I’m trying to think of instances when appearance has been used to make a concept more attractive to users, when the concept on its own would not be popular or as popular as, say, music (but what is?). It is difficult to ‘sell’ something to someone if it is not desirable on its own.

I’ve seen a couple of ideas pop up recently which add incentive and fun to altruism:

1) Facebook application: Causes
One of the features I like on Causes is charity gifts, which are really nicely designed gifts that actually make a difference.

It was pointed out to me that there’s quite a surreal contrast between the shocking reality of the situation and giving a charity gift on Facebook from the comfort of your expensive apartment. But this way, at least something happens at all.

2) Website: Free Rice
Free Rice is a fun and educational game that donates 20 grains of rice for every word you define correctly on the site. You learn, and the UN World Food Program helps end hunger. I even learned a few new words.

Really good design must go deeper than appearance. But appearance should not be undervalued, especially when appearances can be leveraged to impact change.

If you choose to wear something – anything – then you should really wear it, and its design should reflect this choice. Current hearing aid design is in a kind of wearing/not wearing purgatory. The majority of designs are flesh-coloured. A flesh-coloured hearing aid says to the wearer that this device is embarrassing, so I’m attempting to camouflage against your skin.

Well-designed eyewear is desirable even by those with perfect vision. So why can’t we go beyond that to take advantage of the technological advantages hearing aids can give us (even, and perhaps especially, those with average hearing)? This is even more relevant as we live our lives closer to technology, and in light of the fact that one in seven people suffer from a degree of hearing loss, and the RNID predicts that this will rise as noise pollution increases and people live longer.

The Hearwear show at the V&A in 2006 showcased a variety of stylish hearing aid designs, which I think is a timely and exciting stimulus for designers. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go.

Hearing-wear should be as mass-market as eyewear, mobile phones, and iPods (and ones you can sync with the technology you use, like the Oticon Epoq can, to the ecstasy of Wired journalist Charlie Sorrel). I think it’s just a matter of time before it is.