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Ravi Sawhney

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Ravi Sawhney
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BornApril 16, 1956
NationalityAmerican
EducationCalifornia State University, Northridge

(1978) B.A. Product Design (1978) B.A. Industrial Design

Academy of Art University, San Francisco

(2010) PhD (h.c.) Philosophy
Occupation(s)Designer, Businessman, Educator, Author
Known ForFounder and CEO of RKS Design

Creator of Psycho-Aesthetics®

Co-founder, investor, and board member/advisor in more than two dozen companies including; LoanGifting, GameVice, D&A Guitar Gear, RKS Guitars, FloWater, FreshRealm and KOR Water

Ravi Kumar Sawhney is an American industrial designer. He is the founder and CEO of RKS Design, co-founder (with Dave Mason[1]) of RKS Guitars, and Chairperson of the IDSA/Business Week Catalyst[2] Case Study Program.[3] He was named a Fellow of the Industrial Designers Society of America in 2009.[4]

Early life and education

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Ravi Sawhney, the youngest of three children, was born to Indian immigrants in Canada on April 16, 1956. Sawhney was raised in Los Angeles after moving to America with his family in the 1960's. There he was a product of the LAUSD public school system before continuing his education with the Cal State System at CSU Northridge.[5] Sawhney began working in design in 1976 while still in college, before being recruited by Xerox in 1979.

In 1978, Sawhney graduated from CSUN with both a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Product Design and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Industrial Design. He then further expanded his design skills with classes at ArtCenter in Pasadena. [6]

Career

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Early career

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In 1979 upon graduating, Ravi Sawhney joined Xerox’s Advanced Development Group at Xerox Parc as their sole industrial designer. Working with a team of 20 cognitive and social scientists, he pioneered the first touch-screen interface years before computers were commonplace. His innovative information hierarchy, with elements like a consistent status bar, return icons, and help menus, set the basis for the design of computer interfaces today. [7]

RKS Design

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RKS Design Logo

In 1980, Ravi Sawhney went on to found RKS Design, a human-centered global design firm and innovation consultancy. RKS is a strategic design consultancy delivering people-focused solutions with global impact, widely recognized for its multidisciplinary work in research, strategy and design. RKS leverages human insight to create strategies, build brands, and achieve bottom-line success for its global clientele, and empower consumers with compelling designs and experiences. RKS’ current and past clients include Life Technologies, Line 6, Unilever, KOR Water, Hamilton Medical, JBL Professional, Fender, HP, Zyliss USA, Medtronic and many others.

Since the founding of RKS, Ravi Sawhney has been named on over 500 patents and has won over 200 design awards globally including numerous IDEA, Core77, NDA, Edison, and Spark awards.[8] Sawhney has also been named as a Fellow by IDSA in 2009,[9] as a Distinguished Alumni by CSUN in 2013,[10] as well as awarded an honorary PhD in Philosophy by Academy of Art in 2010.[11]

Notable RKS Projects

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Teddy Ruxpin - Ravi Sawhney and RKS Design came to national attention shortly after the firm's founding in 1985 by developing the production design of the animated Teddy Ruxpin, one of the best-selling toys in the history of the toy industry. Sawhney and the team at RKS Design were responsible for the aesthetics and functional design aspects of the toy. RKS worked on the details of Teddy's features, such as his facial expressions, movements, and the material used to construct him. Worlds of Wonder Inc., was a fledgling toy company with limited resources, tasked RKS Design with the urgent development of a working prototype for their new product, Teddy Ruxpin. Despite a tight timeline, RKS delivered, and by the end of that year, Teddy Ruxpin achieved phenomenal success with sales reaching $93 million. RKS Design's contribution went beyond aesthetics and engineering; their ingenuity led to a significant reduction in manufacturing costs. By redesigning the cassette tape eject mechanism, they shaved approximately $4 million off production expenses in the first year alone, demonstrating their ability to combine innovative design with cost-effective engineering solutions.[12] This project highlights RKS Design's early success in delivering impactful results even under challenging constraints. Overall, Teddy Ruxpin, captivated a generation of children, becoming a cultural phenomenon in the 1980s and paving the way for future interactive toys.[13] MiniMed 507 - The MiniMed 507 insulin pump revolutionized diabetes treatment in the late 1990s with its groundbreaking design by RKS Design, led by Ravi Sawhney. Sawhney took an unconventional approach by having designers wear the pump themselves, this revealed that the social stigma associated with visible medical devices that hindered adoption. Sawhney and RKS designers set to transform the perception of the pump from a symbol of illness to one of professionalism. By mimicking a high-end pager, the 507 destigmatized insulin pump use and fueled widespread adoption, achieving sales of $171 million by 1998 and capturing 80% of the market by 2005. This success culminated in Medtronic's acquisition of MiniMed for over $3.6 billion. Sawhney's innovative approach contributed to the normalization of insulin pump therapy and paving the way for future advancements in diabetes management. Today, Medtronic's insulin pump sales exceed $1 billion annually, a testament to the lasting legacy of the MiniMed 507 and the design ingenuity of RKS Design.[14]

