Designer Q&A with Michael DiTullo

In Designer Q&A we sit down and chat with some of the thought leaders in the field of design.

For our second Q&A we are lucky enough to have with us Michael DiTullo. Michael is the Design Director at Converse (Owned by Nike). He also mentors and advises designer on the Industrial Design Supersite Core77. If you are thinking about a quick skim through this particular Q&A, our advice is read it all! There’s a lot of wisdom in Michael’s words and you are bound to be inspired by at least one part of this interview. You can find out more about Michael on his website.

1. Hi Michael. Welcome to Design Droplets, its a pleasure to have you talking to us. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

This might be the hardest question to answer. Maybe the simplest way to put it is I’m a designer who loves what he does, and loves being a advocate for design and a mentor to others.

2. As a designer it is of course important to have a range of influences and inspirations. Where do you draw your inspiration from and who have been your biggest influences in your career?

I’ve been with my wife, Kristina, for 13 years, and it is easy to see that she has, and will continue to be my biggest influence. Kristina is at once my biggest critic and my biggest fan. I bounce ideas off of her constantly and I always show her sketches and prototypes. Her aesthetic input as a visual artist and her insight into people as a therapist are a big part of my process. My brother, Matthew DiTullo, who is a visual artist and musician, is also a big influence on me.  Matthew has exposed me to conceptual and minimalist art, as well as experimental music and the underlying concepts I’ve learned guide a lot of my current work. In general, I’m very inspired by designers, artists, and creatives who tackle a broad spectrum of ideas, who specialize in creativity and apply it to many fields.

It seems cliche to start with da Vinci, but I would be hard pressed to find a better example. On that list I would also have Raymond Loewy, Norman Bel Geddes, Giorgio Giugiaro, Richard Powell, Isamu Noguchi, Constantine Brancusi, and of course Joe Johnston for his work on Star Wars Episode IV-VI. It must be amazing to have the influence over generations of designers that Joe has. I am also inspired quite a lot by Dieter Rams. Our aesthetics are very different but I am always amazed how Mr Rams made design synonymous with the Braun brand. He used design to communicate a sense of family between products and a sense of quality within a product. A Dieter Rams design is like a Bonsai tree, and a collection of his products is like a Zen garden.

I believe that for designers to have a successful long term career, they have to know something about what came before them and what is going on around them. A knowledge of art, design, architecture, and music is a must. The designers and creatives all around me fuel me as well. I like to work with a diverse team of people, with some that are more and some less experienced than me, specialists and generalists. I am a big believer in controlled chaos, that chaos can lead to new solutions and inspire people to do great things. I’ve tried to guide myself onto very talented teams. The extended team around me at Converse is very high caliber with a lot of diversity of talent and ideas. You grow in those environments.

Lastly, The third pool of influences in my life has always been the people I work for. I’ve been fortunate to be able to find some awesome mentors, leaders, and managers. My first director, Aaron Szymanski at Evo Design, essentially shaped the designer I became. Aaron is very collaborative, never hesitate to show a client a thumbnail sketch from an intern if he believed in it, and was all about making the best design possible. D’Wayne Edwards, my director at Jordan, taught me how to really get into the nitty gritty of a product and make it right, from the overall proportion to the design of the smallest detail, he taught me it all mattered. Phil Russo has taught me how to think about the brand and the overall product collection and how to lead even when you have to make the unpopular decisions. Scot Patt and John Hoke, have been a great mentors to me since I started at Nike Inc . They continue to teach me to design the process, design the team, design the overall look and feel, the ethos and language of the brand.

3. Can you tell us a bit about your personal design philosophy and why you believe designers need to develop a design philosophy?

It is important to have a center. Your design philosophy is like the roots of your tree. Without strong roots, your tree will get blown over in a storm. Whether you work for a corporation or consulting for clients, the winds of opinion will blow against you. A philosophy can help keep you grounded. It is important to keep your philosophy somewhat flexible, and it should always serve the goals of your company and clients, but it should also keep the user at its center, and have long term design integrity.

My personal philosophy has simplified over time. Strolling through the Asian Art section of an art museum it hit me that all of the ancient artifacts proudly on display were essentially products for daily living. They may have been made by craftsman and artisans thousands of years ago, but the vases, tables, and tea kettles on display were the practical tools of everyday life. Then I thought of the landfills full of things people didn’t want anymore. At that moment I was able to articulate what I want to do as a designer. I want to craft products that people love. That they hold onto, even when they are well worn. That help them to enjoy the tasks they are performing. That become a part of their owners. That they cherish. That help them to love the world around. It is a tall order.

Designers should take pride in their work. The client owns the design, but you created it. Act like it, and make sure it is your very best work.

4. Every designer has their own way of working through each project, could you spread some light on your personal design process from start to finish?

