Meet Mike Turner, Senior Industrial Designer at JCB

Mike Turner is an Industrial Designer with an extensive experience of supervising projects from initial sketch concept through to final production detailing. Presently, he is working as a Senior Industrial Designer at JCB, in the course of an email interview with us, he articulated about his career, personal design approach and the work flow process in the industrial design sector. Here it goes...

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1. What made you plunge into the automotive designing? How did the journey into the genre actually materialize?

Mike: Hmmm . . Good question! Well, I really consider myself to be an Industrial Designer first and foremost, who just happens to do automotive stuff from time to time. I was first introduced to Industrial Design at an early age (about 14) through JCB's In-house design team. They showed me the basics, and I just knew it was the career path for me. From then on, the learning and development path has been pretty straightforward - GCSE's, A-Levels, a BTEC certificate, followed by a degree in Transportation Design at Coventry University. I wouldn't say it's been a particularly easy career path, but at least it's been clear cut.

2. You have spilled out amazing designs, what keeps you going on and on?

Mike: Thank-you very much. I'm a relentless perfectionist, so even if I worked on the same project forever I'd never be wholly satisfied, so I'd always be motivated to try harder and do it better next time . . . My job in some respects is easy, as there's always new technology and new ideas coming along which help fuel my thinking and give me fresh impetus. Society and culture never stand still either - so sooner or later someone somewhere is going to be telling you 'I want a product that allows me to do X or Y' - which always gives rise to new challenges and new solutions . . So I NEVER get bored!

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3. Do you see any kind of evolution in your work?

Mike: Slowly yes. Perhaps not so much in terms of the visible end result, but I'm certainly aware of a distinct evolution in my thought process and understanding of the overall pressures and constraints which have to be balanced in order to achieve the end result. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily any better a designer these days, but now it's increasingly likely that I'll be able to get my design into production - as a result of better understanding the constraints and pitfalls along the way - and knowing how to get round them successfully.

4. You prefer working with 3D CAD over sketching. How far the statement is true?

Mike: Probably 100% true. For me, 3D is where design becomes an achievable reality. A sketch proves very little as an end result, so for me 3D is the best and most thorough way of demonstrating my competence as a designer. That's not to say I don't still enjoy sketching - or value and appreciate the sketches of others, but I regard sketching almost as an informal means of working out the principals of the design - before I commit to 3D work which PROVES out and confirms what I'm intending. Products in the real world exist in 3 dimensions . . so I therefore feel the need to communicate in 3D to adequately express my thoughts and ideas as a designer.

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5. Is there any project that has given you immense satisfaction?

Mike: To be honest, each project I've tackled has been rewarding in its own specific way, so it's really difficult to pick particular favorites. Some have been easy, some have been tough as hell, but I reckon each one had helped me grow and shaped me as a designer. As such, I'm genuinely grateful for all work which has come my way.

6. What is innovation to you - design, technology or the creative processes itself?

Mike: Again, I'm going to have to sit on the fence. Innovation takes many forms. It can show itself through years of careful research, or just be an intuitive flippant hunch. Either way, if the idea has genuine merit and value to society, the root source of the idea becomes almost irrelevant. Most innovations are an amalgamation of design, technology AND creative process - nothing is new. Everything is an evolution - but it's the specific way a designer pieces together the fragments of different ideas and social needs which helps deliver an 'innovative' product. Innovative design is simply about identifying and addressing pertinent needs and successfully applying new technologies (or rethinking existing technologies) in response.

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7. Concepts of auto designers are ahead of its time, in the sense that the designs have futuristic undertone, what do you have to say in this regard?

Mike: I think that as a matter of course, all designers are instinctively thinking 18-20 months ahead of their time as a bare minimum - they have to, as this is the amount of time it takes to put a concept into production. If you then consider the full life cycle of a typical product, you're talking in the region of 5-10 YEARS! So yes, as a result, I guess all designers have their vision firmly ahead of the here-and-now - whether they're doing it knowingly or subconsciously. Funnily enough, when I first began studying design I tried REALLY hard to develop 'futuristic' designs, and spent a lot of time trying to deeply research and understand social changes which might precipitate and anticipate changes in design thinking. The end results were never that convincing. These days, I just tend to keep a careful eye on emerging trends and design the sorts of products that I'd LIKE to see in production. This approach works just as well, and is a lot more straightforward to rationalize.

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8. May we have the honor of knowing your future plans with respect to your designs? And presently, what are the interesting things that have hooked your attention?

Mike: Unfortunately not! I'd love to tell you about all the current design work going through, but I owe it to my employers to keep my mouth shut until each new project is launched. Rest assured that we've been really busy, have produced some really nice work and had a lot of fun along the way... I hope you like the finished results when you see them! In terms of what interests me? Well, my tastes are gradually migrating.... When I was younger I was into the sheer WOW factor of a brand new sports-car . . . always interested in the cutting edge. Now as I get a bit older and more boring I sometimes get more excited about the really difficult to achieve stuff - like build quality, panel fit-up, reliability, ergonomics, good packaging, efficiency of design, recyclability etc.

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9. Do you have a signature style? If yes, what are the hallmarks of the style?

Mike: I'm perhaps not the best person to ask, as it's often difficult to see the nose in front of your own face. I'm not sure my work follows a set style, but I do have some very fixed values which influence just about everything I do - it's certainly fair to say that in my current role at JCB everything has to be functional, incredibly durable and fit for purpose. As such, I guess the vehicle forms I'm generating are always going to have a distinctive look and feel. JCB's philosophy and design approach is definitely in tune with my own, as I personally feel there always has to be substance and reasoning behind the form - so I've always preferred to be called a 'Designer' rather than be labeled as a 'Stylist'. In terms of what this generates as design hallmarks? Strong, simple forms, sensible, logical details, no unnecessary embellishments, attractive but achievable designs.

10. Where do you see yourself, after, let's say, five years from now?

Mike: Where do I see myself? . . . That's a tricky one to answer! My whole career so far has been a combination of lucky breaks, hard work and commitment to the challenges at hand - as such, there's never really been an overall long-term game-plan, and perhaps that's for the best. I certainly love my current role, and I know there's still a lot more to do which fascinates and appeals to me as a designer. Design is definitely my job of choice, so I see little need to change anything fundamental. If I can maintain my deep seated passion for design and expand the range and breadth of my design knowledge I KNOW I'll be happy - whatever the future holds.

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11. Any words of wisdom, you'd like to leave for our readers?

Mike: In truth, all I will say is follow your dreams and stay true to yourself.

12. Finally, we'd like to have your views on Instablogs News Network and Auto Motto?

Mike: Instablogs seems great, from what I've seen so far.

Wow! This truly is an amazing interview, thank you Mike for sparing out time in doing an interview with us, it is greatly appreciated. Before signing off, I'd like to wish you success in all you future endeavors.

To see more examples of Mike's work, please click in here.