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Welcome to designbivouac’s inspiration collection.
Exploring design and innovation.
Over 30 years of collaboration, designbivouac has uncovered lasting insights. Inspirations is a curated collection of inspirational objects and ideas shaping a continuous journey of creative exploration.
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Framer Components Inspired by Dieter Rams
As interaction and industrial designers, we should always strive for clarity and delight in our work, which comes from paying attention to the smallest details. This beautifully executed website features Framer components inspired by Dieter Rams' design principles.
As interaction and industrial designers, we should always strive for clarity and delight in our work, which comes from paying attention to the smallest details. This beautifully executed website features Framer components inspired by Dieter Rams' design principles. Enjoy interacting with the array of elements here.
On a related note, the website contains a critical look at “Flat Design,” which seems timely given the movement's proliferation and the usability limitations that sometimes can be accommodated with the aesthetic.
Reassessing Flat Design: A Critical Look Through Dieter Rams’ Principles
Nurturing Design Thinking
Fast Company recently asserted that the era of design thinking has ended. Far from the end of the era, companies increasingly realize the need to build their internal design thinking capabilities to enhance their innovation capacity. As we move into a new era of nurturing in-house design thinking, companies must make long-term commitments to supporting the conditions for design thinking to thrive and be patient enough for innovation efforts to take root and bear fruit.
Fast Company recently asserted that the era of design thinking has come to an end. Far from the end of the era, companies increasingly realize the need to build their internal design thinking capabilities to enhance their innovation capacity. As we enter a new era of nurturing in-house design thinking, companies must make long-term commitments to supporting the conditions that enable design thinking to thrive and be patient enough for innovation efforts to take root and bear fruit.
Nurturing a New Methodology
It takes time for new methodologies to be adopted across a company. It takes time for people to understand fresh approaches and for changes in how teams work to lead to tangible successes. It takes time for a movement to change how companies operate. Indeed, it takes time to transform a company. Design thinking has the potential to do just that, and for it to take hold within a company, it benefits from the mindset of a gardener. Consultancies have worked closely with companies seeking to learn and apply design thinking for decades. Most are engagements involving multi-year journeys, onboarding new hires, and the persistent involvement of CEOs.
Company leaders must set the conditions essential to adopting design thinking. First, they must set expectations and plan for several years of growing a design thinking capacity. Efforts often start by working in areas relevant to the company but not so significant as to cause undue risk. Using this approach, even with small victories, others within the organization can see how the process applies to them. This approach also allows for experimentation and the kind of trial and error that occurs when onboarding new design-thinking practitioners. In addition to transforming how existing employees innovate, hiring colleagues with new design research capabilities, unique business outlooks, and the ability to prototype with technology quickly is often necessary. All of this takes time. Several tiers of leadership within the company must be involved to ensure that the focus on design thinking can persist beyond leadership changes.
“Being mindful of how deeply the roots of design thinking are reaching within a company is essential to ensure that the movement can persist even if fundamental leadership changes occur or a company pivots strategically.”
The Power of Design Thinking - Worth the Investment
Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving and innovation. It places the end-user at the core of the process, encouraging empathy, collaboration, and experimentation. For large companies in particular, embracing design thinking brings them closer to their customers and offers several compelling advantages:
1. Customer-Centricity
Design thinking ensures that companies prioritize the needs and preferences of their customers, resulting in products and services that resonate more effectively with the market.
2. Adaptability
In today's fast-paced business world, adaptability is critical. Design thinking encourages flexibility, enabling large companies to effectively pivot, iterate, and respond to changing market dynamics.
3. Creativity
Encouraging a culture of creativity and ideation is essential for staying ahead of the competition. Design thinking fosters an environment where innovative ideas can flourish.
4. Employee Engagement and the Right Talent Mix
Empowering employees to contribute to problem-solving and innovation fosters a sense of ownership and engagement, increasing job satisfaction and productivity. Interdisciplinary teams that can empathize with one another and work together are essential.
In the long run, nurturing design thinking within an organization is an investment that allows it to continuously reap what it sows, year after year, as the creative potential to realize innovative products grows. It ensures that a company can grow and evolve to respond to market changes as long as it is nurtured by leadership and across the culture.
Fertile Ground - Design Thinking is Rooted in Talent.
If you don’t have those familiar with design thinking, where can you find them? Perhaps those who have practiced design thinking for years within design consultancies are ready for a new context and open to joining in-house teams. Or maybe there is a need for new talent that complements your company's existing employees and amplifies your innovation efforts.
