Collaboration Key At Apple
July 12, 2010
Now that the hype surrounding the iPhone 4 has died down, I have taken the opportunity to examine my newest piece of technical art. Yes, even this design novice can recognize that Apple’s latest creation is indeed art.
But, don’t take my word for it. Recently, Core77, the industrial design magazine, had a chance to discuss the iPhone with Jonathan Ive, Apple's Senior Vice President of Design. But, this isn't a story on design. It's a look at how Apple approaches the engineering, manufacturing and design of each new device it creates. What I find most refreshing but, not surprising, is how important collaboration is among various Apple departments and what a large role it plays in a product's final outcome. Ive stressed:"The best design explicitly acknowledges that you cannot disconnect the form from the material--the material informs the form.”We've all seen this over the years as Apple announces new products and product upgrades. Today's cool Apple product is tomorrow's older model. For example, while we celebrated the arrival of Apple's first iPhone in 2007, it looks outdated now because it is. Think about how iMacs and iPods have changed over the years as technical advances have become available. Compare that to recent stories about Microsoft's failed Kin line of smart phones. In less than 50 days, the celebrated Kin was killed, for lack of sales and apparently major dysfunction among several departments in Redmond. When two separate projects (Kin and the upcoming Windows Mobile 7) are fighting amongst themselves for dollars and attention, the results aren't pretty. In the meantime, Apple keeps its eye on the ball and continues to improve its products with every new release. The result is people standing in line for the next big thing, year after year and release after release. The same can be said for Apple's continued insistence in using its App Store design to add apps to its list of mobile devices. Sure, it may be cumbersome to developers, but the finished product is slick, intuitive and easy to use. See how frustrating and time-consuming it is to add apps to Microsoft's line of smart phones. The difference is clear. As Ive concludes:
"[At Apple] we experiment with and explore materials, processing them, learning about the inherent properties of the material--and the process of transforming it from raw material to finished product; for example, understanding exactly how the processes of machining it or grinding it affect it. That understanding, that preoccupation with the materials and processes, is [very] essential to the way we work."The Core77 article is a terrific read, especially for those that want to know more about the design process, from one of the chief architects at Apple. I encourage our readers to check it out. [Photo: Core77]