Managing Creative People to Achieve a Common Goal
Building and running a creative team is one of the greatest challenges for any manager. Creative people are passionate and have a tendency to think they are right, better, and more humble than the others around, but the truth is that the nature of creative work requires to them to be individualistic and fight for their ideas and beliefs. The challenge is when several of these personalities get together and need to be managed to achieve a common goal.
Posted Wed Oct 14, 2009
Is China becoming a global design superpower?
In recent years concern has risen about the potential of China as a global design superpower and the threat of China becoming a design source for the west, threatening the livelihood of thousands of designers and designers-to-be in the US and Europe.
Perhaps this is the inevitable evolution of the design profession where the creative input becomes a commodity with no real lasting value beyond it seasonal life span. Or perhaps this broadens the gap between design as a commodity and great design that is driven by context.
Posted Mon Jun 22, 2009
Design: Europe vs. US
Many see Europe as the source of great designers, but knowing that the United States is constantly producing great designers who produce great design work, I wonder why are we not hearing about them?
Posted Sat Apr 11, 2009
Reasons Most product designers would agree that, on a philosophical level, the purpose of our profession is to solve important problems in effective and responsible ways, and products should only be designed and produced if they bring true value to someone. However, reality presents us with a different picture, and it is often difficult to stick to our values.
Posted Thu Jan 29, 2009
Measuring and Compensating Design Evaluating and measuring a design’s worth, and determining a designer’s compensation for the design, are challenges facing every organization that brings original products to market.
Posted Mon Nov 10, 2008
Great Design – Defined
What is good design? I asked friends and colleagues what good design is. Most of them answered naming a few products or mentioning a designer’s name. I felt that these answers were not getting to the essence of what good design is or even better, what great design is. Read below my attempt to answer this seemingly easy question.
Great designs are those that successfully balance beauty and function in the context they are going to be used.
Posted Tue Sep 23, 2008
The Home Depot Experience
In the last two years I have seen a consistent and ever growing decadence at big box retailers in the US. Recently I found myself choosing NOT to shop at Home Depot, but instead to visit a smaller retailer further from my home cutting out an hour from my day. The reason I switched is clear. I favor a better shopping experience over convenience. So do a lot of people I know. Some are even forgoing lower prices.
Posted Wed Aug 6, 2008
Service Driven Product Design
For a long time customer service has been a strong strategic tool for many service-based companies like USAA Insurance Company and the Four Season Hotels and resorts. However, today, product-based companies like Apple and Lexus are relying more on customer service as a complement to their products. The strategy works, although the line between product and service has become blurry. Today, what matters more is the total experience.
Posted Thu Jun 19, 2008
Design Brief vs. Business Brief
The Design Brief, which states the parameters of a project in relation to the user/consumer, is a common document that guides designers through the process of product development. However, designers seldom have the opportunity to work in a broader context that offers more insight into the life of the product and its business aspects.
Posted Wed Jun 4, 2008
Is a “Sustainable Industrial Designer” an Oxymoron?
Recently, I was invited to speak at a conference celebrating “Earth Day.” My presentation consisted of “Everyone Considered,” a talk concerning our design process, which considers everyone that comes into contact with a product throughout its life: from the assembly worker to the individual recycling the product. Many consider this design process to be environmentally friendly.
Posted Sat May 10, 2008