If the latter is the case, below is a list of five schools that deeply integrate design thinking into their curriculum or have rich interaction design programs that produce talent key to design thinking.
Carnegie Mellon College of Design
North Carolina State University College of Design
Umea Institute of Design
University of Washington School of Art + Art History + Design
Stanford d.school
A Blueprint for Nurturing Design Thinking
Now that we understand the value of design thinking, let's dive into the blueprint for nurturing it:
1. Leadership Buy-In
For design thinking to thrive, it must be championed from the top. Company leaders must understand the potential benefits and actively support the integration. This includes providing resources, time, and training for employees to engage in design thinking processes. Once a company starts a design-thinking journey, leadership must continually monitor initiatives and share stories about ongoing successes and lessons learned from failures. Leadership must also observe and assess the leadership tiers below them to ensure their proficiency with design thinking. Companies have trained senior leaders and mid-level managers in design thinking simultaneously to engrain the creative approach more deeply within the organization.
2. Comprehensive Training
Offering design thinking training to employees at all levels is essential. This can be done through workshops, courses, hiring external experts, and rotating staff through key projects where design thinking is applied. The goal is to ensure that everyone in the organization understands the principles and tools of design thinking.
3. Create Cross-Functional Teams
Design thinking thrives on diverse perspectives and cross-functional collaboration. Encourage the formation of multidisciplinary teams that work together on projects. This diversity of thought can lead to more innovative solutions.
4. Foster an Empathetic Culture
Empathy is a cornerstone of design thinking. Encourage employees to actively seek and understand the needs and perspectives of their customers and colleagues.
5. Prototyping and Testing
Design thinking involves more than just thinking. It depends upon iterative prototyping and testing. Create an environment where teams are empowered to develop prototypes and gather user feedback. Concept iteration based on user feedback leads to refined ideas and solutions.
6. Failure Is an Option
Innovation comes with the risk of failure. A culture that practices design thinking embraces the right kind of failure at the right time, early in the process, allowing employees to take calculated risks and learn from their mistakes. Failure is often a stepping stone to success.
7. Celebrate Successes
Equally crucial as accepting failure is celebrating success. Acknowledge and reward teams that achieve positive outcomes through applying design thinking. This recognition will motivate others to embrace the approach.
8. Continuous Improvement
Through practicing design thinking, a company’s culture and innovation output can be constantly enhanced by monitoring how things are created and identifying areas for improvement. Design thinking is not a one-time initiative; it's an ongoing process. Encourage continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and refining your design thinking practices to align with evolving goals and challenges.
In Summary
Nurturing design thinking within companies is not just a trend; it's a strategic move to stay competitive in an ever-changing business landscape. Companies are increasingly harnessing the power of design thinking internally to drive innovation and success by cultivating a culture that embraces empathy, creativity, and customer-centricity. Remember that it's a journey, not a destination, for the next quarter or the one after that. With commitment and dedication, your organization can reap the rewards of design thinking and sustain innovation efforts for years to come.
Sinking Lego Ships
Many childhood hours were spent at the bivouac playing and pushing the imagination with Lego. There was learning about modular design and how failure leads to success. All that creative activity made me a better designer and person.
Many childhood hours were joyfully spent at the bivouac, building, imagining, and experimenting with LEGO. It was more than play—it was an early education in modular design, problem-solving, and the value of persistence. Every structure that collapsed or didn’t quite work was a lesson in how failure fuels creativity and growth. Those hands-on exploration sessions helped shape not only a better designer but also a more curious and resilient person. Looking back, it's clear that those colorful bricks laid more than models—they laid a foundation for lifelong learning and creative thinking.
With the inclusion of specialized kit components like gears, chain drives, tubes, girders, motors, switches, and electrical systems, today's LEGO Technic builders have an incredible array of tools to bring complex creations to life. These advanced elements not only expand creative possibilities but also offer hands-on lessons in engineering and physics. In another engaging video from Brick Technology, viewers can explore concepts such as displacement, wave theory, tensional force, and centrifugal force—all demonstrated through the imaginative and educational world of LEGO Technic. It's a brilliant fusion of play and learning that continues to inspire the next generation of inventors and problem-solvers.
