At BMW Group DesignworksUSA in Thousand Oaks, the same consideration that went into designing the BMW X5 SUV goes into projects outside of BMW projects that keep designers' minds sharp and limber to tackle problems. It's something that benefits BMW when DesignworksUSA turns to car design, as well as the line of women's handbags emblazoned with the BMW name. The Thousand Oaks office sports a simple, clean and modern look.
The lobby has square stools that sit under chandeliers that look like silver stoplights clustered together. Along the wall of the main corridor are projects that have come out of the studio: tractors, treadmills, GPS systems, cell phones, guitars and faucets, to name a few. The firm specializes in various categories: infotainment (a motorcycle helmet that shows gauge information on an LCD screen); life and leisure (sports equipment); objects and space (such as office chairs); industry and travel (such as tractors and jets); and cars and motorcycles.
About half of the firm's work is for parent company BMW. The other half is for clients. The role of DesignworksUSA is to "improve the customer's relationship with their products.
A lot of things are sold by desire," said Alec Bernstein, senior director of strategy, research and strategic partnering. Quality is important, as is sustainability, such as being able to break down plastic parts for recycling. Fitting products into people's lives means understanding how they use those products.
That means user observation and finding unmet or unknown customer needs, Bernstein said. Such observation is vital, because people often aren't aware of how they use things. For example, people surveyed about how often they open their refrigerator each day say it's about three or four times.
Actually, it's 28 to 31 times. "Actually, the door is opened and closed all the time," Bernstein said. "If we design a new door, we need to know that.
" A lot of the company's work goes beyond the public area and is shut off to prying eyes. With projects that won't come to fruition for another two to 10 years, confidentiality is key, said Bernstein, who joined DesignworksUSA in 1994. He studied classical languages and has bachelor's degrees in music composition and product design.
Bernstein expects the same diversity of ideas found in his own background in the designers that the company hires. He prefers that a designer have expertise in at least two fields personal hobbies count if they're serious hobbies. Different backgrounds and training allows cross-discipline teams that can approach a project in new ways.
Gerhard Steinle has expertise in automotive design and concept development. He had a private design business before coming to DesignworksUSA and led the design team behind Mercedes-Benz's Smart Car. He is the director of transportation design, which included work on a private business jet, but more recently included work on a baby stroller.
Steinle likes the variety of projects at DesignworksUSA. "It's always a nice challenge to start with a new client on a new project," he said. Each project comes with its own challenges.
In designing the jet, Steinle said the designers concentrated on the cabin and cockpit. The designers made complete mock-ups of the interior. What they didn't realize was how important the luggage compartment was.
The owners wanted a place to put their golf bags and suitcases that was meticulously designed with nice carpet and lighting, Steinle said. "It's like a luxury car," he said. "You expect a nice luggage compartment.
" The feedback was worked into the jet design. There are different approaches to design among auto companies, said Tom Matano, director of the school of industrial design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Some automotive companies send designers to different shows, such as furniture, fashion or toy shows.
The designers come back and share what they've seen. Or the company might hire a consultant, such as a fashion designer. Much of DesignworksUSA's involvement in different product design has to do with what the studio was doing before it was acquired in 1995 by BMW.
The company was a successful product design company first, having forged relationships with Nokia and Siemens. That made BMW more inclined to operate it as a separate entity that would be more than just a car studio, Matano said. "It becomes a business model, not just an extension of their design studio research," he said.
There are advantages to having a design group do more than just automotive, he said. Outside work brings in knowledge of different materials and finishes, as well as different technologies. Those involved in product design also have a good eye for minute details.
"That may enhance the quality outcome in design of an automobile, especially the interior," he said. Skills such as sketching and 3D modeling are vital to automotive design and developing or enhancing various products. BMW Group Design Director Chris Bangle explained in a company letter why DesignworksUSA was acquired.
He noted that the firm provides BMW a better understanding of customers, new approaches to automotive design and lifestyle accessories, and a different culture and approach. "Because we require DesignworksUSA to apply itself to as many diverse customer experiences as possible," Bangle added, "its approach of using crossover skills to solve its clients' problems ensures that everyone benefits from its talents and BMW's own philosophy of design quality.
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