Without argument, when it comes to industrial design, most of us who have engineering backgrounds have admired the design capabilities of the Japanese and the Germans, and not just for industrial products, but for consumer products as well. Let me share my thoughts on a small aspect of industrial design that I learned while working in Japan and how important it is for us to improve our design capabilities as we increasingly try to sell our manufactured products not only in Japan but in the rest of the world.
Alex Taylor III, writing in Fortune in an article on Toyota, says, "At Toyota there's constant tension between American executives, who want larger engines and more horsepower to appeal to US customers, and Japanese engineers, who focus on small engines that consume less gasoline. The engineers pride themselves on their efficient use of space and have an inherent aversion to anything that appears wasteful and inefficient." In two sentences, he has summed up the greatest difference in how Americans and the Japanese approach industrial design.
The industrial design philosophy of Japanese engineers comes from some key elements of their culture:
Alex Taylor III, writing in Fortune in an article on Toyota, says, "At Toyota there's constant tension between American executives, who want larger engines and more horsepower to appeal to US customers, and Japanese engineers, who focus on small engines that consume less gasoline. The engineers pride themselves on their efficient use of space and have an inherent aversion to anything that appears wasteful and inefficient." In two sentences, he has summed up the greatest difference in how Americans and the Japanese approach industrial design.
The industrial design philosophy of Japanese engineers comes from some key elements of their culture:
- Tiny country with tiny homes where space is truly expensive.
- A country with hardly any natural resources. No wonder that Japanese are obsessed with efficient use of energy as well.
- Japanese passion for attention to detail that makes their products almost 'perfect' in industrial design terminology.
While it is hard for us to change an average American's appetite for bigger cars (or bigger whatever) that are neither elegant nor efficient, here are a few things that we can learn from Japanese industrial design practices:
- Invest whatever it takes at the design stage. Not only will it make the manufacturing process more efficient, it also means less product quality problems. Get it right the first time - no revisions, no upgrades, no patches, no recalls needed!
- Elegant design impresses ALL. It is not fair to assume that all Americans are morons who like SUVs simply because they are big and powerful. The success of many elegantly designed products in America shows that most of us are pretty smart when choosing what to buy.
- Do not ignore the customer. When customers talk, pay attention. They can tell you more about what is wrong with your product (and your business model) than any smart consultant. So if you want to make your product (or company) better, just get your ass off the chair and go bow your head to a customer (as even the senior-most Japanese executives do almost on a daily basis).
- Design with the user in mind. Engineers are smart folks but not every user is. If even the "dumbest" consumer has problem with your product, you have failed. Never comment that the customer is dumb (as I have heard many engineers comment).
- Industrial design is not just engineering. Anyone can study engineering and become an engineer. A better designer is one that marries engineering and art.
Related article: What can we learn from iPod's success in Japan?