PROFILE: FACTORYDESIGN LTD
Factorydesign Ltd have been shortlisted for Cabin Design – Concept Award in The International Yacht & Aviation Awards. Read more about Associate Director, Ryan Graham, below:
Name: Ryan Graham
Company: Factorydesign
Position within company: Associate Director
Website: www.factorydesign.co.uk
Tell us a little about your background in design:
I studied transport design in New Zealand and worked as a designer at a consultancy in Auckland after graduating working on all manor of things from drench guns to jet-packs. It was there I had my first taste of aerospace design development with the Air NZ Space seat. After moving to London I found a very comfortable fit with the team at Factorydesign and continued to learn and build my knowledge and skill set with a focus on aerospace interiors. I’ve now enjoyed a decade with the team at Factorydesign working across all facets of aerospace and product design.
How would you describe your personal design style?
I think I strive to have an empathetic design style. As a consultant often working with airlines and manufacturers we often find ourselves becoming the champion of the passenger or end user. It can sometimes be easily forgotten amongst the practicalities of engineering and delivery dates that we are developing these products to cater to and improve the customer experience.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
Styalistically Inspiration can come from all kinds of different sectors. But often I feel the most successful pieces of designwork come from defining a clarity of purpose. Making sure that the proposals being put forward are focused on answering the core problem or question being asked by any given project.
In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
Certainly the lines of physical product design and experiential design are blurring. It seems every individual piece of product design is aspiring to be developed as part of larger ecosystem or customer journey. I think the hurdle of creating impressive visuals is becoming lower, so the customer or consumer will need to work harder to identify quality, thoughtful design work in a sea of beautifully rendered yet flawed design thinking.
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2020 and beyond.
Quality, Empathy, Beauty, Relevance and Sustainability.
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?
As above I think the key thing is to keep the end user at the centre of any design decisions.
What was your favourite project to work on and why?
This is difficult. If pushed I think our recent development of the Thompson Solo business class seats. It was a platform we developed a few years ago and has been a long time in the background. Being able to redevelop it as a baseline platform for Thompson was a nice experience. There was no airline involved and our relationship with Thompson aero is such that they trusted us with a lot of design decisions.
What was your most challenging project to work on and why?
Likewise, every project has it own set of challenges. I think the Jet Blue business class seats which were the first to feature a door was one of the more challenging. No one had put these doors on a business class seat. So we and the engineering team seemed to be responding to certification rules that were being created as we went along.
Which products/services could you not live without when designing?
Hardware: Pen, Paper, Wacom.
Software: Blender, Photoshop, Solidworks.
How important are The International Yacht & Aviation Awards?
We like them a lot. There can be a lot of politics involved in other aerospace awards. It seems not as much in the IY&A Awards. Would love to see the popularity grow to the point that Aerospace could stand alone.
What projects are you currently working on?
That would be telling… We have a few exciting developments underway for various airlines and manufactures. Some have been delayed due to Covid but we look forward to seeing them in the public domain so we can talk to you about them.
What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
The aerospace sector has been hit exceptionally hard by the pandemic. Honestly the next twelve months will be about helping our customers wherever we can to aid in the wider industry recovery. I think the airlines will be looking for innovation in new areas as their customers and fleets evolve in response.
Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself and your daily inspirations:
Your most treasured possession?
Battery powered Circular saw. DIY has become a big part of my life in the past couple of years.
Your favourite holiday destination?
Going home to NZ probably tops everything else. But if we can stop off in Bali on the way that never hurts!
Your favourite hotel, restaurant & bar?
Can’t remember, It’s been so long! The Merchant in Belfast has to be one of my favourite hotels though.
Your favourite book, film & song?
Anything by Michael Connelly
Superbad
Couldn’t pick just one.
Your favourite food and drink?
Mood dependent, but a good pub pie and mash.
Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?
With my wife and new baby girl.
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
Pilot
Factorydesign Ltd have been shortlisted for Cabin Design – Concept Award in The International Yacht & Aviation Awards.
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