I think there are generally two kinds of designers, and these two types of creative process go back to the beginning of human history. Each approach is invaluable, but most of us tend to fit into one or the other. I call the two types the analytical and the intuitive. The analytical designer is the scientist, he studies the brand, the user, the marketplace the manufacturing process and makes calculated decisions based on proven methods. The intuitive designer is the artist, his eyes and ears are always open as he takes in what seems like tangental or trivial information and follows his gut to unexpected solutions that  just feel right. The analytical designer has a strong idea of what the sketch will look like before the pen hits the page. The intuitive designer puts the pen down to see where it will take him. I am definitely the intuitive kind of designer, though I try to emulate and collaborate with analytical designers to get to solutions that neither type of designer can reach on their own.

5. Which part of the design process do you enjoy most and why?

I have to admit I love the early stages of a project. Nothing gets me more amped up than a white piece of paper. Anything can happen on that page. I love talking to people, gathering thoughts, brainstorming, figuring out what we should make, why, for who, out of what and with what processes. In recent years, I’ve become more interested in bigger parts of the picture, where will this be sold? How will the brand support it?  How does it connect to the rest of our products? How does it advance our industry and our brand? I like to think broadly. I think it fits my nature. I am a very social person, and when I’m not at work, I’m grabbing dinner or drinks with designers artists and musicians, throwing out ideas, talking, arguing, and always sketching.

6. You are quite an avid sketcher, can you share a few key tips with us on improving and refining sketching technique?

The most important thing to improve is to sketch every day, no excuses, and as Aaron Szymanski always told me “Sketch, don’t draw”. A sketch is a question, a hypothesis. It is not precious. Doodle constantly. Keep your eyes open all the time. When you see something interesting, think about what the sketch might have looked like. When you have an idea, sketch it right away. Imagine. Dream. I find reading helps a lot as well. It helps me to rapidly visualize things in my mind. Experiment with new mediums all the time. Sketch with others, both beyond and below your level. Carry a sketchbook at all times, even if you rarely use it the opportunity is always there. There are really no short cuts to learning to sketch. Just like speaking a language, to be fluent, you must practice every day.

Sketching is a communication tool, not design. A great sketch inspires a team of people to turn an idea into a product. It is a powerful tool, don’t use it as a parlor trick, use it to get great design to market.

7. You contribute to several design sites including core77 and idsketching.com, can you tell us a bit about how this has helped you grow as a designer?

I was on core77 since the beginning. I remember when someone showed it to me in a college computer lab in 1995.  At that time it was very hard for a student to get information about the professional design world other than through the school you went to. Academic environments tend to be very myopic, they are bubbles that make for safe learning, but it is necessary to reach outside that bubble.  I knew core77 was going to do that, and in effect change the field.

Since core77 and its sister site, coroflot, launched the level of the average design portfolio has risen exponentially. It is because we are now aware of what other students and professionals are doing. The bar is raised daily.We can give each other advice, share ideas, and argue with each other. It has given me contact with designers from all over the world, and exposed me to approaches that I used to disagree with. Core77 has also given me a platform to mentor and advise. Every time I explain what I do and why, I think about it, and reflect on it, and that helps me to evolve. It is a huge part of who I am at this point in my career. I love being easily accessible to those who have questions. I often don’t have the answer, but hopefully I can point people in the right direction so they can find what works for them.

8. What skills do you think students coming out of Design School should/need be equipped with?

There are all the typical answers; the ability to think through projects, explore a wide array of solutions, rapidly visualize those solutions, and be able to delve into the details and know the nuts and bolts of how it all comes together. To be able to do those things you will need to have an open but sharp mind, know how to sketch, model in 3D, render, and understand how things are made.

In addition to that very stock answer, I’ll add some other, more intangible skills. A designer needs to know when to shut up, listen and do. He also needs to know when to stand up, speak, and further explain. Know how to find a designer that is better than you and learn from him. Understand your place, not in the demeaning sense, but in the grand scheme sort of way. Know where you want to go, and when someone asks, be honest and tell them, you’d be surprised who might lend you a hand. Get to work, client presentations, and the airport early. If you are leaving, and someone is working late, know that you should ask them if they need help.

Understand art, architectural, and design history and how it impacts your work. Know how to put together a presentation that tells a story and wows people so much that they will spend millions of dollars to tool up, manufacture, market and distribute your design. Understand that its their money, and if you can’t convince them your design is good enough to invest in, you either didn’t explain it well enough (visually and verbally), or it really wasn’t good enough. Know how to articulate your thoughts. Know how to tactfully critique your peers and your boss without pissing them off. Know how to be respectful of your boss. Take feedback in stride and incorporate the good points. Credit others that influenced your decisions. Know that everyone loves a hot sketch, but a hot sketch is a long way from a good design.

