Ken Musgrave

Creative Deconstruction: Why Dell's Designers Tear Apart Their Own Computers

Ken Musgrave — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:52:29 -0400

The Enduring Power of Brand: Leica vs. Panasonic

Ken Musgrave — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:54:16 -0400

I have long been fascinated by the impact that a strong brand can make on consumer perception of product design. I know it can make promises and establish values that can be expressed through a product's design. I have seen it make a product seem faster, stronger and somehow better than it really is. I have seen it contribute the forgiveness for failures and shortcomings. But recently I discovered a case in which a strong brand has created folklore. I speak of the little Leica D-Lux 4 point-and-shoot camera.

The New American Post-Industrial Microenterprise

Ken Musgrave — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:58:16 -0400

In a small garage in Cedar Park, Texas outside of Austin, there is the start of a new company that reflects an emerging trend in small business. Russell Andersen is using the post-industrial refuse of America's computer-aided manufacturing revolution to create a new type of microenterprise--one that is built around aging high-tech tools and very niche markets enabled by Internet-based social networks and GAAP accounting.

Beyond Design, 10 Skills Designers Need to Succeed Now

Ken Musgrave — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:46:36 -0400

Judging by the number of inquiries we've received lately there are quite a few recent graduates who have not landed that all-important first job in the profession. Of the few portfolios I've reviewed, it seems that this year's graduates continue the trend of improvement in skills and capabilities. That said, there are several attributes key to success that don't always get the attention they deserve in most design schools. Ultimately, those attributes will prove as important for a designer's success in today's economy as sheer design skill.

Why We Need a Globally-Recognized Unit of "Green"

Ken Musgrave — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:14:02 -0400

I recently overheard a conversation between several design professionals who were debating a product's environmental sustainability. The discussion ranged from power consumption (carbon footprint) and form factor (material economy) to ease of disassembly (recyclability). In discussing the pros and cons of each, the designers demonstrated two phenomena that beg to be addressed: suspicion of the company's green claims and the fatigue of trying to comprehend the tradeoffs.

Introducing Guest Blogger Ken Musgrave: Design's Best Friend at Dell

Linda Tischler — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:41:40 -0400

At lunch a few months ago, one of Fast Company's expert bloggers gave me a tip: check out design at Dell, he suggested. I was skeptical. Design at Dell? Isn't that an oxymoron?