West Michigan Design Week 2016

Are you aware that West Michigan is becoming a globally recognized design hub? Disher was pleased to be a sponsor of the third annual West Michigan Design Week on April 9-16 in Grand Rapids. The event gave the design community an opportunity to gather, exchange information, and spark creativity. It not only served local designers but global users who interact with the products we make. As a product development engineer, it’s always beneficial to step out of the Disher studio, meet and interact with other designers, and see what’s new and coming that may benefit our clients and the world we live in.

The week-long event was packed full of break-out sessions. I and a handful of Disher colleagues attended several and found the one on the Power of Color most interesting. The four expert panelists discussed the science of color and how it can be used in design to influence emotions and behavior. It was a great reminder that colors are integral to a user’s experience and shouldn’t always be left as an afterthought of a design. A few other noteworthy seminars included: Ashleigh Axios – The D.C. Designer, Mimi Valdes – The Multimedia Maker, and Designing and Prototyping Your Next APP with Adobe XD.

If you were not able to attend this year’s event, consider getting involved with Design West Michigan as they continue to offer new opportunities for design education, thinking, and networking.

Written By: Dan Parker – Conceptual Engineer |
Dan is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering. He is experienced in multiple facets of product development including aesthetic design, concept development, modeling, prototyping, testing, and FEA. Dan is trained in user centered design, design thinking and design for manufacturing/assembly.