Hasta La Ideas

When someone mentions automotive design, sleek, aerodynamic car models debuting at national car shows often come to mind. But the world of automotive design goes far beyond a car’s exterior and in some cases, it’s the interior features and interactive options that ultimately steal the show and wow auto enthusiasts. Through a combination of inventive design and technology, Smart Design works with manufacturers to deliver new, relevant automobile experiences that meet ever-changing consumer needs and preferences.

Every automotive design begins with a broad question or hypothesis, narrowed down by constraints—of the market, human factors and context. The collaborative teams at Smart Design start with rough sketches on paper or often on whiteboards to create and visualize concepts. As digital prototypes begin to take shape, supporting documentation follows that reflects the thinking behind the design.

“What’s important to us is having an underlying structure, which can be a metaphor, a way of thinking about a product, or insight from user research,” explains Dan Saffer, a creative director with Smart Design specializing in interaction design. “There’s always an underlying ‘why’ that drives our product concept.”

Contextual design factors heavily into to the automotive design process. Rather than staying in front of a computer screen, the team sets up circumstances simulating to how a product or feature will be used. Sketching and then building in physical form, with foam, cardboard, and clay, allows the team explore ideas and clarify designs.

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