The Inside Scoop on Design

[CHR]

Guy Kawasaki has an interesting interview with Industrial Design guru Hartmut Esslinger on the American Express OPEN Forum. Much of what is being discussed also applies to what we do as designers, so I'll post a few excerpts here.

The Inside Scoop on Design (Follow the link to read the entire interview.)

Question: Why is it that companies with billions of dollars who can hire any designer or design firm in the world put out such crappy products?

Answer: Excellent products require more then just a good designer or a good design agency—they require humanistic and cultural vision, courage and discipline in execution. There are two reasons why crappy products are so common: first, most “companies with billions of dollars” don’t want to charter new ways because they are in a defensive setting in order to defend their existing business—and when the billions and the business are gone, it’s too late for change. Second, big companies normally have neither the people nor the processes to innovate and there are no real rewards for taking the risks and efforts required in the endeavor for excellent products. In my career, SONY under Akio Morita was the only big company which rejected the common addiction to mediocrity and went for world-changing innovations. Now they are stuck as well….

Question: What can customers do then?

Answer: Stop buying stupid products or deficient services—or buy the better product or service from a competitor. Also: tell them that their stuff sucks—and tell your friends. Social networks are a great new platform to create some momentum. Naturally, there is also a personal way: become a missionary for innovation or even better a designer when this in your genetic DNA. The world of business needs positive change more then anything else—so be the change (as Gandhi said).

Question: If a young person wants to be a great designer, what should he or she do?

Answer: “Design” isn’t a clear-cut talent profession, but one of coordination and catalyst between human needs, science and technology, business and economy, as well as sociology and ecology. The artistic talent required is more of an enabler at the end of rational and emotional analysis as well as strategic conceptualization.

Therefore, it is vital to learn and study as much as possible especially about business, technology and human nature. In the end, there are flavors in design which are more esthetic—see New York Times “Style Magazine”—but design is only relevant when it improves human lives by appealing both to the mind and the heart.

Finally, a young person with the right talents needs to have infinite desire and never give up. I apply a simple test with young students: smash a teapot into pieces and then hand out the glue. Those who rebuild the teapot won’t make it, those who create phantasy animals and spaceships will.

Great food for thought.

Here's his company's mission statement:

Would love for this guy to spend some time working in our industry.

 

[BOSS]

http://www.guykawasaki.com/
Would love for this guy to spend some time working in our industry.

I've got a buck and a quarter... anyone else

Great find Cathy, I love the second quote.... dumb consumers!

 

[Joe Mioux]

That second question is insteresting.

Why is it that "designers" feel the need to invent something that the public doesn't want AND when that product doesn't sell blame it on the consumer rather than themselves?

The market dictates demand for product, not the supplier.

joe

 

[RWK]

Joe - speaking as a designer and only for myself - As a designer, I don't feel the need to 'invent' something that the customer does not want.....but to take that customer's needs and wants and to EXCEED their expectations. For me, it is not so much about re-inventing the wheel as making sure that the wheel is the best I can make it. I want to create something that makes that customer go "WOW - I LOVE IT !!!!!" then makes the recipient go "WOW - I LOVE IT !!!!!! - I want to order one just like it for my friend. "

As I have said many times - A good, QUALIFIED, professional designer SHOULD be able to meet and exceed the customer's needs and wants with style, panache, creativity, attention to detail, attention to profitability, and most importantly - attention to the descriptions, inflections, nuances, statements, questions, and comments of the customer.

For instance - my customer says they want a showy arrangement - Well, it is now my job to try and understand their interpretation of showy - do they mean large? do they mean colorful, do they mean distinctive? Do they mean the bold forms of tropicals or a garden sensibility?

As I have said before - There is absolutely nothing worng with the most staid, basic round-mound design of carnations, daisies, leatherleaf, and babys breath AS LONG AS IT IS MADE CORRECTLY, WITH ALL THE REQUIRED PRINCIPLES AND ELEMENTS OF DESIGN PRESENT !!!