Refinement in the Marketplace
Initially written in 2009, this post has been updated to reflect how BMW Motorcycles continues to refine its GS motorcycle. Few companies have been able to balance refining iconic offerings without compromising what made a product great in the first place. T
Originally written in 2009, this post has been updated to reflect BMW Motorcycles' continued refinement of its iconic GS motorcycle. Few companies have mastered the art of evolving a product while maintaining the core elements that made it great. The R 1300 GS represents the most significant update to the model in over a decade, introducing numerous new features, safety technologies, and technical improvements. Yet, despite these enhancements, it remains remarkably familiar—exemplary in its design, performance, and commitment to the values that have defined the GS lineage.
2024 BMW R1300 GS Trophy Edition
Companies genuinely passionate about their offerings continually refine them in the open market, demonstrating a commitment to progress and user communities. The BMW GS line of motorcycles is a compelling example. Even when BMW held a strong lead in the adventure touring category, with what many considered the benchmark bike, the company didn't rest on its reputation. Instead, it stayed engaged, listening closely to riders, dealers, and evolving market demands. Each new model year introduced a mix of thoughtful updates, ranging from subtle ergonomic tweaks to more significant advances in performance and styling. While the degree of change varied from year to year, the consistent pace of refinement set a clear standard.
One of the most impressive aspects of this evolution is BMW’s ability to improve the GS line while reducing overall weight—a challenging achievement in a segment where added features often lead to added bulk. This balancing act underscores the company’s ability to harmonize principled design thinking with deep enthusiasm for the riding experience. Rather than chasing novelty for its own sake, BMW’s refinements are grounded in a core philosophy of rideability—ensuring that every enhancement, no matter how innovative, makes the bike feel better, more intuitive, and more rewarding on the road or trail.
The R1150GS benefited from many refinements since the release of the first R1000GS, which was launched in 1993. The R1300GS represents the pinnacle in the adventure bike class for 2023.
As a testament to its ongoing commitment to refinement and innovation from a leadership position, BMW has introduced the 2024 R1300GS. This significant update builds meaningfully on the strengths of its predecessor. At the heart of this evolution is a newly engineered frame contributing to a notable reduction in overall weight, enhancing both agility and performance without sacrificing the bike’s rugged, long-distance capabilities. This structural change reflects BMW’s continued emphasis on functional improvements that matter to riders, especially those seeking a balance between touring comfort and off-road versatility.
In addition to mechanical enhancements, the 2024 model integrates a suite of advanced technologies that elevate both safety and rider experience. New signature lighting elements provide improved visibility and a distinctive visual identity. At the same time, cutting-edge features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and an automatic SOS call function offer increased peace of mind. These updates align with evolving rider expectations and reinforce BMW’s role as a category leader, demonstrating how design thinking, customer insight, and engineering excellence can converge to keep a flagship product relevant, desirable, and unmistakably premium.
R1300 GS
R1250 GS Adventure
R1200 GS Adventure
R1150 GS Adventure
(Note: Models not shown to scale)
This kind of subtle, year-over-year improvement both impresses and inspires. It reflects a deep respect for users and a commitment to thoughtful evolution over flashy reinvention. When done consistently, it builds better products and lasting trust. The beauty of this approach is that it cultivates a loyal, secure following. Customers believe any changes will be intentional, meaningful, and aligned with their passions. Over time, this trust becomes a powerful differentiator, turning users into advocates and products into enduring icons.
The BMW GS series had a signature dual-lamp headlight system for years. The R1300GS breaks convention with a new headlight and an adaptive cruise control sensor mounted above it
Once an offering achieves a certain level of success, there is often a strong temptation to avoid further refinement, whether due to economic pressures, risk aversion, or the fear of disrupting a winning formula. Yet companies like BMW demonstrate the value of ongoing evolution, driven by clear design principles and a deep understanding of user needs. Their commitment to refining rather than reinventing is evident in the launch of the R1300 GS, a motorcycle widely praised as a substantial advancement over its predecessor. Despite its technical and functional improvements, the R1300 GS retains the familiar character that riders value, allowing it to stand out amid increasingly intense competition.
This approach reflects a culture of passion and disciplined design thinking that values long-term impact over short-term hype. By continuously nurturing and improving their offerings, BMW creates a legacy of excellence that compounds over time. Each successive model contributes to a lineage that reinforces the brand’s reputation and deepens its emotional resonance with riders. In contrast, many once-promising products falter when creators abandon them too soon or fail to maintain momentum. BMW’s example underscores how persistence, thoughtful iteration, and commitment to core values can leave a lasting mark on the marketplace, one that outlives fleeting trends and initial bursts of popularity.
