Designer Q&A with Craig Nottage

In this Designer Q&A we have a quick chat with Craig Nottage of Nottage Design, designer and manufacturer of the world’s first clear finish surface pool table the G-1. Craig is a designer based in Adelaide, Australia.

Highlights

• There are huge challenges, costs and risks in commercialising a product, however I think working with industry partners on projects is a great way to tap into their knowledge and contacts
• I think the key is persistence, but also knowing when something really isn’t going to work.
• Keeping the manufacturing in Australia helps our economy and keeps the money in Australia.

1. Hi Craig, Welcome to Design Droplets. Can you please give us a quick run down on yourself.

I’m a 27 year old Industrial Designer, based in Adelaide. I definitely like to push the boundaries of design and not take anything for granted!

2. You have created the worlds first clear surface pool table and developed the Vitrik surfacing system. Can you tell us about the development of the G-1?

The development of the G-1 was an enormous task. I wanted to create the ultimate pool table, with genuine innovation in design and technology. There were many technical challenges, given the glass top with vitrik surface has nothing in common with the traditional felt on slate. I also created a frame design that was unlike any other pool table in the world. With the frame now visible through the clear top it made sense to make a feature of it and create a visible integrated ball return system.

3. You started working on the G-1 in university. Can you talk about transitioning a university project into the ‘real world’?

The G-1 began as a sketch on paper in early 2003, and by the end of my degree in 2003 I had a full size prototype model. I worked full time as a designer after completing my degree, then freelanced, but always kept working at it in the background. I then sought a business partner and private investment and made the G-1 a reality. It took many years and a lot of money and challenges, but it paid off in the end.

4. Do you think universities should be more focused on enabling their students to take their projects into the commercial realm?

This is difficult to answer. There are huge challenges, costs and risks in commercialising a product, however I think working with industry partners on projects is a great way to tap into their knowledge and contacts and also open up the possibility of having your product commercialised. I do think that would be a particularly valuable way to run projects, it’s mutually beneficial for both students and industry.

5. The G-1 and Vitrik surfacing system hold world wide patents. This is something that many young designers do not have experience with early in their careers, especially just out of university. Can you talk about your experience with the patenting process?

The experience with patenting has been quite difficult and of course, expensive. My experience was to first of all seek out a good patent attorney. You could probably educate yourself on patent law and do a lot of the patent drafting and lodging yourself, however it would require a lot of time and would take away from actually commercialising the product. One of the keys I found is to file patents in the most relevant countries, as it’s too expensive to just cover every country.

6. You have set-up a design business around the G-1 and the Vitrik surfacing system. Can you tell us a bit about the process of setting up a small design business in Australia?

The technical aspect of setting up a company is very easy, opening a bank account, filling out forms to register the company name etc. Setting up the business is quite complex and involved, and there are so many different ways it can be done. It’s fairly easy unless you want to keep costs down. To keep costs to a minimum requires a lot more work. Obtaining capital upfront is one of the biggest hurdles, and depending on the business it may need quite a lot. A loan may be possible, but private investment and government grants is a common way of obtaining that initial capital. The most important thing is doing everything you can to work out if your business idea will succeed, and work with the right people.

7. You are dedicated to manufacturing and assembling all your products in Australia, what have been the pros and cons of choosing to do this?

Keeping the manufacturing in Australia helps our economy and keeps the money in Australia. The quality of manufacture here is world class. Compared with manufacturing in Asia, costs are much higher, however in the high end designer products industry, we don’t have the volumes to make manufacturing there beneficial.

8. Since starting the G-1 project what were the biggest challenges and hurdles you faced?

Too many things to mention! However, with persistence I believe anything is achievable.

9. In terms of projects and development, what does the future hold for Nottage Design? Will it be more pool table and games innovations or will you be branching out into other areas? Have you got any new projects you can talk about?

We have some new products in the works, they will be equally as unique and exciting as the G-1.

10. Craig, thank you very much for taking the time to share your opinions and advice. Do you have any final thoughts or advice for other designers or for design students?

If you enjoy a challenge, don’t mind putting plans for a house, children or overseas trip on hold for a number of years then I believe you can do great things. I think the key is persistence, but also knowing when something really isn’t going to work. In terms of design employment, I’d say you need to really look around and research where you want to work and in what industry. What you actually end up doing in an Industrial Design job can varying hugely, so figure out what you really want to do and find where you can do it!