As I tell people whenever they ask me about AIFD versus NON-AIFD or what do they want when I test for AIFD.....I tell them that a basic design done perfectly and correctly WILL score higher than a creative, high-style design done poorly.

So, as a designer, I feel I should always - Do what I know and do it expertly.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Ricky, I agree with you and your thoughts on design and pleasing the customer, but that is not what that second question asks or the interviewee is answering.

He is making a statement that customers are basically too stupid to know what they want from their purchases. His first response to the question ....
customer - 'Stop buying stupid products or deficient services—or buy the better product or service from a competitor.'

If the product is stupid or the service is deficient competition from other designers will solve the problem of inferior product and or service.

joe

 

[RWK]

I was answering your question Joe - as to his statement - let's be honest - We DO see stupid people doing and buying stupid things everyday. That's why we try to educate our customers whenever we can.

- for instance - one of the things that led to this downturn is the simple fact - some people were and are greedy - they fell for the pipe dream - Adjustable Rate Mortgage and Interest only loans which let them get more house than they could really afford - first time I saw an ad for one of those, I looked at my Dad and asked "Are people really so stupid as to fall for that? - His answer - You'd be surprised just how many will be that stupid."

The fellow who wrote the article is just being honest - You and I see it every day - Look at some of the news that comes out of DC - There is a WHOLE lot of distance between book sense and common sense.......which I am seeing more and more the lack of.........God-given, plain old COMMON SENSE.

 

[Connie]

There is a WHOLE lot of distance between book sense and common sense.......which I am seeing more and more the lack of.........God-given, plain old COMMON SENSE.

And we all know that common sense is not that common.

Very interesting find, Cathy.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Rick this is true people do stupid things, but that is there prerogative.

how many times have you seen those awful cheap looking silk cemetery arrangements at Wal-Mart.

Bad design? Absolutely!

Does it sell? Absolutely!

Makes me want to hurl, but I can't fight stupidity so I choose other avenues to sell product.

joe

 

[RWK]

You are 100 percent right - those cemetery things are HIDEOUS, yet, people buy them.........Why ???

That my friend is the essence of our jobs - to do our best to figure out the why -

Why should they buy from me and not my competitor?

Either fortunately or unfortunately,as the case may be, there is no right or wrong answer to that question.....Each of us has to seek the answer for ourselves.

 

[Joe Mioux]

You are 100 percent right - those cemetery things are HIDEOUS, yet, people buy them.........Why ???

That my friend is the essence of our jobs - to do our best to figure out the why -

Why should they buy from me and not my competitor?

Either fortunately or unfortunately,as the case may be, there is no right or wrong answer to that question.....Each of us has to seek the answer for ourselves.

if you figure it out, you will make millions.

 

[TGDragonfly]

This is exactly the point of this article. "So what can we do?" It is in a designers mind that takes every angle of a product and sees a solution.
We all know that Newspapers are folding one after another, hear one designers solution.

[youtube]zHuH8P_Vqc0[/youtube]

 

[rewolf]

how many times have you seen those awful cheap looking silk cemetery arrangements at Wal-Mart.

Bad design? Absolutely!

Does it sell? Absolutely! ...

I've always felt that for many people, if they see something in one of the big box stores such as Wal-mart, then they think the 'design' is the norm (safe) and they are comfortable buying it.

 

[lori042499]

Whay do they buy those hideous things, price and ease of availability....

Not design....We will never sell anything to the people who buy these items...ever...not as designers anyway...

Good find Cathy...just more reason why we shouldn't compete with places like target and walmart ever...

 

[jduncan]

Lots of good discussion here.
I just printed out the mission statement and hung it on my desk.
Its a catalyst for me TODAY...to make a difference TODAY...to communicate with clarity of purpose and intent, in DESIGN and LIFE!

Thanks Cathy.

Great post to start my day---waaaay better than coffee!