I am not a stylist.
One annoyance for industrial designers everywhere is the widespread perception among engineers that designers are on-staff to “pretty [the product] up” at the end of the design process. This mindset branches from a fundamental misconception about the contribution of industrial designers to the holistic good of a product.
Many of the Industrial Designers I’ve known are what I would call “stylists.” There is certainly an important roll for stylists in the modern world as trend-setters for fashion, home, automotive, and increasingly even consumer electronics. These people are the mavens of what is “cool,” with a knack for finding and setting trends.
I am not a stylist. While I maintain that emotional/aesthetic appeal is an important tool in my box, I believe that products with truly lasting appeal are those which roll aesthetic appropriateness seamlessly into thoroughly-considered functionalism, clear communication, environmental effectiveness, and manufacturing consistency and efficiency.
Appropriate, thoughtful, and effective.
I’ve told companies that it’s my goal to create designs that are appropriate, thoughtful, and effective. There is no universal “aesthetic” to which I strictly adhere, I believe that the beauty of a product is not judged in isolation, but in its intended context. I want for my products to be thoroughly considered and cared for in detail. I avoid arbitrary decisions at all costs. If I find myself making a lot of arbitrary choices, it’s a sure sign that I’m failing as a designer. Finally, I want for my designs to be effective in situ. I highly recommend “The Effective Executive” by Peter Drucker for further explanation.
Communicator, innovator, and strategist.
My primary roll as a designer is that of a communicator. I communicate with engineers, marketeers, design managers, retailers, end-users, and factory operators on all corners of the globe. I communicate concrete functional ideas, tight manufacturable CAD, and emotional concepts (e.g. “kid-friendly,” “capable yet feminine,” or “brute power sans fear”). I have said for many years that art is nothing more than extraordinary communication. I am a connector, a hub.
Secondly–but no less importantly–I am an innovator. If my primary roll is to bring together various interests and points-of-view through clear and concise communication between engineering, marketing, and end-user, it is vital to my stated purpose that I am willing to question preconceptions and norms in order to best suit the particular needs of a given design challenge. It is my job to see engineering and technology not only through my own eyes (the eyes of a self-professed techie-gearhead), but also from the eyes of a 32 year old housewife, her 5 year old son, manufacturing personnel in China, corporate marketing and sales teams and the retail buyers to whom they cater. It is my job to know the needs of everyone, and to create solutions that satisfy them all as completely as possible.
In addition to communicator and innovator, I am a design strategist. Designing a product that “looks cool” today is one thing, but developing a design language and learning to appropriately apply and evolve it is another. Understanding branding convention and purchaser perception is critical to a successful and appropriate industrial design, but what about user satisfaction? What does carcinogenic PVC packaging tell the consumer about our corporate values? Is the value perception gained by coating plastics with shiny metallic paints or chrome plating worth the environmental impact? How can we de-commoditize our products and elevate brand value while decreasing cost and streamlining development processes? The answers to these questions varies widely, and a disciplined conscious decision-making process is the only responsible way to deal with them on a case-by-case basis.
I am a hypocrite.
Though I try my best, I do not practice what I preach. I fail in all of these areas frequently and thoroughly. But if in my career I manage to create even a few products that are appropriate, thoughtful, and effective, I will have achieved something great.
Wow. You’re a good communicator with words as well as your art. You’ve phrased similar thoughts and ideas I have had of ID as a career and philosophy, only so much better. It probably helped that I have a similar reading list. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Chad! Always great to hear when someone’s getting something out of this “blog” thing. Might I ask where you work these days?
Adam,
Just discovered your blog yesterday, and found the Illustrator tutorials immensely helpful. I also found the above post refreshingly level-headed, unlike much of the design stuff I’ve been reading lately. As a Junior ID student looking for an internship, can you recommend any firms that practice design in the capacities you mentioned above?
Either way, thanks again for the blog. It’d be great to see how you use your ‘tools’ in the design process.
And good luck with the motorcycle!
Hi Steven:
Thanks for the comment. Glad the information is helpful to you! If you’d like to see more on a given topic, do let me know.
The things I wrote here apply to me personally, not to any job in particular. I’ve only ever worked at HP, Black & Decker, and Bose. But if I were to work at IDEO, Dell, or Alessi, the above would still apply.
It is not always easy, as my colleagues often disagree with me on many of these topics. I just have to remind myself that I am an individual, and that my individual approach to design is valuable, as are the various approaches of the other designers on my team. The important thing is that we find ways of working together, and valuing true diversity within the group.
Be yourself and have fun!
The bike’s on the mend. Finally isolated the problem a couple of weeks ago :) She’ll be on the road by spring!
Adam