A similar balance of passion and principled design thinking is evident in Apple’s approach to refining the iPhone. The transition from the original iPhone to the 3G model introduced significant new capabilities, such as enhanced location awareness, yet the overall experience remained intuitive and familiar. Rather than overwhelming users with tutorials or complex setup procedures, new features were revealed organically through use. For example, prompts to enable location services appeared contextually within the Maps app, allowing users to discover functionality at moments of high emotional relevance. This subtle, experience-driven introduction created a sense of delight rather than friction, reinforcing trust in the product’s design.
Comparable moments of intuitive discovery can be found in other well-designed experiences, such as with BMW GS motorcycles. Riders often realize, mid-ride and at freeway speeds, that the bike offers a sixth gear—an elegant reward for attentive exploration. These moments aren’t explicitly advertised or forced upon the user; instead, they unfold naturally, deepening the connection between person and machine. In these carefully orchestrated, user-centered refinements, design transcends utility and becomes something more enduring—something felt.
Some variation has occurred between the original iPhone and the iPhone 15, but the product has mainly stayed true to its core offering and user interface.
In an era where innovation is frequently celebrated as the hallmark of progress, it's important not to overlook the enduring value of incremental refinement. While groundbreaking leaps often capture headlines, steady evolution can cultivate deep user trust, foster long-term loyalty, and deliver consistent, meaningful improvements. Thoughtful iteration doesn’t just enhance functionality—it creates a sense of continuity that reassures users and allows them to grow with a product over time. This approach can be especially powerful when it’s rooted in a strong foundational design that balances legacy with forward motion.
A quintessential example of this philosophy is the Porsche 911. Widely referenced in design and engineering circles, the 911 demonstrates how a product can undergo decades of evolution while remaining true to its original spirit. Over time, its performance, handling, and technology have advanced dramatically, yet the vehicle’s iconic silhouette, rear-engine layout, and design cues remain instantly recognizable. This continuity isn’t accidental; it reflects a disciplined commitment to refinement rather than reinvention. By honoring its heritage while embracing innovation in measured steps, the 911 continues to attract new enthusiasts while maintaining the loyalty of longtime fans—a powerful testament to the enduring impact of thoughtful iteration.
The 911 demonstrates how a product can undergo decades of evolution while remaining true to its original spirit. Can you think of other products that show evidence of inspired refinement or companies that do a great job of prototyping and refining in the marketplace?
Shapes from the Future
As a means of inspiration, the bivouac recently thought back to iconic objects, those notable stepping stones that have inspired generations of designers and have led, in some part, to the brighter side of where we are today. Perhaps we can learn from these successes and failures as we shape a new and exciting future together.
The bivouac recently began collecting objects that have or are likely to serve as timeless shapes from the future, inspiring generations of designers. Perhaps we can learn from aspects of these product successes and failures as we shape our future together.
Presented here are a few iconic designs that seem to have come from the future to inspire. What shapes from the future or your past do you draw inspiration from?
Is VW’s Future in Its Past?
With all the turmoil at Volkswagen, it remains to be seen what path the company will take moving forward. Despite decent vehicle sales against 2022’s headwinds, the company is rumored to be scrapping its current electric vehicle platform for an entirely new architecture. Fundamental leadership changes were recently announced at the CEO and Head of Design levels.
With all the turmoil at Volkswagen, it remains to be seen what path the company will take moving forward. Despite decent vehicle sales against 2022’s headwinds, the company is rumored to be scrapping its current electric vehicle platform for an entirely new architecture. Fundamental leadership changes were recently announced at the CEO and Head of Design levels. Here’s hoping a new electric platform designed from the ground up and a bit of looking at successes from the past can help move the company forward.
Well, here is a suggestion. Take a long, hard look back at more of your heritage vehicles. Why not apply your next-generation electric platform to making new vehicles that resemble desirable models from yesteryear? There is really no need to contemporize with flashy “ID. Buzz” aesthetics and the like. Modernize the one we knew and loved with modern manufacturing techniques and designs that meet today’s safety standards. The company had some success doing this with the VW bug, and it had a good run. Why not start with the new electric platform and relaunch with this…an electric-powered version of a T3 Syncro in a crew-cab Doka Transporter configuration?
