Tuesday Nov 15, 2011
We are reading about Total Quality Management. I highlighted Bob Lutz The Car Guy both book and interview in the last post. Lutz makes the point that while TQM is all about designing an electric window lift that works well, it is not all about creating esthetic design that drives people to the showroom.
He also mentions the necessity of having am autocratic leader to make the tough decisions. So let's take a look at a few designers through history.
Leonardo Da Vinci the original Renaissance man
Raymond Loewy, The Father of Industrial Design
Loewy designed the 1953 Studebaker Starliner coupe, note how much it looks like a 1966 mustang, a hardtop with the long front and short rear overhang, the front seat was wider than the back seat.
Pininfarina designed the case for my portable hard drives I use, as well gorgeous Italian automobiles
Ralph Lauren A whole lifestyle image 
Dante Ferretti - Martin Scorcese's favorite set designer
Diana Eden - Award Winning Costume designer
Edith Head A Hollywood Legend in her own right
How would you combine TQM with a desire to create unique items that make people scurry to your business to buy them? As Bob Lutz says, any used car solves a transportation problem but only a new design drives someone to the showroom.
Professor Elam 
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