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Interview with Ilana Seleznev |
Home > Designer Interviews > Ilana Seleznev |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Ilana Seleznev (IS) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Ilana Seleznev by clicking here.
FS: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
IS: Since day one I was attracted to cars and vehicles. The mechanism inside of them and the outstanding shapes and contours are the perfect combinations between design and engineering. Those emotions and functions help me become the industrial designer that I am today.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
IS: My name is Ilana and my profession is an industrial designer, I am the owner and founder of Studio RDD and the inventor of the 'Math Of Design - Thinking Inside The Box' methodology. My award-winning design firm creates quality promotional merchandise from a wide array of materials custom made to suit every budget and need. I have made it my mission to build a product design studio unlike any other by placing an emphasis on highly-personalized customer service. I work side-by-side with my customers from our first meeting through the roll-out of the product, ensuring that our shared vision is met or exceeded. I will be there at every turn with you – making your dreams reality. I have made it my mission to build a product design studio unlike any other by placing an emphasis on highly-personalized customer service. I and my team of designers will work side-by-side with our customers from our first meeting through the roll-out of the product, ensuring that our shared vision is met or exceeded. We will be there at every turn with you – making your dreams reality.
FS: What is "design" for you?
IS: For me, design is everything that has three dimensions. In my case design have one dimension that includes research and thinking inside the box process.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
IS: I like to desgin everything, this is the reason I choose my profession. Some categories that I like are: Products for people with disabilities, Products for the environment, Medical products, Merchandise - Smart Gifts,
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
IS: I like too many designs and things, not something specific.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
IS: The first product that I designed was a baby carrier that transforms into portable swaddle pad
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
IS: My favorite material is wood.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
IS: When I think inside the box because it helps me to solve the problems faster for my clients.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
IS: The design aspects that I focus the most are: Quality Research ("The Math Of Design - Thinking Inside The Box"), function, emotions.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
IS: I feel good to solve problems through design, it is fun and happy. It is very fulfilling to help the world to become a better place. The closest for me to Sherlock :)
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
IS: It is very fulfilling like a proud mommy.
FS: What makes a design successful?
IS: For me, successful design is FFF (form, fit, function) combined with human and design emotions.
FS: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
IS: First of all, I separate my emotions from it and check if the function is working, then I move the visual aspect.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
IS: Solve problems and help the world to become a better place.
FS: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
IS: I think that the design field is moving fast, the adoption of new technologies, new and smart materials, 4 dimensions (not 3), and a new visual style "Maximalism" - the modern Art Nevo. Plus, Covid19 will change the world!
FS: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
IS: My last exhibition was in New York City and France :) My next exhibition will hopefully be soon in Israel (it is not up to me, it's up the Covid19).
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
IS: In my opinion, in order to be creative, I need to limit my resources and think the closest to the problem (this id the reason that I create my methodology "The Math Of Design - Thinking Inside The Box").
FS: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
IS: My design style is mostly minimal that is why I like the quote "Less Is More". Recently, I'm interested in something new and different, it basically the opposite. I call this design style "Maximalizem".
FS: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
IS: I live in Israel and there are definitely influences from it. The resources are limited and some of them are expensive and barely available. Those limitations force me to be creative and innovative in the way I design and think.
FS: How do you work with companies?
IS: Usually, companies contacting me with a problem or a design request and I help them create the product or the solution they need. Starting from the research stage to the final product.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
IS: My suggestions to companies are first to understand the importance of the designer in it and to give him or her the freedom to do his work. If a company truly believes in innovation, they have to be willing to invest in design.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
IS: I believe in systematic and innovative thinking. That means that I have developed a different process that starts from form to the function, "Thinking Inside The Box", Method of triangles that are lean on mind templates (scientifically proven). Through all this entire process that every designer familiar with that includes handmade sketches, 3d modeling, prototypes and so on, I stick to "Thinking Inside The Box" and separate my intuition from it.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
IS: My favorite 5 are: 1. Logitech MX Vertical Mouse 2. Google Home 3. Norman Duck 4. Vitra Mirrors 5. Nespresso Products
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
IS: My day starts early in the morning, some of them include yoga and sports. I arrive at the office or to a client or to University to learn or to teach. Every day includes different topics and subjects. The end of the day depends on it's intense.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
IS: My pearls to the young designers are to work hard and believe in themselves. The sky is not the limit but your mind can be ...
FS: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
IS: Let's start with the negative. They are a lot of people that, unfortunately, still don't understand and appreciate this important profession. Let's finish with the positive. My profession, industrial design, is everything. I have a lot of diversity in my work and some of them can make the world become a better and helpful place.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
IS: My "golden rule" is "Think Inside The Box".
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
IS: The skills that are most important for a designer is to be open for criticism and to be able to absorb and to be an autodidact, all the rest he can learn.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
IS: During my design, I use the method "The Math Of Design - Thinking Inside The Box" as the thinking method. I also read mostly about creative thinking, listen to TED and other podcasts. For software, I use Adobe sweat and 3D programs. For modeling, I use our 3D printers and other materials.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
IS: As someone who grew up to Russian Doctors time managing was something that I familiar with and today I manage it very carefully and treat it with huge respect.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
IS: The duration of the process changes by the complexity of the project.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
IS: The most frequently asked question to me is: Can you quickly sketch me a concept?
FS: What was your most important job experience?
IS: After a few years of job experience, there was a specific moment that changed my life and made me realized that there are problems in the designer's work process and we have to involve mathematics and systematic work in our design methods. This made me invent my own method and believe that maybe I have something to offer this world.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
IS: Among my not classified clients are: Jaguar Israel, Land Rover Israel, Epoch Times, and more
FS: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
IS: I enjoyed working on projects that help or solve some kind of problems and make people live in a more convenient way.
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
IS: I will continue to develop my own thinking method and use it to create more innovative and creative products.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
IS: Mostly, I work as a team.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
IS: Yes, I do, but unfortunately, at the moment I can not talk about them. I'll be happy to do so in the future.
FS: How can people contact you?
IS: People can find me on social media and by the website in the following links: Web- http://www.studio-rdd.com/ Insta - https://www.instagram.com/studio_rdd/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/StudioRDD Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilana-seleznev-86552b4b/
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
IS: No
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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