their homes or offices. Thanks to China's Mobike, people can solve the "last mile" problem by riding bikes, Fortune said. Mobike's bikeshare service allows people to find a bike almost anywhere in most Chinese cities. Its online payment allows people to easily open a bike lock with a smartphone.
Here is another great design called OXO Good Grips Peeler. This peeler* was designed by American designer Sam Farber in 1990. When he found that his wife had trouble holding her peeler because of the hurt of her arm, Sam decided to create a more useful tool that would benefit everyone. The peeler has a wide handle* that is easy to hold and control. He also used a special material to make the handle, which is soft to the touch and non-slip even when it gets wet.
