The 10 best and 10 worst: industrial designs - Industrial Design

Chief Executive, The, June, 1993 by Marc Gobe

I Long thought to be a peripheral consideration, design is emerging as a way to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. But CEOs must take a hand in determining a firm's design goals and standards.

Chief Executive's decision to spotlight the 10 best and worst industrial designs speaks volumes about the changing relationship of business to design. From determining the typeface on a business card; to building corporate headquarters; to planning and furnishing the workplace; to developing new products, superior design is now perceived as essential, because it impacts both businesses for whom it is created and the public at large. While there may be a fine distinction between a design-driven corporation (such as Knoll or Olivetti) and a corporate executive who sees design as a powerful asset (such as Stanley Gault of Goodyear Tire & Rubber or Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia), there can be no doubt that design is among the most significant ways to pursue competitive advantage. In the Information Age, when CEOs are rethinking their communications strategies, design is a major force, destined to play a leading role in the success or failure of business goals. Informed corporate clients who appreciate and apply creativity and innovation not only elevate design quality but enable American companies to compete more successfully in the global marketplace.

When we think about successful products, we are struck by the lucidity of their conception and design. Many products today are created without any visual style, or are so banally packaged that they are overlooked. At the other extreme, some products are so indulgent of style that their function can be deciphered only by consulting the owner's manual. By contrast, excellence in industrial design combines sculptural elegance with functional purpose. Well-designed products consistently go beyond consumers' expectations, communicating with them and producing a strong, emotional bond. Such products convey vital information that says as much about the character and culture of a corporation as a skillfully orchestrated identity program. They act as magnets, engaging consumers and getting them to see an organization as synonymous with intelligent, passionate thinking--an indispensable perception that endows a product with an intangible value above and beyond its profitability. At its best, design is an epiphany, a momentary reprieve from the daily grind that can solve problems, save time, and enrich our surroundings. In fact, some products are such miracles of technology, precision, and sophistication that we take them for granted, with a kind of unthinking acceptance that might well stand as the ultimate compliment.

Most CEOs recognize product creation as a corporation's raison d'etre, its greatest and most complex challenge. Unfortunately, many do not view design strategically. It is frivolous and expendable, they say, not a powerful weapon capable of capturing market share and establishing a leadership position.

This perception is nothing new, and it is perfectly understandable. The short shrift design is given by some CEOs stems from a lack of communication between the business and design communities. It's not that executives are impervious to design considerations, but rather that they don't give them the same weight as other value-added strategies, such as total quality management, staff training, or just-in-time manufacturing. (One reason is that design is not taught in business schools.) But whatever else it may be, design is a competitive tool, not a decorative distraction for hiding a product's flaws. To be effectively managed and cohesively applied, it needs the attention and accumulated experience that only the CEO can provide.

One of the most important things a CEO can do is to determine the organization's design goals and standards--and to communicate them to executives, managers, and staff. In addition, we recommend that businesses appoint a senior executive as an image director to articulate the CEO's vision. If the design process is managed by more than one person--particularly if members of this group are more concerned with their own advancement than that of the company--communications inevitably are fragmented. The fruits of this process may be products that are geared to capitalize on temporary opportunities and shortterm prosperity that cannot be sustained.

On the success side of the ledger, consider Gillette's Series line of men's grooming products, particularly the Sensor razor. From blade to handle, the product provides consumers with both quality and value. Thus over time, Sensor will bolster Gillette's image and fill its corporate coffers.

Unlike advertising, which can be changed every six months, product design and packaging stick around for a long time. And once a product hits the marketplace, it's difficult, if not impossible, to get it back. Design is only as good as the commitment behind it. If you make a quick and dirty product, most likely it will have a quick and dirty life. That's why it's advantageous for a CEO to retain at least some control over the design process. Typically, a chief executive has a longer-term focus than most brand managers.