Finnita (LoanGifting pre-merger) - To address the growing issue of student loan debt, Ravi Sawhney and RKS Design developed LoanGifting, a platform that reimagines traditional gift-giving by allowing friends and family to contribute directly to loan repayment. Initially conceived as a social media-like platform where users could create campaigns and receive "loan gifts," LoanGifting evolved into a B2B solution, Finnita, recognizing the potential for employers to utilize student loan repayment as a powerful recruitment and retention tool. This strategic pivot stemmed from the realization that individual fundraising alone could not significantly impact the overwhelming burden of student debt. Finnita, now a market leader in student debt repayment, empowers companies to offer student loan assistance as part of their benefits packages, attracting and retaining top talent while addressing a pressing societal issue. This evolution highlights RKS Design's ability to adapt and refine their solutions, transforming an initial concept into a cutting-edge SaaS HR-Tech solution that benefits both employees and employers. Sawhney and RKS Design earned a Silver Edison Award for the incubation of LoanGifting in 2016.[15] [16]

Psycho-Aesthetics®

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Over the last 40+ years, Ravi Sawhney has invented and cultivated the popular Psycho-Aesthetics® advanced design-thinking methodology, which Harvard adopted for two Business School Case Study. He is a regularly featured lecturer at Harvard’s Business School, USC’s Marshall School of Business, and UCLA’s Anderson School of Business, where he teaches this powerful business-driven design tool to top business school students. Psycho-Aesthetics has been featured in many of Sawhney's publications.[17]

As a result of Sawhney's contributions to design with the creation of Psycho-Aesthetics®, he was recognized with an honorary PhD in Philosophy by the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in 2010.[18]

RKS Guitars

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RKS Guitars was a musical instrument design and manufacturing company founded in the early 2000s by Ravi Sawhney, Dave Mason, and the team at RKS Design.[19] Inspired by his love for music and a close friendship with rock legend Dave Mason, Sawhney sought to reinvent the electric guitar with a focus on sustainability, modularity, customization, and a distinct aesthetic. RKS Guitars began as a passion project within RKS Design, where many of the designers were musicians themselves. Sawhney, a lifelong musician, had always been intrigued by the electric guitar, an instrument whose core design had remained largely unchanged for decades. He saw an opportunity to revitalize the classic instrument with a fresh perspective and innovative approach.

Ravi Sawhney and the team at RKS Guitars envisioned a modular "open architecture design platform" that would allow for unprecedented levels of personalization and adaptability. Utilizing cutting-edge technology like Autodesk® AliasStudio™ software, they developed guitars with unique aesthetic and enhanced functionality.

The innovative designs of RKS Guitars garnered significant attention, earning features in publications like BusinessWeek and receiving two Silver Industrial Designers Society of America (IDEA) awards.[20]

Despite its initial success and critical acclaim, RKS Guitars eventually ceased production in 2012. Though short-lived, RKS Guitars left behind a legacy of bold experimentation and a unique mark on the world of musical instruments. RKS guitars have been played by leading artists including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Rick Springfield, Don Felder, and Beck.

