What does it take to stay creative, relevant, and curious after more than 30 years in industrial design?

In Episode 6 of Designing in the Wild, host Robert Irwin sits down with Norio Fujikawa, Executive Director at PA Consulting and longtime designer at Astro Studios, to explore the evolution of industrial design, the importance of human-centered thinking, and how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping the creative process.

From his early fascination with drawing to decades spent working across leading design consultancies, Norio shares insights into what makes great design, and great designers. We explore the importance of mentorship, understanding the people we're designing for, developing meaningful brand identities, and navigating the creative push and pull between designers and engineers.

We also dive into the rapidly changing world of AI-assisted design, discussing how tools like Vizcom and generative AI are transforming visualization, prototyping, and ideation. But as these technologies accelerate, are we actually becoming better designers, or simply producing more, faster?

Norio also offers thoughtful career advice for emerging designers navigating a challenging job market, emphasizing curiosity, persistence, and the value of learning beyond the classroom.

In this episode, we explore:

• The evolution of industrial design over three decades
• Why sketching and traditional creative skills still matter
• Human-centered design and ethnographic research
• Building brand identity through design
• Collaboration between industrial designers and engineers
• Finding opportunities and growing a design career
• AI's impact on creativity, visualization, and prototyping
• The importance of mentorship, curiosity, and lifelong learning

Whether you're an experienced designer, a student entering the profession, or simply curious about how the objects and experiences around us come to life, this conversation offers a thoughtful perspective on where industrial design has been, and where it might be heading.

Designing in the Wild explores the people, ideas, and creative processes shaping the world through design.

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