Autodesk:

Thank you, Daniel, for taking time to meet with us to discuss your use of Autodesk AliasStudio software. We’d like to get your story in your own words. Tell us what you do and what are some of your main business objectives?
DB: I am the Director of Industrial Design for Enventys, the Charlotte-based product design and development firm as well as the Lead Product Designer for the new Everyday Edisons™ television show on PBS.
Please don’t confuse the title “director” with someone who only points fingers. I actually do the creating too. I could never work in a corporate office where I only respond to emails and review presentations day in and day out. What keeps me in this industry is my passion for creativity and inspiring others—inspiring others to be creative, to approach a manufacturer, to begin his/her marketing and PR efforts—basically, to see their dreams through.

Autodesk: What is fun/rewarding about the work you do?
DB: I delight in the creation of design deliverables. It’s that phase of creating something fresh, new, and exciting that I enjoy the most—beginning the first set of drawings at the drafting table, or opening Autodesk® AliasStudio™ software to begin stylizing the concept. There is a natural excitement that comes with starting each project, and I think that is what I enjoy the most about the work I do. I also enjoy when my conceptual energy gives clients a second wind to continue to pursue their dreams. They see that I have adopted their vision and know I’m going to help them make it as best as we possibly can.

Autodesk: Describe the range of products you design.
DB: There is a wide range in what we do here. From raw material exploration on a new concept to structural packaging for a product that has been in the market for 12 years, we explore it all. It’s the blend of innovation, style, research, and our enthusiasm that really gets the evolution of a product rolling. Inspiration from project to project is very high. For instance, a military product can inspire a children’s toy three years down the road or a Pantone chosen for candy color can make an apparel concept pop.

Autodesk: How long have you been using design software, and which ones?
DB: I have been using AliasStudio for almost eight years and a variety of other software for about 13–14 years. Other programs include Freehand, Adobe® Illustrator®, and Adobe® Photoshop® software. A good designer is able to use all mediums—from pencil and paper to developing AliasStudio renderings. Because this industry is so deadline oriented, you have to be able to fill your quiver. The traditional road of design can’t always be taken. In the past, there would have been no way to create 12 presentation renderings for a last-minute project. Sometimes you need a presentable concept in a short amount of time in order for a client to seize an opportunity. Using products like AliasStudio allows you to give your client options in a short amount of time. These renderings also serve as ammunition to present to manufacturers, potential licensees, and retailers.

Autodesk: What is your personal philosophy of design?
DB: It’s a combination of attacking and exhausting the job. Designers do get to a point where they have enough experience to say to a client, “Here it is, the final product.” But 80 percent of designers aren’t there yet. You really have to attack the concept and just wear it out. There is a lot that would be missed if only two or three ideas were explored. Full exploration of an idea allows you to fully realize all of the directions, competitors, and the depth of conceptual features a product can have.

There are a lot of “product development firms” that should be retitled “consultant firms” because they say here is how you should do it. I think you should come back to your client and show several ways you can do it. The presentation of concepts and renderings shouldn’t be “this is the best,” but rather, “this is why it’s the best.” Sometimes this comes with ideation, sometimes with research—it usually involves a little bit of both and always involves capturing your client’s vision.

Autodesk: Briefly describe your design process from ideation to finished article.
DB: I would say the design process must have the ability to morph depending on the type of project. But here’s a shot:

1. Define
2. Establish “design criteria”
3. Research
4. Conceptualize
5. Realize
6. Stylize
7. Evaluate
8. Refine
This process is always collaborative with the client.

Autodesk: What are the particular challenges you face in bringing successful, high-quality designs to market quickly?
DB: I think one of the biggest challenges I face is fear. I think we live in a country where the mediocre is seen as the way to go. If a design or concept is too stylish or too innovative, it is put on the back burner until it becomes the mediocre norm. Most of my clients are scared to take a chance on the new color, the new shape, or the latest innovative technology—and it is truly sad and frustrating. Instead of following the status quo, they could be setting the bar themselves.
Another challenge I feel designers face is the influence of market research on the direction of the design. In my short career, I’ve learned that if you base your design solely on market research, you inevitably end up with a “black box.” While market research is important, it is only one of several components to be considered in the design. Those participating in the market research are not innovating, but simply taking a test based on what they already know.

Autodesk: How does Autodesk software fit into this process?
DB: AliasStudio has been a lifesaver for a lot of reasons. We have used it to acquire capital and to encourage a client to go to engineering and manufacturing. We have even used AliasStudio renderings to sell units on a website, which allowed us to bypass the expenses of tooling and production. An AliasStudio rendering has even been used in an industry catalogue to showcase a product in a top-ten list.

Autodesk: What are the benefits of using AliasStudio in terms of?
• Development cycle/time to market?
DB: First, speed. Second, AliasStudio makes the design/project malleable. The ability to make quick changes is a huge benefit of AliasStudio. We don’t want to be locked down to one idea even if we have spent days on the project. You don’t need to stifle the design process just because a change will take too long.

• Visualization and communication?
We have all types of clients with a variety of experience. From Fortune 500 companies that have a product development arm to clients who have never seen design renderings. An AliasStudio rendering allows our clients to see multiple views of the product and really helps them understand the look, feel, and features of the product. There have been times when I have been in a presentation and a client has asked for a close-up view of a specific product feature. With just a click of the mouse, I am able to show them.

• Preservation of design intent through all phases of product development?
When you hand off the design to engineering, you are handing them a surface to enrich with wall surfaces, tolerances, functionality, and so forth. They know the challenges and limitations they must overcome. You, as a designer, are challenging them to create something new while still encapsulating the project in its conceptual shell.

• Providing accurate engineering/tooling data?
AliasStudio allows you to react to challenges quickly and even helps to expose engineering issues. You can seize an opportunity rather than having to wait for the next one to come around.

Autodesk: Why do you like using AliasStudio?
DB: I like using AliasStudio because it is the best way to create a conceptual manual. If you want the surface to be transparent, it’s transparent. If you want it to have some texture, there’s texture. If you want to see it in three different colors, you run three colors—whatever you want, it’s there. I also like that it creates the purest deliverable for the project/task. You don’t have to ask your client to imagine anything. It also creates a “par” for the engineers to hit, which progresses our firm’s conceptual abilities.

Autodesk: What is your favourite AliasStudio feature/tool? Why?
DB: I really like the surface control features in AliasStudio. I like the ability to mold the design just as if I was sculpting it.

Autodesk: Do you use a CAD system? Which one?
DB: In the office we use everything from Adobe Illustrator and DXF™ files to STEP files for rapid prototyping. The great thing about AliasStudio is that it is able to work on both ends—from importing files from our graphic designers to exporting files to our engineers.

Autodesk: How effective is data exchange between AliasStudio and your CAD system?
DB: For design purposes, it is very effective. Sometimes it leaves out details, but generally it suits our purposes well.

Autodesk: What does effective data exchange mean for you in terms of maintaining design intent?
DB: It means that the conceptual idea is truly captured in the hand-off to engineering.

Autodesk: What does effective data exchange mean in terms of the overall product development process?
DB: Effective data exchange is very important. It influences a project’s speed to market and the ability to produce a final product that is everything you intended it to be.

Autodesk: Would you recommend Autodesk software to a friend or colleague?
DB: Absolutely. My interns have a chance to use it when they are here for summer design lab, learning several tricks of the trade with the program. It extends the designer’s process, influencing thinking and conceptual ideas.