The argument in a recent blog post by Kontra is that real designers don't focus on concept designs (in the meaning of future possible designs, like concept cars). He also discusses why many large companies, such as Microsoft and Motorola, are great at producing amazing concepts designs but less good at producing innovative real designs, while Apple is the opposite -- that is, they do not focus on (public) concept designs but produce many innovative real designs. Without having thought much about this, I am willing to agree with Kontra. He makes a good argument. But, there might be other examples that would make me disagree, anyone?
Interaction Design, HCI, Philosophy of Design, Technology and Society
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I bet Apple goes through thousands of concepts before producing a product, it's just that they are used to communicate and in turn, further these concepts.
Microsoft and Nokia don't have design at the heart of their organisations, so they commission concepts from others so they can show off.
So I think the question is not then about concepts, but about the design cultures that they support and are in turn supported by.
Kontra seems to be a little konfused.