In a message dated 05/01/2000 5:20:25 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< See this post is offlist. Would like to see it onlist with your own
 observations on why larger clients value this kind of sound research-based
 project development. >>

<<Also -- it occurs to me that I didn't address the issue of firms so large
that they know they can't afford NOT to invest wisely in a rich design
process. In that, firms in the US and Japan may be more advanced than the
much smaller firms of Scandinavia and Europe, as well as American SMEs.
Their budgets force them to cut corners.>>

Sorry I have taken some time to reply but I have not have much spare time 
recently.

The environment for Industrial Design in California is unique.

The pressures to get new technology products to market is greater than it has 
been anywhere anytime in the past.

The result of several decades of relatively successful design development for 
computer and consumer products following on from a locally based aeronautical 
industry in previous decades following from a boom in oil production and a 
strong film industry following a gold rush last century has left California 
in a unique position. Companies from Microsoft to Netscape to Fox are 
developing much of the world's intellectual property in Software, Hardware 
and entertainment within a radius of a few hundred Kilometers of where I am 
writing this email. A number of US car companies recently announced that they 
are moving their Research here from Detroit.

 Early this century California provided 25% of the world's oil. Today it 
provides most of the world's intellectual property in software, hardware, 
entertainment and military technology. San Francisco is developing rapidly as 
a center of Internet companies. It has become a technology Gold Rush. And 
people from all over the world are pouring into the area in order to become 
part of the success. A recent study showed that there were only 4 houses 
available for sale in the area where I work, a region of 1.6 million 
population. A good industrial designer here can demand ten times the salary 
of such a person in Australia where I was previously working after a number 
of years in Europe.

There is more optimism and ability to produce successful products here than 
almost anywhere else in the world. People enjoy the process.

Companies still spend what is necessary to get products to market as fast as 
possible but they have learnt that involvement with social scientists helps 
products be successful. It helps companies understand what people want, what 
they need and how people behave. Most industrial designers are not as good at 
predicting and researching these things as social scientists. The benefits of 
involvement by anthropologists are obvious and probably easier to sell to a 
client than the benefits of industrial design.

 I think Californian companies also have an aggressive attitude to getting 
things done which may be related to the history of the West where failure 
could be unforgiving.

Many US companies have good budgets relative to other places and understand 
the value of such research.

For anthropologists there is a new methodology developing which allows them 
to become part of the development process. They are also more aware of the 
greater picture of society than industrial designers. They are more aware of 
human psychology and the ancient origins of and reasons for human behavior.

Designers are becoming more interested in these areas. I got an email from a 
graduate Spanish industrial designer today which I will briefly quote 
something:

> i know Stefan told you about me, I'm so so so glad. we were talking about
> strategy and sociology and anthropology and life and evolution and lots of
> lots... I'm really interested in design as something deeply related with
> the human being and culture evolution, and that's what I'm excited about.
> Stefan told me a little about your background and i would more than like
> to share some emotions and thoughts with you, 'cos i feel i have something
> to do/share/say to/with this world, i just want to know which is the best
> way to do it... maybe you can help me, maybe you have some clues.

I am not sure I do have enough clues.

I think part of frog's strength is that they have a unique blend of cultural 
input in their design which no longer just reflects their European origins.

Industrial design is appearing everywhere here. In women's magazines, in 
business magazines, on television, in fine art circles, on billboards. It is 
developing a level of maturity which it has not had before and everyone is 
taking notice. From company directors. (60% of American VPs know of frog)  to 
ordinary people arguing about the design of the iMac, a new awareness is 
appearing. It is an exciting time and place to be working

Rob Curedale
Senior Producer
frogdesign Silicon Valley

Rob [log in to unmask]
Cell:1818 292 0599


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