Publications

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Books

(2024) Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0, Revolutionary Design and Innovation: Unleashing Disruption with a Proven Methodology [21]

(2016) Psycho-Aesthetics, Advanced Design-Thinking Methodology [22]

(2011) Wharton School Publishing, Predictable Magic with Deepa Prahalad [23]

Case Studies

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(2013) Harvard Business School. An Exercise in Designing a Travel Coffee Mug [24]

(2006) Harvard Business School. RKS Guitars Case Study [25]

Articles

(2012) Design Management Institute, Orchestrating Design Collaborations: Think Like a Family [26]

(2012) Fast Company. What Gandhi (Yes, Gandhi) Taught Me about Design, Leadership, and Technology [27]

(2012) Fast Company. Designers: Help Me Rebrand American Innovation [28] (2011) Core 77, Design Education Can Not be Passively Learned, Nor Painlessly Learned

(2011) Core 77, The Art and Theatre of Getting Creative

(2011) Core 77, Dear 2011 Design Graduates: With a Little Persistence Opportunities Abound

(2011) Fast Company. U.S. Innovation Can’t Stay On Top without Smart Government [29]

(2011) Fast Company. To Remain On Top, the U.S. Needs To Start Protecting Its Design IP [30]

(2011) Fast Company. Here’s Some Good Economic News: U.S. Manufacturing Is Rising Once Again [31]

(2011) Fast Company. Let’s move past manufacturing. America should be the “Innovation Nation” [32]

(2011) Fast Company. How Do You Turn Your Customers Into Brand Evangelists?

(2011) Fast Company. How I Helped Invent the Touchscreen in 1979 at Xerox PARC [33]

(2011) Harvard Business. Review, Design Lessons from the Consumer at the Bottom of the Pyramid [34]

(2011) Harvard Business. Review, People Are the Puck [35]

(2011) Harvard Business. Review, Seven Ways to Connect With Your Designer [36]

(2010) Fast Company. If Apple Made Printers, What Would They Be Like? [37]

(2010) Fast Company. Designers: Now’s the Time to Create Repairable Gadgets [38]

(2010) Fast Company. Designers Are Still Blind to Main Street [39]

(2010) Fast Company. Remembering C.K. Prahalad [40]

(2010) Fast Company. Extreme Makeover, Weiner Edition: RKS Redesigns the Deadly Hot Dog [41]

(2010) Huffington Post, Our Heroes’ Journey

(2010) Fast Company. Coca-Cola's New Video Proves Brand Happiness Can Be Viral [42]

(2009) Fast Company. New Models for Engaging Consumers: A Report from Opportunity Green [43]

(2009) Fast Company. Teaching Moments: A New Era for Design Education [44]

(2009) Fast Company. A Better Way to Health Care Reform: Is There a Designer in the House? [45]

(2009) Fast Company. Broken Guitar Has United Playing the Blues to the Tune of $180 Million [46]

(2009) Fast Company. Why Designers Need to Focus on Focus Groups [47]

(2009) Fast Company. Over-Innovation: A Cautionary Tale [48]

(2009) Fast Company. Roadmap for Recovery: Five Ways to Come Out on Top [49]

(2009) Fast Company. Roadmap for Recovery: Five Ways to Help Your Company Survive Now [50]

(2009) Fast Company. Design like a Surfer and How Hyundai Caught the Wave [51]

(2009) Fast Company. Designing From the First-Person Perspective [52]

(2009) Fast Company. Change-Agent Designs: They Inspire You to Do the Right Thing [53]

(2009) Fast Company. iPhone Apps and the Making of the 99 Cent Hero [54]

(2009) Fast Company. The Web Design That Changed the World [55]

(2009) Fast Company. Design's Reach: Let's Begin a Dialogue [56]