Focus on building a line of vehicles closer to what VW was once known for producing: honest, economical, straightforward, accessible cars for the people. Variants of one platform worked in the past. They could again if the design of the new EV platform is done with that in mind. Efficiencies of this approach are working well for Tesla with the Model 3 and Model Y. Need more convincing of the appeal of your heritage vehicles? This artifact from VW’s past recently sold for $51,000 on Bring A Trailer.
And pick up the pace if you can. The competition is moving fast. Modernizing your iconic VW bus from the 1970s took over 20 years of concepting.
2001 Microbus Concept (Arguably the best looking vehicle of all the VW Van Concepts)
2011 Bulli Concept
2016 BUDD-e Concept
2017 I.D. Buzz Concept
2023 I.D. Buzz production model finally becomes available
Future of Automobility at Cooper Hewitt
IDEO’s four-part exploration of “The Future of Automobility” is included within Cooper Hewitt’s “The Road Ahead: Reimagining Mobility” Exhibit.
It is such a pleasure to see work from IDEO’s four-part exploration of “The Future of Automobility” included within Cooper Hewitt’s “The Road Ahead: Reimagining Mobility” Exhibit. On view at the New York’s Cooper Hewitt through March 31st, 2019, the exhibit explores how we might move people, things, spaces, and information in the 21st Century and beyond. Innovative concepts, prototypes, and simulation work exploring how future forms of mobility and new approaches to urban planning might emerge are featured from leading companies working in the mobility domain.
Visitors are prompted to capture their hopes, needs, and desires for future mobility on post-it notes and to place them upon a life-sized sketch of a vehicle designed to support shared mobility. Concepts created for the Future of Automobility series exploring moving people, things, spaces, and together are on view within the exhibit space.
Danny Goodman's Macintosh Handbook
Bringing together Danny Goodman and Richard Saul Wurman, this publication was and remains an exceptional example of accessible and visually delightful educational material.
Many fond memories of shaping early interaction design courses in 1993 persist here at the bivouac. I was fortunate to enter the field at a time when computing had matured just enough to become accessible to a broader range of creatives. I was also lucky to teach both introductory and advanced courses in computer visualization.
For the introductory course, I relied upon Danny Goodman’s excellent Macintosh Handbook Featuring System 7. Bringing together Danny Goodman and Richard Saul Wurman, this publication was and remains an exceptional example of accessible and visually delightful educational material. The illustrations are clear and inviting, and they demystified the breakthrough technology on offer from Apple at the time. For other inspirational publications, check out the bivouac’s list of design-related readings. Overall, Danny Goodman’s Macintosh Handbook remains an outstanding exemplar of explicit and inspirational instructional reference material. It passes the test of time in a fast-moving technical context. For a first-hand account of what went into creating the publication, visit Nathan Shedroff’s site article.
The book is innovative in other ways as well. Information and terms are supplemented with hypertext-like cross-references to related content in different book sections. This is an excellent reminder of the heady days of the dawn of the Macintosh and the promise of newly accessible computing for all creatives to enjoy. The publication visuals mimic the Macintosh operating system visuals, including a “finder” menu along the top of many pages, to further demystify the new world of Apple technology.
Hot and Cool Things on the Road Ahead
With Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric vehicles on the horizon, the gig economy and the sharing economy may intertwine in interesting new ways.
With Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (CASE) vehicles on the horizon, the gig economy and the sharing economy may intertwine in interesting new ways. Imagine accessing a shared vehicle for a few hours and paying for that time by running an errand for the vehicle owner. By picking up their groceries and placing them in a cooled storage area, everyone benefits. Mobility is gained, and the vehicle borrower saves money, and time is saved for the vehicle owner. Vehicle utilization goes up as well.
As envisioned in IDEO's Future of Automobility provocation series, accessible heated and cooled storage spaces could enable new on-demand services. Sharing economy...meet the gig economy. A driver using a shared vehicle cuts the cost of their shared vehicle session by running an errand (in this case, picking up fresh vegetables for the week and storing them in a cool vehicle storage area) for the vehicle owner.
The Future of Phones
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of contributing some thoughts that informed Alexis Madrigal's Atlantic article "iPhone 5? Yawn. What Will the 'Phone' of 2022 Look Like?"
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of contributing some thoughts that informed Alexis Madrigal's Atlantic article "iPhone 5? Yawn. What Will the 'Phone' of 2022 Look Like?" While so many are understandably appreciating the latest offering from Apple in the "phone-on-glass'" category, the article does an excellent job of encouraging us to think beyond today's prevailing interaction paradigms and from factors toward a future with a greater variety of form factors as well as richer, more seamless interactions. Who knows, while displays are getting bigger this week, in 2022, the next big thing might be pretty small.
