Revolution in user thinking

Riut, pronounced "riot", is a promise to you. It stands for Revolution in user thinking. It's a design philosophy, a description of the safe backwards backpack, RiutBag, and the impact the RiutBag is designed to have on you.

"I'm Sarah Giblin, RiutBag designer and founder of Riut. Revolution in user thinking, or Riut, is my disruptive yet positive design philosophy. It describes three things:

1) RiutBag design: This secure backpack design is revolved by 180 degrees to create a user focussed urban backpack design. It may be exactly the opposite way round from all other backpacks, but this is the right design for urban travel today and tomorrow.

2) Impact on the user: We are urban travellers. We carry technology, we work out of our backpacks and are more mobile than ever. We need to adapt to our new lives and be able to travel alone and new places without fear. With a RiutBag, we do not feel suspicious of those around us, we aren't concerned about every brush against our backpack. You know your belongings are there, simply because you are wearing the RiutBag. 

This change in mindset, from a stressful fear of theft to feeling secure and calm, is the aim of the RiutBag design. This is the impact the RiutBag is designed to have. It's a Revolution in the user's thinking; an adaption to our increasingly urban environment.

3) Users can have ideas:  

Startups and, in fact, all companies only exist because of their customers. Revolution in user thinking is a reminder for me to always revolve my thinking around you, the user.

Finally,

I also wish my designs to enable my users to have a revolution in their own thinking.

I believe every complaint is a potential new product and users of products are best placed to find problems and solutions with them. As users, we can believe that in our own ideas and use the free tools of crowdfunding, blogging and social media to share our ideas.

I believe product design must benefit the user. In the case of the RiutBag, a simple change means individuals can travel feeling secure in busy urban spaces. This reduces individual daily stress, reduces suspicion between travellers and actually reduces likelihood of loss or opportunistic theft. Imagine the positive impact if everyone were to wear their bag the Riut way round.

This mantra, Revolution in user thinking - Riut - is a rich source of questioning design, art and democratising creativity. I practice the Riut mantra myself and encourage it in everyone of any age.