设计新贵承载飞利浦复兴美梦

    考虑到飞利浦现在的整体设计战略是，充分利用在医疗保健行业对用户体验的研究，将其应用到到其他各种产品的设计中去，上述核磁共振成像扫描仪的例子特别能说明问题。这一战略延续了飞利浦设计的长期计划。它发源于马扎诺时代，强调创造与环境浑然一体的产品，也就是使人们能够逐步适应的商品，最开始是飞利浦设计的临床医用设备，最终再拓展到消费、零售和基础设施等其他领域。该战略的成功典范包括一款核磁共振成像扫描仪，它带有一个闪烁的小灯，有助于在扫描时转移患者的注意力；还有一款闹钟，用来叫人起床的声音并不尖锐，而是颇为舒缓。由于患者和医疗保健服务提供商都希望将来能有更方便易用的消费品风格的界面和环境，卡尼在工艺品行业工作过的背景可能极具价值。卡尼说：“一旦意识到跟我们打交道的是真实存在、有血有肉的人，我们就会扪心自问：‘怎样能够提高这些人们的生活品质？’”

    在高管会议中，卡尼很注意避免频繁使用“设计”这个词，尽管他漂亮的新头衔中就有这个词，而且“设计”也正是他有资格与其他顶级高管共处一室的原因。“对那些西装革履的高管来说，设计师可能很难相处。同时，我们必须避免过于强调‘设计’这个词，否则反而会冲淡我们的影响力，”卡尼说。“但是，假如我们完全不探讨我们工作中常被看作‘柔美’的一面，假如我们不在意材料和界面那种诗意的美感，我们同样也会败坏自己的名声。说到底，最重要的是取得某种平衡。归根结底我们从事设计的目的还是为了推动公司的业绩。而要做到这一点，我们的产品就必须能够抓住受众的心。”

    The MRI scenario is particularly relevant given that the overall design strategy for Philips today is to leverage research in user experience from the healthcare sector into all portfolios. It's a continuation of a long-term plan that has its roots in Marzano's work at Philips Design along the lines of creating more "ambient" products, or goods that gently help people ease into their use of Philips machinery in clinical, and eventually consumer, retail, and infrastructure contexts. These include an MRI machine that includes a glowing halo of light that distracts patients during a scan, and a home alarm clock that uses soothing beams instead of a harsh sound to rouse people from sleep. Carney's lifestyle background might prove extremely valuable as patients and healthcare providers expect more user-friendly, consumer-style interfaces and environments in the future. "When you realize you're dealing with real, live human beings, you want to ask, how do I make the quality of their life better?"Carney says.

    Carney is careful not to use the "d" word -- "design" -- too much in his executive meetings, although it appears in his new, elevated title and is the reason he's been invited to the C-suite table. "Designers can be intimidating to those in suits and cuff links. But at the same time, we have to be careful not to dilute our impact by overstating 'design,'" Carney says. "We also discredit ourselves if we don't talk about what's perceived as soft and fluffy aspects of our work, if we don't wax poetic about materials and surfaces. In the end, it's all about balance. We're doing this, after all, to drive business. And to do that, our products need to be desirable."