"Comfort Zone" ear piece from 2001 future technology forecasting project at IDEO.
Speech-driven interface in the film her.
Tony Stark interacts with J.A.R.V.I.S through gesture, physical controls and voice.
Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept
Cadillac's Urban Luxury Concept, which debuted this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is just the kind of product that will continue to fuel General Motor's emergence from bankruptcy.
Cadillac's Urban Luxury Concept is the vehicle that could help continue General Motors's transition to a battery-electric vehicle fleet with zero emissions. The original concept, which debuted a few years back at the Los Angeles auto show, was not a BEV but still offered an impressive estimated fuel economy rating of 56 mpg city/65 mpg highway.
The size and styling of the Urban Luxury Concept could be resurrected and applied to the company’s new Ultimum electric platform. With room for four and several innovative features in store beyond the scissor-style doors, this could be a cutting-edge "Art and Science" vehicle.
Learnings From In Extremis Negotiators
In today's challenging business climate, negotiations can often be stressful. As today's design and business challenges become more interconnected, the number of stakeholders and the complexity involved in leading toward the right solutions is increasing.
In today's challenging business climate, negotiations can often be stressful. As today's design and business challenges become more interconnected, the number of stakeholders and the complexity involved in leading toward the right solutions is increasing. And the time in which to do so is often short. That said, it is nothing like what U.S. military officers are facing daily in Afghanistan and other regions of conflict across the globe.
A recent Harvard Business Review article entitled "Extreme Negotiations" highlights some essential learnings from the field, outlining five significant learnings that can serve those operating in business contexts just as well as officers. U.S. military officers in Afghanistan often balance making progress and proper decisions while maintaining a stance of strength. Over the past six years or so, HBR has studied how they resolve conflict and influence others in extreme risk and uncertainty situations.
They discovered that the most skilled among them rely on five highly effective strategies...all of which, as it turns out, are grounded in solid design thinking.
1. Understand the big picture.
2. Uncover hidden agendas and collaborate with the other side.
3. Get genuine buy-in.
4. Build relationships based on trust rather than fear.
5. Pay attention to the process as well as desired outcomes.
These strategies, combined, are characteristic of effective extremis negotiators, to adapt a term from Colonel Thomas Kolditz, a professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the author of In Extremis Leadership.
Photo credit: The Washington Post
NCSU College of Design Commencement Address
Last spring, I had the honor of giving the commencement address at the 2010 College of Design at North Carolina State University. Recently, I revisited the College of Design, now as a member of the College of Design's Leader Council.
Last spring, I had the honor of giving the commencement address at the 2010 College of Design at North Carolina State University. Recently, I revisited the College of Design, now as a member of the College of Design's Leader Council. It was an absolute pleasure to be back walking the halls, meeting with Dean Malecha and other council members, and, most importantly, having an opportunity to view student work.
The student work included digital animations, graphic and textile design, compelling architectural work, and stories of students making a difference in rural settings through real-world projects improving the landscapes in which children learn and grow. All of this served as a potent reminder that design thinking is alive and well at the College of Design.
The commencement address I gave can be viewed in the context of the College of Design's Design Influence publication or below.
2010 College of Design Commencement Address
Danny Stillion, Master of Product Design with a concentration in Visual Design
Class of 1992
“Never waste a crisis.” You may well have heard leaders recently citing this phrase. It is my belief that this group, perhaps more than many others celebrating across campus today, has the power to lead the way through this time of crisis and to better days ahead. Since leaving this special place, I have had the privilege in my professional life of engaging in design thinking with a rich range of clients and colleagues. We have empowered others through collaborating across disciplines and have met some tough challenges together. I believe that by practicing design thinking and by empowering others to do so, that we can overcome the pervasive cynicism and obstructionist tendencies we deal with all to often in today’s society. More importantly, we can learn lessons from how we got here and apply them to reach meaningful solutions and move forward.
“The College of Design prepared me well for carrying out design thinking long before the term was coined. And, as is indicated in the work of many of you, it is clear that design thinking continues to be actively explored at the College of Design today. Valuing open collaboration, interdisciplinary points of view and a deep sense of empathy are powerful things I gained from my time here. Each continues to bolster my work on a daily basis and undoubtedly will also serve you well as you move forward from this place.”
