rks backgrounder
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright RKS Design 2007
Copyright RKS Design 2007
25+ years legacy of world-class
Product design
Client range from start-ups to
The Fortune 15
RKS Design Mission
Statement:
To produce designs which
create deep, meaningful
connections with consumers
and market successes for our
clients.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Copyright RKS Design 2007
RAVI K. SAWHNEY, Ph. D.
Named as chairperson for the 2004 IDEA awards by IDSA/ BusinessWeek
-Founder and President of RKS Design, Inc.
-Involved in virtually every facet of design for 25+ years
-Professor of industrial design at Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, CA) and
Cal -State University at Northridge
-Design award program juror for:
I.D. Magazine Design Review
IDSA/BusinessWeek IDEA awards
CES Innovations awards
California Design Bienniel (head juror)
-Innovator of the IDSA/BusinessWeek Catalyst award
-Featured lecturer and speaker
-Center for Business and Design advisory group member
-Named on over 100 domestic and worldwide patents
-Founding trustee – Pasadena Museum of California Art
-Recipient of an honorary Ph.D. from Academy of Art University for the development
and evolution of the Psycho-Aesthetics methodology and reinventing the electric
guitar
Copyright RKS Design 2007
SELECTED CLIENT LIST
Allsteel Amana/MaytagApple Computer
AT&TBAE Systems Canon, Inc.
CanonDiscus Dental
FossilGensler
Gibson LabsHarman/JBL ProHewlett-Packard
IntelInterbath
LG ElectronicsMedTronic MiniMed
NissanNokia
PanavisionProcter and Gamble
SeikoWham-O
Copyright RKS Design 2007
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
2007 Red Dot Award – Zyliss USA Measuring Cups2006 Bronze IDEA– RKS Design, Bumpbrella Concept2005 Good Design Award– RKS Guitars, "Pop" series2005 Silver IDEA– RKS Guitars, "Pop" series2005 Silver IDEA– RKS Guitars, Open Architecture Guitar2003 Gold IDEA– Neurosmith Musini2003 Silver IDEA– SRAM Smartbar2003 Bronze IDEA– Thane, Inc. Q Grill2003 Bronze IDEA– Meso Scale Discovery Sector HTS2003 Bronze IDEA– Discus Dental Zoom! Lamp
Hundreds of design and utility patents
Copyright RKS Design 2007
What we do. How we do it.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
PSYCHO-AESTHETICS 2.0Keys as Other s See Them
Is it like me?
Does it like me?
Can it make me more?
-Dr. Bob Deutsch DDB
Does it attract me ?
Does it engage me?
Does it affirm me?
-Ravi K. Sawhney
Who am I?
What am I?
What can I do for you?
-Procter & Gamble
Copyright RKS Design 2007
PSYCHO-AESTHETICS 2.0The Hero s Journey
How does the mind react to new stimuli?
Is it like me ? Does it like me? Can it make me more?
-Dr. Bob Deutsch
Using those three litmus tests as a starting point, how do we as designers interpret the
responses and place them into the context of a branding “event” which ultimately turns the
consumer 9nto the “Hero”?
RKS design has worked extensively with Dr. Bob Deutsch, renowned cognitive anthropologist
and author of PRIMlysis: Discovering How People Bond with Products.
The result of this work, which includes consumer profiling and the mapping of the competitive
landscape, has come to be known as Psycho-Aesthetics, the proprietary RKS Design mantra,
which has now been in practice since 1992 and has been responsible for myriad market
successes for our clients.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
PSYCHO-AESTHETICS 2.0Process
Psycho-Aesthetics is the underlying
foundation of the RKS Design
philosophy – the physical
expression of a products' intention
through its design. It is the allure of
what beckons the user to interact,
touch, enjoy, share, and feel like a
"hero."
Copyright RKS Design 2007
RKS: THE PROCESS
The Psycho-Aesthetics
methodology is currently being
taught at the Harvard School of
Business as a regular
component of their curriculum.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
The following slides
demonstrate application of the
Psycho-Aesthetics strategy,
innovation and design process
to product development at
RKS, and the results it
generates.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
STRATEGY
Copyright RKS Design 2007
STRATEGY
Copyright RKS Design 2007
STRATEGY
Copyright RKS Design 2007
STRATEGY
The work generated for Averatec
included branding assessment in
conjunction with personas
development, after which,
benchmarking for different product lines
was conducted.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
The Challenge
• Amana s Washer/Dryer line was achieving lackluster market acceptance and was losing market share although they had built a quality product.
• Through our Psycho-Aesthetic maps, we revealed that at all stages of the consumers interaction, Amana was by far the worst in it s class.
• RKS Design interviewed users and reviewed the environments in which these products resided. “Day in the life” scenarios were established to create storyboards for specific consumer segments.
• Key findings exposed that purchase decisions were primarily a female decision with a male validation of the mechanical fitness and durability within the traditional family setting.
STRATEGY
Copyright RKS Design 2007
The Result• A raised consumer perception, and increase perceived value so high that we could raise the retail price point by 25% while increasing the cost of goods by only 30 cents!
Direct impact to Amana:• $20 million in now realized profits• Increased market penetration• New channels opened up• New points of sales• Increased brand presence and perception
STRATEGY
Copyright RKS Design 2007
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
Amana approached RKS Design to
help design its next generation of
refrigerators. The RKS team worked
with social scientists to conduct
extensive research over a three-year
period to determine the ways
individuals and families utilize their
appliances.
This research revealed that a large
portion of Amana s target audience
were young, trend-conscious
consumers buying their first major
appliance as well as families with
children.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
The RKS team proposed design innovations including an interactive user interface,
“FrontFill” water dispenser, easy change water filter, tilt-out door buckets, beverage
chiller, mini chiller, and optional Kid Zone.
Amana was rewarded for their commitment to design in the fourth quarter of 2000,
when the new side-by-side refrigerator was presented to buyers from
Sears/Kenmore. Following this meeting, Sears placed their largest order ever from
Amana for 40,000 units to be delivered in the first quarter of production. During the
course of the following year, Maytag purchased Amana appliances. Maytag has
subsequently experienced a 16% increase in consolidated sales.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
IR SECURITY CAMERA
The HHC100 is a hand-held Infrared security camera design for applications that cover a broad spectrum of end-users involved in security andgeneral surveillance such as: law enforcement, paramilitary, civil - search/rescue, industrial/commercial, public works departments and other smallbusinesses.
Additional features include external USB and power connectivity, commercial rechargeable battery(s) with charging capability while loaded in thecamera and, an optional "lock-in" pistol grip or plate for static mounting.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
OUTPATIENT III LAMP
The Outpatient III is the perfect solution for diagnostic and procedure lights.More physicians choose the Outpatient III than any other diagnostic light forfocusable flood-type light, maximum intensity and shadow-free operation.With minimal heat output and high color temperature, the Outpatient III is theperfect low-maintenance, top performing light for nearly every application inthe hospital, surgical suite or physician's office.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
How do you challenge an icon that has
remained virtually unchanged for the
better part of a century?
Innovation!
The advent of interchangeable
guitar bodies.
Placing the tone and volume controls
conveniently for easy access and quick
adjustment.
Shaping the guitar to conform to the
guitar player s body, in contrast to more
traditional flat guitars.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
RKS Guitars has enjoyed incredible press coverage, including the cover
of BusinessWeek s annual design issue in 2005, and multiple features in
news, music, and design publications.
Copyright RKS Design 2007
INNOVATION
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INNOVATION
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Thank you.