Red Dot Award: Product Design begins – call for entries from designers and manufacturers worldwide
The Red Dot Award: Product Design 2019 starting signal will be given on 15 October 2018. Designers and companies from around the world then have until 1 February 2019 to submit products from all areas of daily life for a chance to win an award at one of the world’s largest design competitions. The first of the three registration phases, which allows participants to benefit from a discounted registration fee, ends on 9 November.
48 different product categories
From everyday to unusual, participants can this year choose between 48 product categories for their submission. They can send in entries for everything from consumer electronics to aircraft, medical devices, jewellery, robotics and furniture for evaluation by an international jury.
“The first thing I notice is the huge variety of categories and the growing quality of products,” said Red Dot jury member and UK design strategist Michael Thomson during the adjudication process in 2018. In fact, the experts were already impatient last year to find out what innovations would be presented in 2019. Steve Leung, founder of Steve Leung Designers, explained, “I would like to see more designers who are ecosensitive in their work.” However, he also points out the potential he foresees in the realm of artificial intelligence.
Experience and expertise get straight to the point
For more than 60 years, a jury consisting of experienced experts from different specialist fields have been coming together to search out the best designs of the year. Over the course of an evaluation process that lasts several days, they try out and discuss the products, and eventually reach a well-founded decision on the design quality of the submissions. In line with the motto “In search of good design and innovation”, during the assessment process, they look for criteria such as the level of innovation, functionality, formal quality, durability and ergonomics.
Red Dot Winner Label identifies award-winning products
If a design receives an award, the winners may use the internationally recognised winner label. It assures the long-term association of the product with outstanding design quality and offers consumers a useful benchmark. Award-winning entries are furthermore presented in the Red Dot Design Yearbook, in international exhibitions, as well as online and in the Red Dot App.