Your accomplishments clearly indicate that you have the skills and passion to create. But it is my sincere hope that the path you shape for yourselves moving forward leads you to fertile places where creation is celebrated. I also hope that design thinking will help ensure that you are creating the kinds of meaningful systems, creative expressions, objects, experiences, and spaces that the world truly needs. To that end, I invite you to couple your creative energy with the spirit and approach of design thinking, so that you continually find yourselves in those fertile and meaningful places of creation.
Creations of Meaning
You may have noticed that I referred to you as “creators” rather than “creatives,” as is often the term used in fields such as advertising. For creativity exists in many domains…ranging from astronomy to zoology. Indeed, as we now perhaps are all too aware, within the fields of finance and politics, creativity also is alive and well. But as we have seen in recent times with things like mortgage-backed derivatives and divisive political strategies, being creative does not necessarily ensure that you will be creating something positive or meaningful. In order to bring more meaningful creations into the world, I encourage you to think about the opportunities before you through the powerful lens of design thinking. Design thinking encourages us to take a balanced view on problems and opportunity spaces by considering business viability, technical feasibility as well as human desirability.
The scope and scale of today’s challenges are such that channeling your creative endeavors through active design thinking may well be the best way to help shape our politics, our environment and the ways in which we live, stay connected, and inspire one another.Never before has the need for those who actually create positive things and systems been so great. In today’s world where the gulf between those who have unprecedented wealth and those who have nothing is ever widening, and the politics of fear make almost everything seem impossible in the eyes of the powerful, poor and pundits alike. You represent as a collection of designers and artists something the world sorely needs. You, in short, are creators.
You inspire others with your imagination and vision. And through practicing design thinking, you can help others with your creations. With the skills, perspectives and experiences gained here at the College of Design, you now have a valuable offering with which to go out into the world. It is one that couples both thinking and doing, allowing you to transform concepts into powerful, tangible creations.
The principles of design thinking are perhaps more clearly articulated today than they have even been. Many may be familiar to you. But I urge you to take them forward with you. I know I have benefitted from a wealth of connections, insights and experiences that have resulted from keeping the following five points in mind when I create with others.
1. Discover by listening
A colleague of mine, Diego Rodriguez, is keeping a list of innovation principles handy. The first of these is: “Experience the world instead of talking about experiencing the world.” In order to stay human-centered in our creative endeavors, we must spend time with those we are creating with and really hear their voices and needs. Notice I said with—not creating for—as it is often through true collaboration that the most appropriate and compelling innovations come to life.
2. Prototype and quickly make things
This is a powerfully liberating notion and one that may come easy to many in an academic context, but I urge you to hold on to this spirit of prototyping as you move onward in your creative endeavors. David Kelley, one of IDEO’s founders, speaks about the power of failing early to succeed sooner. If you keep this in mind, it will free you to try new things, to reinvent and liberate you from what Steve Jobs refers to as “the dogma of the past.” Seek to love what you do but embrace the value of prototyping and guard against things becoming too precious…especially early in the creative process. Embrace feedback and the ideas of others and your work will move to a new level of meaning. You will undoubtedly have setbacks in your projects and perhaps even in your careers, but my hope is that keeping this notion of prototyping with a purpose in mind will help guide you to the next level in your creative process. Regardless of what challenges arise, having a deep value for prototyping will ensure that you always maintain an attitude that allows you to learn from failure. This will serve you well throughout your careers.
“David Kelley, one of IDEO’s founders, speaks about the power of failing early to succeed sooner. If you keep this in mind, it will free you to try new things, to reinvent and liberate you from what Steve Jobs refers to as “the dogma of the past.” Seek to love what you do but embrace the value of prototyping and guard against things becoming too precious…”
3. Building in addition to ideation
Design thinking at IDEO certainly involves building in addition to ideation. You are now in a great position to leverage your technical skills to bring your ideas to fruition. Such a balanced approach of thinking and doing insures that the right things are built in the right way. As a complement to the value of early prototyping, we must also find the commitment as creators to see things through, thus bringing meaningful products, services or experiences into the world.
4. Craft stories, not just concepts
Storytelling is one of the most important tools we have to invite others to take part in the power of design thinking. Take time to tell stories. I used to value the notion that creative work could stand on its own. But to be inclusive and allow others to experience powerful creative journeys, it is often important to tell the stories that inspire your creative endeavors. By doing so, it may well help others grasp the power of empathy or the beauty of aesthetics in ways they never thought possible. If nothing else, it can help demystify the creative process for colleagues from other disciplines. The more we share our stories of creativity—what inspires us and how we maintain a human-centered design approach—the more our colleagues will come to respect what we do. And rather than working your way out of a job by empowering others to learn a bit more about how you do what you do, I think you will find more often than not, that they become better collaborators, bringing higher level challenges to you.
