Record nominations for innovative 2016 Dame Design Awards

The jury of the prestigious DAME Design Award 2016 competition has announced that a record number of the 117 entries submitted from 26 countries have been nominated to enter the final rounds of judgement.

Each year, the jury uses a consistent set of criteria to examine entries. It then shortlists them into what is known as the Nominated list, from which the final winners are chosen. There is no cap on how many products can be nominated — the selection is purely based on the quality of products on display.

Having said that, this is the highest success rate recorded by DAME Award since the origins of the competition 26 years ago. As such, the marine industry, the design aspect and area of innovation appears to be reaching hitherto new heights. Everything from a waterproof USB plug to a marine watch, radar and audio system, and several auto trim systems have made the cut.

For 2016, a total of 67 products have been Nominated, representing 57 percent of the total field. This is a significant 10 percent increase on 2015 and believed to be the highest success rate recorded by DAME Award since it started in 1991.

BOATING TO BECOME EASIER
"The fact that we nominated so many products this year illustrates the high quality of the items that were presented to us. It was also very encouraging to see a wide variety of entries, even within individual categories, submitted by the smallest firms to the largest marine businesses from right across the globe," said Bill Dixon, Chairman of the DAME Award jury, and owner of the global yacht design house Dixon Yacht Design.

"Outside of boating we have lots of gadgets and consumer products that are incredibly easy to use. It’s good to see marine products reflecting that now, often being more intuitive in the way that they work than before – that’s really important.

"With a wider, less-experienced customer base there must be a better way than having to read a detailed manual. In the marine industry, we collectively need to make boating much more fun for the end user.

"To do that we need products that are interesting and that make boating easier, exciting, enjoyable, comfortable and less stressful. This year’s Nominations provide great cause for believing we are heading in the right direction," Dixon added.

The DAME winners will be announced during the Breakfast Briefing in Amsterdam RAI on the opening day of METSTRADE 2016, which is staged from November 15-17 in the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre.

The DAME Award was launched in 1991 to promote design in all disciplines and to recognise the best-designed products at the METSTRADE exhibition. Its unique relevance in the global marine marketplace has grown in parallel with the explosion in awareness of design in the world around us, from cars and architecture to fashion and consumer goods.

DAME CATEGORIES
The DAME jury carefully assesses entries for design in all of its aspects, including aesthetics, usability, build quality, functionality and use of materials. Other factors taken into account are originality and the ratio of price to quality. The shortlisted products are divided into seven categories:

>> Marine electronics and related software
>> Interior equipment, furnishings, materials and electrical fittings used in cabins
>> Marina equipment, boatyard equipment and boat construction tools & materials
>> Deck equipment, sails and rigging
>> Clothing and crew accessories
>> Lifesaving and safety equipment Machinery, propulsion, mechanical and electrical systems & fittings

You can read the full list of Nominations for the Dame Design Award 2016 here.