Marcus talks about the VTech project

From the editor:
As the VTech students forge ahead with their design concepts they are truly learning all professional aspects related to the industrial design field. Presenting a great idea won’t cut it, oh no. This group of 16 must have the complete package — ethnographer, brand designer, service designer and product designer.

I asked senior Marcus Perez Cervantes to offer some personal insight about his experience on the VTech project so far.

Marcus speaks:

This is my first sponsored project and even though I had kind of an idea of what to expect from this project, it has taught me more than expected.

I think that the largest impact this project has had on my personal and professional skills is always to keep pushing myself and outdo myself from one presentation to the next. I think that the pressure and the expectations that are required match the professional workload, and that motivates all of us to compete and therefore produce quality work.

This project has also taught me team work; I think that team work is very important in this career … that sharing an idea is better than keeping it to yourself. The project has taught me to interact with a group of very capable individuals and learn from their different talents, which I can apply to my personal skills.

Another tool that has enhanced my design skills is presenting. I have had the chance to present in several occasions throughout my career at SCAD, but never have I had to present in such short an amount of time in between each presentation.

I think that presenting this often is important because that’s how it is in the real world. Every time you present your work to someone (whether in a formal or informal fashion) one has to be able to communicate his ideas and work clear and effectively.

I am very satisfied with the workload and excited to be going to Hong Kong in less than two weeks. I think this will be a memorable experience that will enhance our vision beyond the classroom.

Student profile: Carl Andersen

Students meet VTech designers on home turf

SAVANNAH, Ga. — VTech designers David Waterman and Joshua Fischer spent five days in Savannah with the 15 industrial design students who are working on concept designs for the technology giant and preparing their final ideas, which they will take to Hong Kong in May.

The five-day design charrette took place March 31 – April 4, and offered the students a taste of fast-paced industry life. The VTech guys also got a glimpse of what SCAD students are made of.

“They’ve done something in a couple of days to a level, which was comparable to things we’ve done with consultants,” said Waterman. “The way they presented is very professional, and I would say puts them at the top of the ladder of design students.”

Plowing through long hours (and battling a mysterious Savannah flu), the students spent just about every waking moment researching their specific markets, sketching designs, building models and creating dynamic presentations.

Waterman and Fisher also gave various lectures concerning things such as VTech’s brand strategies and design methods.

“We lecture in colleges all over the world and this is by far the best [work] we’ve seen, by quite a long way,” said Waterman.

Student profile: Daniel Freeman

Student profile: Ryan Wetjen-Barry

Student profile: William Woods

VTech designers impressed by SCAD students

Near the end of the five-day visit to SCAD by VTech designers David Waterman and Joshua Fischer, I asked David what he thought about the students’ initial presentations, research and ideas. Though their schedule was packed with lectures, tours and critiques, David had plenty to say about the SCAD experience.

David on the VTech students:
“The first presentation we saw was incredibly professional. They’ve done something in a couple of days to a level, which was comparable to things we’ve done with consultants.”

“The way they presented today is very professional, and I would say puts them at the top of the ladder of design students,” he continued. “We lecture in colleges all over the world and this is by far the best we’ve seen, by quite a long way.”

David on SCAD-Savannah:
“Josh [Fischer] and I have been absolutely stunned at the equipment. I said to Victor, ‘Anyone who wants to go and study design, I will recommend them to come to Savannah.’ It’s exactly what a design college should be.”

“Here it seems to be very one-to-one with the students, as a high teacher-student ratio, and I think that it shows in the work that they’re producing.”

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And that, is what we call a killer first impression.