HP Print
2011 - 2015
I led the Industrial Design team for Print at HP where we created a consistent, user-driven, innovative design portfolio across multiple consumer segments and price points from sub $30 to $10k and above.
I built and developed a global design-system, integrate design into business processes - and built a 24 person team with studios in San Diego, Vancouver, Shanghai and Singapore. My role helped sharpen end-user led creativity across Industrial Design, ecosystems, interaction design, service design, and IoT mobile apps.
We delivered against user insights, through iterative visualization, prototyping and testing, meeting users’ aspirations and enabling enhanced experiences. HP taught me how to deliver end-user delight within tight cost, manufacturing and supply chain constraints while delivering on 20-30 parallel hardware programs.
The result was a diverse portfolio with a consistent design language based on principles of 'Progressive, Harmonious, Iconic' that spanned colorful, ceramics-like forms for entry-level consumer products through to dynamic, functional design for high-end professional solutions.
DeskJet
Role
Creative direction and team leadership
Challenge
DeskJet is the entry-level consumer print sub-brand for HP. When I joined the family had two key challenges: It was disconnected from other print brands (e.g. OfficeJet, Envy) without an overarching HP language. DeskJet also lacked a contemporary, fresh identity - crucial in both retail and in the home where a visible, accessible printer encourages people to print.
Process
HP had a huge consumer typology database, but had yet to translate it into Personas that design teams could work with. Creating a DeskJet target persona, the San Diego team explored a softened design language, suited to the home space.
Another insight coming from consumer groups and Persona work was that DeskJet was dull. Lacking color impact - potentially important for an entry-level CMYK printer.
Through 2D, 3D and rapid-prototype form studies we created a simple, soft nuetral language where color panels could be easily varied in manufacture for different price-points and retailer exclusives.
We did global consumer research together with the PC group, and the results were overwhelmingly positive.
Result
The range of Deskjet printers that were successfully brought to market between 2012 and 2014 helped create "a consumer portfolio renaissance" according to Enrique Lores, the CEO at the time.
Apple exclusively sold HP printers in their stores and online, as the rest of industry saw household names like Lexmark and Kodak exit the category.