What can creative design do for you?
The June issue of Fast Company lists the 100 most creative people in business. I think it’s a fascinating read for anyone but considering the creative requirements of a designer I find it particularly inspiring.
#1 on the list is Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design for Apple. Ive was responsible for the first iMac, which was the beginning of the creative design in Apple hardware. Take a look at this poster showing the evolution of Apple computers. There is a clear shift that begins in 1998 with the introduction of the iMac.
It’s amazing to see the difference from the previous Apple products, as well as the other computers that were on the market at the time. By making design an important part of the Mac experience, Ive (and of course Steve Jobs) helped turn the struggling company around. Obviously there were other decisions that helped save Apple but product design was a very important part. They threw out the notion that a computer was just a boring beige box and turned it into something likable.
Take a look at the inspiring stories in the article and think about what creative thinking could do for your company? How can good design push you ahead of the competition?