9. In your work with Nike/Converse you must see a fair amount of design folios and resumes being submitted, what key attributes of the folio or resume influence your decisions to choose one candidate over another?

Once all of the typical skill boxes have been checked; sketching, rendering, modeling, presentation quality, design process, I look for love. Yes, love. Not to be confused with passion or energy. Both of those run out in time. Love lasts. Bringing a design to market is like climbing a mountain. On that journey together we will get caught in snow storms, run out of food, face freezing temperatures, and climb rock faces that are too technically challenging for us. Eventually we will climb the top of a mountain, and bask in our accomplishment, but we will have come a long way with a lot of hard work together. I need to absolutely know that a person I bring on the team has enough love to make that journey with me. So I look for portfolios that have evidence that a designer is willing to go the extra mile, for the sheer love of it. Simply because design is life, and we love it.

10. In terms of career progression you have moved from freelancer (Gisser Automotive Concepts), to consultancy designer (EVO design), to in-house designer (Nike/Converse). What have you found to be the biggest hurdles and significant differences when moving between each type of role?

They were very unique experiences and the friends I made at each are forever, some have become my extended family. At GAC I worked for a very small business and learned how many things other than design effect everything we do as designers.

At Evo, I learned how to truly collaborate and learn from others. Those 4+ years at Evo were pure design and I loved it. I worked on so many projects for so many clients. It would be a toy for Hasbro in the morning, speakers for Bose in the afternoon, and researching wine glasses in the evening for a project the next day! I became addicted to the thrill of deadlines, and what I could accomplish with focus. I gained confidence presenting our work and leading projects. I learned how to gain the trust of my director so I could own projects and how to deliver beyond his expectations.

At Nike I learned how to be part of a global organization, how to advocate for design and explain it in terms that business executives and engineers could not only understand but believe in. I learned how to be a go to guy to get things done and now I’m learning how to build, manage, and truly lead a multidisciplinary design team. I’ve approached my career like I approach any design problem. I have my goals, I do the hard work, and follow my intuition when needed to find the unexpected solutions.

11. Through your work at Nike/Converse you are lucky enough to have insight into the footwear industry. In relation to design, what do you think will be the biggest influences on footwear design in the next 3 years?

The 20th century was the age of transportation. At the end of the 20th century, footwear saw some of the largest technical advances it saw in centuries, and all of those advances were focused on the transportation part of the product: cushioning, mobility, and comfort. As we move through the information age, the advances will be information based. Nike Plus, Nike ID, and Converse One have all been information based innovations. These are just the tips of the iceberg of possibility. The industry will flip in the next 10 years.

As a designer, what I find endlessly interesting is that shoes serve a specific function, yet there is an endless array of options for people. It falls into the emotive category of products along with watches, eyewear, and cars. Shoes are an extension of us. On one hand they are prosthetics, protecting our foot, allowing humans to operate in less than ideal temperatures and environments, on the flip side they are the ultimate fashion accessories. From a manufacturing standpoint you get to work with the latest mass production molding techniques, and you get to work with people hand cutting and sewing leather. It is a fun industry.

12. Digital visualization, CAD and rapid prototyping are starting to become tools that are accessible to almost anyone, how do you think this will influence industrial design in the next 3 -5 years? How have these tools changed the way you design?

Technology will continue to change the way design is done on a daily basis. I think it is important to note that the things that make a great design have not changed. A sound thought process is still a sound thought process, but the way we implement that is completely different than 10 years ago and it will be completely different in 10 years. When I graduated from college, technical drawings were laid out by hand, blueprinted, hand corrected and mailed to manufacturers. Today 3D files are put on shared server for manufacturing partners to review instantaneously. Our new tools have enabled us to better articulate our thoughts, give more accurate representations of what our final products will be, and help to show the larger impact of our thinking. Designers are helping to lead the process, and our tools continue to enable us to do that.

In concrete terms, on a daily basis, I explore more options (copy, paste, modify) get more done, describe more detail, communicate with vendors half way around the world as well as company leadership upstairs. As a designer I am able to do more… I am also responsible for more. As designers we are at the center of engineering, marketing, and business decisions. No pressure.

13. You have been lucky enough to work with many diverse companies, brands and people in your career. Drawing from all these experiences, can you give us an idea of where you think the industrial design profession is headed in the next 10 or so years?

Designers will be enabled to influence their projects and the organizations they belong to. Rapid prototyping process will become rapid manufacturing processes which will lift the shackles of expensive tooling costs from our pens and really allow us to do new things. We will be able to produce low volumes with no cost penalties. We will generate more complicated forms without complicated and costly tooling. And we will be able to collaborate directly with consumers to create objects we had never thought possible before. It is an exciting time to be a designer.

14. Michael, thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us here at design droplets. In closing, do you have any last thoughts or advice you would like to share?

We imagine stuff from the future for a living…. Smile!

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January 19, 2009