Product designer James Owen has been in the industry over 15 years and worked with some top clients. His work has been featured in many magazines and books, even winning numerous awards. We are delighted that James took this opportunity to speak with us

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You have worked with many top brands , (Nike, Microsoft, Philips) but do you have a favourite project you have worked on?

There really is no “favorite” project for me. It’s always difficult to be objective about my own work, so I prefer to look forward to the next project, the next experience. What excites me about design is the act of creation and coming up with something new, different, or both. The process is what’s fun. There certainly is satisfaction when a design makes it to the retail shelf, but It’s about achieving and learning something new.

What is your favourite letter of the alphabet & why?
That’s a pretty original question! I would guess that the letter “Q” is my favorite closely followed by the letter “X” as runner up. The letter “Q” isn’t used very often in the English language (not much use for it really) therefore it tends to have more impact when it is used. Plus, it has that hard “K” sound which gives it importance and gets attention. “X” is just a great letter and speaks to mystery and experimentation. It’s always useful to indicate that something is high-tech, advanced, or special.

How did you first get interested in design, specifically product design ?
The usual path that any designer worth their weight takes to get involved with design: lots of drawing and playing with Legos as a kid. Building and re-building. drawing and re-drawing. That tends to hone the creative instinct and one has to be completely devoted to the process of creation to keep drawing, building, and refining an object again and again. That’s the only way that one can achieve any sort of proficiency and skill in design is to practice and hone one’s innate sense of what’s “right” on the page or in 3D space.

Do you have any ambitions as a designer? Or, Is there a project you wished you worked on?
I think you have to be innately ambitious as a designer or you’ll never really make it in this profession. And when I say “ambition” I mean a true hunger for the profession and the craft. If you come at it purely as a means to make a living you won’t really do well and you won’t be happy. It’s not a profession for the faint-of-heart or impassionate. You have to totally love it and devote yourself to it.
There are too many projects to list here that I wish I could’ve worked on or hopefully will work on! I learn new things whenever my company embarks on a product that we’ve never designed before. It’s challenging and exciting and we’ve been successful applying our methodology and philosophy to new challenges. I’ve been fortunate to work on everything from transportation to footwear to furniture. One of my business development goals is to add environmental and interior design projects for retail or commercial spaces. I’m always on the lookout for new opportunities in new categories to express my point of view and myself.

How much creative freedom are you given in a new project? Or do the companies have very strict brand guidelines?
That greatly depends on the client and project. It also depends o n your reputation and how you enter the consultant/client relationship. If you already have a well-established brand name you’re likely to have a greater amount of freedom and you’ll have a chance at the choice projects that many lesser known firms don’t get. However, if you can establish a good working relationship with a client and you’re willing to take chances then doors to better, more strategic projects tend to open up. Sometimes clients will come to us and say “What kind of product do you think we should be making?”. That’s the best of all possible opportunities because you can define the client’s brand and message, it’s persona really, when you have full control over their product or range of produ cts.