3. Bio / Current Status
The beginning.
I remember telling my mom that when I grew up I wanted to be an architect and an inventor. She’ll quickly point out that I also wanted to be a cowboy and an astronaut. But I think it’s telling that from very early on I wanted to make things.
The beginning of an obsession.
My dad bought our first family computer when I was 12 years old. I was instantly hooked. He brought a copy of Photoshop 3.0 home from work, and the trajectory of my life was forever changed. I learned to code in Applescript, then TI Basic, then Basic, then HTML, then C, then C-shell scripting, then PHP and CSS. I learned Photoshop inside-out, and started into Illustrator, Quark, and InDesign. I would eventually work in IT for a small business and did graphic design freelance for several years.
College.
When I went to Columbus College of Art and Design in 2001 I intended to be an illustration major. While there, however, I discovered a field called “industrial design.” The more time I spent in ID classes, the more I loved it. I realized that my particular strengths–rapid sketching, sculpting and 3D conceptualization, mechanical design, and functional innovation–were the core competencies of an industrial designer. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in ID!
HP
I ended up going to Houston to intern with the HP laptop design group. For me, this was heaven. I’d been following the consumer electronics industry closely for years, and this was like being a rockstar. The staff there was very kind and encouraging. It was the first time in my life I was able to turn my ideas into realities. I worked 60 hours each week there, and learned everything I could. “Convergence” was the big buzz word at the time, and I took it to heart. Since then I’ve always believed that the future of computers isn’t computers at all: the future of computing is in intelligent objects.
Transition into reality.
I bought my noodles in college with money from freelance graphic design for various small businesses, and began making in-roads with industrial design firms like the Buzz Group (since closed), Teague, and Carbon Design, Coleman, and Yummy Media.
Black & Decker
I settled on Black & Decker because it was a great opportunity to stretch my skills beyond electronic boxes, and it was geographically near my future wife. At BDK I worked very hard to master CATIA V5, and contributed to documentation and training for other members of the team. I was fortunate enough to travel for one-on-one research with users, as well as focus groups and quantitative internet user research. I particularly enjoyed brainstorming and ideation sessions. I had the opportunity to work on about a dozen products from start-to-finish, during which I learned about project planning, manufacturing, cost, retail and marketing dynamics, and the importance of clear communication when working with foreign suppliers. I’m indebted to the BDK team for the guidance they provided, and the growing room they afforded me.
Wedlock
In June of 2003 I met a Hawaiian girl that worked in the coffee shop at the YMCA of the Rockies, where I worked as a K-3 daycamp councilor. In June of 2006 we were married, and life is beautiful. Marriage is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
Bose
Working at Bose thus far has taught me a lot about design in the absence of excuses. My job at Bose is to do the best work I can do, no excuses. I’m learning that I’m not quite as talented as I’d like to fancy myself! It is difficult and frustrating work, but also extremely fun and intellectually stimulating. It’s harder than ever for me to hide behind my technical skill, as I’m forced to spend my time on the difficult stuff of “real design,” for products that will (hopefully) be profitable for decades at a time. I’m gaining a much greater appreciation for a type of design thinking that is totally new to me, and I think it will have a lasting impact on my design sensibilities into the future.
Into the future.
I’ve told my supervisors that my career goals are to be creative and prolific, and that I will always choose the career opportunity that best serves these ends. On further thought, I’ve amended the list slightly. In addition to being creative and prolific, I want to create designs that are appropriate, thoughtful, and effective.