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KEITH SAVAS
KDesign
Having an Industrial Design Background, Manager, Leader, Innovator
Total Product Development Source
Explore My Experience and Work
It is a great honor work to motivate people to reach beyond their known potential to deliver their absolute best.
Keith Savas, Principal
SUCCESS JUST TAKES A LITTLE RESEARCH
Left to Right
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1994 IDEA GOLD - TM-8 by Life Sensing Instrument, Tullahoma, TN. I managed the client and entire process, from client identification, proposal development, sale of project, research phase, configuration development, concept development, testing, material selection, vendor options, selection, color section. Worked closely with Brad Wilkinson .
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2000 IDEA GOLD - Thoughtcaster by East3, Richmond, VA. Managed the process, from initial client meeting, proposal development, sale of project, and participated in 3 days of focus group research. I worked with three other design firms to gather child head size data across the United States. Managed the designer who developed the leading concept.
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Wally Award - Awarded to students who survived Dr. Shaer's stinging, animated criticism and still received a diploma. It is now Shaer that stands behind the trophies on my shelf.
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2004 Staples Invention Quest, Submitted 17 new product concepts. Four made the top 100 nationwide. 8,400 ideas were submitted nationwide. One of my product concepts made it to the finals. I was presented the award at the NASDAQ market site. I later licensed the product concept.
ONE GREAT CONCEPT
Delivering a vision for your new product. The beginning of a strong product concept is an exploration of what is possible blended with what product users need.
Delivering innovative and game changing ideas is at the core of the work we do.
Strong products start with great ideas tuned, refined and enhanced for the market segment under consideration. Deep exploration of the product concept and optimization of the "big idea" is often overlooked in product development circles. This best practice approach is not difficult but foreign to many engineers and entrepreneurs . Exploration of ideas on paper is the best way I have found to drive more market penetrating ideas into a product concept. Layer after layer of idea can be pulled into or out of the product simply and quickly. CAD is the best way to get the concept into prototyping and later production.
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Design thinking is really about exposing a solution to a greater need than previously understood. Whether the spark of innovation is first realized on a napkin at lunch or at the desk or in a room with 5-7 people, the key question is "What if we....?".
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Below you can see rough ideation sketches old and new, desktop presentation pieces as well as client facing drawings and images.
DESIGN THINKING
Integrating customer experience, new approaches, brand and product
Working with globally recognized brand names or a local inventor, the concept development process is similar. Know the customer, understand more than the core need to be satisfied. Consider what a customer is doing before using the product. Consider what a customer is doing after using the product. Pull in more opportunity and value.
Work to meet needs not yet realized. Leverage manufacturing processes that deliver efficiency and value.
Think about the big picture.
Explore Ideas that may open up new opportunity.
MOCK UPS AND MODELS
Telling a clearly understood product story involves way more than a nice CAD rendering. Create inexpensive models and mock-ups. Use these tools to better understand and as a spring board to exploration of a concpet's potential. We use the right tools at the right time. Leverage Design Thinking into compelling solutions. Mock-ups and models are excellent tools for trying out a concept, demonstrating a series of benefits or making decisions.
OMV - ORBITAL MANEUVERING VEHICLE
Space Vehicle Mock-up, full size.
Under 200 Lbs
At Essex for NASA - The full size 14 foot diameter OMV mock up was made of an aluminum tube frame with an ArtCore (like foam core) skin. Thrusters were vacuum formed and assembled. Star Trackers were cut into foam core and backed up with a black box. End Effector mounts were machined of aluminum.The entire assembly was 4 1/2' thick and mounted to to Teleoperator Mobility Base (TOM.B). TOM.B was remotely guided and used in training.  It flew on air bearings on what was then the largest, flattest surface on earth.
LEVERAGING THE POWER OF
DIGITAL WORKFLOW
Working with your Product Manager, Inventor, or Head of Engineering, our experienced team delivers Design Thinking and Innovation, CAD Files and Custom Electronic Boards. You now have a clear path to completion. We have deep experience in moving from early design concepts to development, manufacturing then to market.
We know how to become your new product development team of a part of your team.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Ideas, Concepts and Drawings
Based on research, observation of use and insight, we work to develop a range of concepts that deliver user-focussed solutions to consumer needs and desires.
DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT
Our Product Engineers are worth their weight in gold.
Develop new custom electronic hardware and digital models of components in CAD. Work to assure the very essence of the early concepts still reside in the CAD files. Manage this step most closely to help assure an effective product.
DIGITALÂ PRODUCT REALIZATION
Bits Turn Into Atoms
Prototype early and prototype often. Current desktop 3D printers can enable teams to move fast and sure by prototyping often. When the design is done and approved, push the product into the digital manufacturing process. Best practice still requires .pdf file explaining dimensions being most critical.
ABOUT KDesign
I enjoy a Life of Great Color
As a boy, I wanted to be an inventor. In many ways, I am. The people I pull into projects, are also creative changemakers. If you want to copy another company you, have come to the wrong place. Maturing as an Industrial Designer I have been influenced by close family ties to an architect, librarian, artist, engineer, poet, sales manager, interior designer, an MBA and entrepreneur. Their perspectives and experiences have made me a better designer and manager. It is true, I’ve been given many opportunities to work on amazing projects, and win awards, while meeting industry leaders, executives and creative individuals along the way. I feel blessed.
I look forward to seeing how my team and I can help you and your team be successful in just about any market. Learning is the key to delivering innovation. Each new project and client delivers a learning experience. I and the people I work with are essentially students and creative problem solvers.
For more information about my experience in industrial design consulting and corporate work, reviewing my portfolio or learning how we can collaborate on an upcoming project, call me. text me, send me an email. The sooner we start, the sooner we will finish.
This is a quote by renowned Apple Industrial Designer Jonathan Ive often credited with much of Apple's success.
I would like to add to his thoughts as captured in this quote. In my experience, the perception of a product and its quality is enhanced by the material used, its temperature and the weight. These are significant contributors to the perceived value of just about any object. I know he would agree.
Many thanks to Jonathan Ive and his team for doing such good work that the opportunities for industrial designers to make the world a better place are better than ever.
"Form and Colour Define Your Perception"
Jonathan Ive
