Shan Lu

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Shan Lu ("SL") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

SL : I am originally a software engineer, and started Memo Box project while I was in Cambridge University, wanting to solve a problem of my mum not remembering whether she had taken her meds or not. In order to actualize Memo Box and its app, Memo Health, I taught myself with industrial and mobile app design. I have been awarded with reddot award and iF Design Award with my design for Memo Box hardware. Winning A’ Design Award with the accompanying Memo Health App, is really a pleasant surprise for us, and great recognition for our efforts in software design.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

SL : A good designer impresses, but a great designer serves. Sometimes, a great designer may even give way to achieve the overall optimization of a product in terms of functionality and cost-efficiency. So the differential qualities are humility, and understanding of people, I’d say.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

SL : Good design is the combination of idea and practice, and it should always combine function with form, innovation with cost-efficiency.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

SL : Great design is not only pleasant to the eyes, it also creates great products that changes people’s lives for better.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

SL : Technology is a means, not an end itself. Technology should be used to enhance the functionality, design and cost-efficiency, but never to be a display of vanity to confuse users.