Design
eFX IFE system installed on Virgin America
NOTE: This is an installation from a system that was sold & installed after I left Panasonic, but the design of these screens was done while I was the Product Manager. This image is also representative of IFE systems I worked on while at Sony / Rockwell Collins.
Product Design
No matter the industry, product design is an important part of technology. Especially for consumer facing products. One of my tasks as a product manager was to oversee the redesign of various IFE hardware components. Below is an example of the redesign for a PCU (Passenger Control Unit) and a competitive comparison with a PCH (Passenger Control Handset).
We worked with an industrial design firm named Teague. In this case, it was me sending information on our various technical and functional requirements for the new units as well as providing guidance on which designs were preferable.
Traditional PCU designs
New design example
Rockwell Collins handset
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One
New design examples - Passenger Handset in Cradle -
Two
Passenger Control Handset (PCH) -
Three
PCH Keyboard side and In-Seat Monitor -
Four
Closeup of Keyboard
Design Insight
Successful technology products are often about creating a "wow" response these days.
My travel (and curiosity) has given me a huge database of experiences from which to reference.
Madrid, Spain airport - Valencia, Spain City of Arts & Sciences
Atoshi apartment building architecture - Medellin, Colombia
One of my friends in Medellin was a realtor who helped me find apartments to live in. I moved a few times while living there. Knowing that I liked seeing interesting things, she took me to this unique apartment building.
One might expect to see design features like this in a high end custom home, but in this apartment tower, standard equipment. What do moving walls / architecture have to do with designing high tech products? The mediums may be different, but it is the "feeling" that one gets in the end which is important.