References

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  1. ^ "RKS Guitars, LLC: Private Company Information". Businessweek. Bloomberg Business. Archived from the original on January 29, 2016. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  2. ^ "IDSA Catalyst Case Study Program: About". Idsacatalyst.org. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  3. ^ "IDSA Catalyst Case Study Program Review Panel". Idsacatalyst.org. Retrieved 2010-11-01.
  4. ^ "Ravi Sahwney FIDSA". Industrial Designers Society of America. May 2010. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  5. ^ Leichner, David (2024-10-20). "Ravi Sawhney Of RKS Design On Embedding Security in Product Design and Development".
  6. ^ "Ravi K. Sawhney". California State University, Northridge. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  7. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (2022-09-26). "The future of technology: Lessons from working on the first touchscreens". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  8. ^ "Ravi Sawhney - RKS Design Founder and CEO". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  9. ^ "IDSA Academy of Fellows Wall featuring Ravi Sawhney".
  10. ^ "Ravi Sawhney: Creative by Design". CSUN Today. 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  11. ^ "IDSA Biography on Ravi Sawhney".
  12. ^ Apodaca, Patrice (1994-01-04). "Making Reality Out of Images : Tiny RKS Design Turns Ideas Into Attractive, Workable, Consumer-Friendly Products". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  13. ^ "About RKS | Global Design and Engineering Firm". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  14. ^ "MiniMed". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  15. ^ "2012-2020 Winners". Edison Awards. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  16. ^ "LoanGifting - Student Debt Repayment Technology". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  17. ^ "Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  18. ^ "Ravi K. Sawhney". California State University, Northridge. 2013-05-16. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  19. ^ "RKS Guitars - Best Sustainable Electric Guitars". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  20. ^ "RKS Guitars Wins Two 2005 Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs), and Is Featured on the Cover of BusinessWeek Magazine, Co-Sponsor - With Industrial Designers of America - of the Prestgious Competition". PR Newswire. 2005-06-28.
  21. ^ "Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  22. ^ "Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  23. ^ "Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0". RKS Design. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  24. ^ "An Exercise in Designing a Travel Coffee Mug - Exercise - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School". www.hbs.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  25. ^ "RKS Guitars - Case - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School". www.hbs.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  26. ^ Jani, Harnish; Sawhney, Ravi (2012). "Orchestrating Design Collaborations: Think Like a Family". Design Management Review. 23 (1): 46–57. doi:10.1111/j.1948-7169.2012.00170.x. ISSN 1948-7169.
  27. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (March 19, 2012). "What Gandhi (Yes, Gandhi) Taught Me About Design, Leadership, And Technology".
  28. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (January 3, 2012). "Designers: Help Me Rebrand American Innovation".
  29. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (December 20, 2011). "U.S. Innovation Can't Stay On Top Without Smart Government".
  30. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (December 6, 2011). "To Remain On Top, The U.S. Needs To Start Protecting Its Design IP".
  31. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (November 22, 2011). "Here's Some Good Economic News: U.S. Manufacturing Is Rising Once Again".
  32. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (October 18, 2022). "Let's Move Past Manufacturing. America Should Be The "Innovation Nation"".
  33. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (March 21, 2011). "How I Helped Invent the Touchscreen in 1979 at Xerox PARC".
  34. ^ "Design Lessons from the Consumer at the Bottom of the Pyramid". Harvard Business Review. 2011-05-17. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  35. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (2011-09-01). "People Are the Puck". Harvard Business Review. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  36. ^ "Seven Ways to Connect With Your Designer". Harvard Business Review. 2011-03-15. ISSN 0017-8012. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  37. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (December 16, 2010). "If Apple Made Printers, What Would They Be Like?".
  38. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (November 21, 2010). "Designers: Now's the Time to Create Repairable Gadgets".
  39. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (August 4, 2010). "Designers Are Still Blind to Main Street".
  40. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (April 26, 2010). "Remembering C.K. Prahalad".
  41. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (March 1, 2010). "Extreme Makeover, Weiner Edition: RKS Redesigns the Deadly Hot Dog".
  42. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (January 25, 2010). "Coca-Cola's New Video Proves Brand Happiness Can Be Viral".
  43. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (November 12, 2009). "New Models for Engaging Consumers: A Report from Opportunity Green".
  44. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (September 17, 2009). "Teaching Moments: A New Era for Design Education".
  45. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (August 27, 2009). "A Better Way to Health Care Reform: Is There a Designer in the House?".
  46. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (July 28, 2009). "Broken Guitar Has United Playing the Blues to the Tune of $180 Million".
  47. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (July 8, 2009). "Why Designers Need to Focus on Focus Groups".
  48. ^ Ravi, Sawhney (June 22, 2009). "Over-Innovation: A Cautionary Tale".
  49. ^ Ravi, Sawhney (June 9, 2009). "Roadmap for Recovery: Five Ways to Come Out on Top".
  50. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (June 4, 2004). "Roadmap for Recovery: Five Ways to Help Your Company Survive Now".
  51. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 22, 2009). "Design Like a Surfer..and How Hyundai Caught the Wave".
  52. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 15, 2009). "Designing From the First-Person Perspective".
  53. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 13, 2009). "Change-Agent Designs: They Inspire You to Do the Right Thing".
  54. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 12, 2009). "iPhone Apps and the Making of the 99 Cent Hero".
  55. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 12, 2009). "The Web Design That Changed the World".
  56. ^ Sawhney, Ravi (May 8, 2009). "Design's Reach: Let's Begin a Dialogue".

References

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