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The thinking behind
our award-winning designs

Assets provided by
TOPPAN / surface park®

Design Awards

The thinking behind
our award-winning designs

People’s needs come first. We notice small frustrations in everyday life, then work through prototype after prototype to find a better way.

For over half a century, design award juries in Japan and around the world have put our work to the test.
We have earned over 1,000 Good Design Awards, along with iF Design Awards and other international honors.

Judges look beyond appearance to ask what a design brings to people’s lives and society.

Here, we look at what these awards tell us about design today, alongside the thinking and effort behind our work.

Analysis

We looked at the judging criteria for the Good Design Award, iF Design Award, and other awards,
along with recent jury comments. Three shared perspectives emerged.
These perspectives also reflect how we think and work every day at SHARP DESIGN.
  • 1

    Does the design challenge assumptions and offer new solutions?

    The more inundated we are with products that provide convenience, the easier it is to overlook a simple question: Do we really need them? SHARP DESIGN focuses on assumptions that have been taken for granted and small frustrations in everyday life, re-examining what people and society truly need.
    Before a given market even exists, we listen closely to the opinions of users and those on the ground through field trials. This has allowed us to give shape to solutions that never existed before.

  • 2

    Does it create lasting value?

    A product proves its worth over years of use, not just on launch day. We work to make that value last—for the environment, society, and the business behind it. That starts with design choices such as using fewer parts and recycled materials.
    We aim to make products people can rely on for years and grow more attached to as they use them. We also think through the services and business models needed to support that value.

  • 3

    Does it shape relationships and behavior?

    Even given the same functions, a change in form affects how a product is used and how people feel about it. SHARP DESIGN is not just focused on aesthetics. It also considers the relationships between technology and human behavior, and works to make new technologies such as AI and IoT intuitive for everyone to use.
    Repeated prototyping and conversations with engineers let us examine individual user movements and impressions while we explore forms that naturally blend into daily life.

Design Fields

People’s needs form the basis of our design work, and we make every effort to use design
to enrich various aspects of everyday life. Our designs have been recognized in four fields—
Everyday Life, Professional Tools, Social & Service Design, and Human & Technology.

Award History

Year

No awards found.

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