Interview with former chairman of product design for Innovative Design Lab of Samsung

Interview with former chairman of product design for Innovative Design Lab of Samsung
Samsung Electronics transformed from a second-tier OEM maker to an international brand within a few years. This transformation is largely based on a series of revolutionary industrial designs. DigiTimes interviewed Gordon P. Bruce, former chairman of product design for the Innovative Design Lab of Samsung (IDS), to talk about his experiences in the industry-leading corporation.

Q: Can you briefly describe your role at Samsung?

A: Basically, I do not teach people to design, but how to think. South Korean people differ from westerners in many facets. They are good at learning things from books. In fact, Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has the highest proportion of PhDs in the world. However, if you ask a South Korean what kind of person he is, chances are that he would not be able to answer the question. That is what sets knowledge and wisdom apart. Wisdom, which comes from self-reflection, is what you need for innovation.

Q: Recently, many Taiwanese have become highly interested in Samsung's success. Can you talk about Samsung's transformation?

A: To be frank, I used to have the impression that all Samsung products were trash. However, I think Samsung's current products are the best in the industry. It was the people, not the technology, that made the changes.