5. Nurturing a culture that is both inspired and inspirational
Somewhat tied to the first principle of discover by listening, this final point emphasizes the need to always be looking at the world around you for inspiration, and, when occasions present themselves, giving back by inspiring others. This means inspiring creators and non-creators alike. For in the world today, we cannot do all that is needed alone. We must inspire creating within others so that we can, through collaboration, reach higher goals together.
So, in closing, in addition to these thoughts regarding the value that design thinking might serve in your lives moving forward, I would like to just share a few additional thoughts. Find what you love to do. I am sure that your time here at the College of Design has served many of you well in that regard. Yet with many fields of creation being so diverse, embrace that spirit of prototyping to find your path. And stick to things long enough to bring meaningful things into the world along the way. Work hard at what you love. Seek out and surround yourself with good people—people open to collaboration and to the power of design thinking and doing.
Thank you, and best wishes.
The New Face of BMW Motorrad
A recent study indicates that people love cars with angry faces. Automotive designers have long recognized this finding.
A recent study indicates that people love cars with angry faces. Automotive designers have long recognized this finding. Shaping the faces of vehicles to make a statement has been an essential aspect of the design process for many car companies over the years. With the release of the K1600GT and K1600GTL, BMW is migrating some of the most recognizable "facial" elements from its automobile division to its motorcycle group.
Here's hoping this new face of Motorrad propagates throughout BMW's motorcycle lineup. Not only is it distinctive and instantly associated with the power the brand has had on offer for decades, but it also brings welcomed innovation to the motorcycle industry in the form of the world's first adaptive headlamp for motorcycles. Critics might feel this new look is a bit too aggressive, but when you are moving down a dark and rainy Pacific coast highway, one is hard-pressed to think of a better way to ward off any potential threats lurking in the darkness.
Defining the Designer of 2015
What skills and competencies will designers need to help bring about a positive impact in the world moving forward?
What skills and competencies will designers need to help bring about a positive impact in the world moving forward? Take a look at the Designer for 2015 project and the helpful list of competencies put together by the Visionary Design Council in conjunction with the AIGA.
Below is the quick list, but you can learn more here: AIGA Designer of 2015 Overview.
1. Ability to create and develop visual responses to communication problems, including an understanding of hierarchy, typography, aesthetics, composition, and construction of meaningful images
2. Ability to solve communication problems, including identifying the problem, researching, analyzing, solution generating, prototyping, user testing, and outcome evaluation
3. Broad understanding of issues related to the cognitive, social, cultural, technological, and economic contexts for design
4. Ability to respond to audience contexts, recognizing physical, cognitive, cultural, and social human factors that shape design decisions
5. Understanding of and ability to utilize tools and technology
6. Ability to be flexible, nimble, and dynamic in practice
7. Management and communication skills necessary to function productively in large interdisciplinary teams and “flat” organizational structures
8. Understanding of how systems behave and aspects that contribute to sustainable products, strategies, and practices
9. Ability to construct verbal arguments for solutions that address diverse users/audiences, lifespan issues; and business/organizational operations
10. Ability to work in a global environment with an understanding of cultural preservation
11. Ability to collaborate productively in large interdisciplinary teams
12. Understanding of ethics in practice
13. Understanding of nested items, including cause and effect; ability to develop project evaluation criteria that account for audience and context
BMW R1200 RT: A New Perspective
Sometimes, the essence of an object is best revealed from angles seldom seen. Take the redesigned 2010 R1200RT, for example.
Sometimes, the essence of an object is best revealed from angles seldom seen. Take the redesigned 2010 R1200RT, for example. Seen from the side, the bike appears familiar—a refined design iteration of the venerable long-distance tourer. However, the true genius and dynamics of the design are best revealed from an eagle's-eye view.
From above, affordances for generous wind protection and ways to obtain mile comfort stand out. This type of "form follows function" creativity is undoubtedly stirred up during long hours spent shaping the design in a wind tunnel. Regardless of how it came into being, the bivouac is once again blown away by the refinements in Motorrad land. Perhaps you, too, are thinking about your designs from all angles.
