Looking through an exhibition about Irish silver, I found myself drawn more to the tools (the anvils) especially, than to the finished products.
The tools promise infinite potential. Tools say "let's begin." Whereas the finished products are, well, finished. Completed.
In the ephemeral world of digital information, I realised I've long been drawn to tools like word processors (and to the recent development of distraction-free writing tools), drawing applications and 3d modellers.
It is interesting also to note that there are yet no established dedicated tools (in the sense of an application or even tangible device) that we use for the relatively young industry that is user experience design.
I wonder if we would see dedicated tangible tools for UX? Or are we moving so far away from producing physical outcomes that tangible tools are increasingly being replaced with ephemeral methodologies and frameworks?