Interviews med Doug Garven

I have been a Product Designer for 32 years, most of which have been in the Durable Medical Equipment industry designing wheelchairs. I graduated from Kent State University in Kent, OH and had an automobile accident while in school that left me paralyzed from the chest down. After graduation, I wasn't looking to become a wheelchair designer but the obvious connection kind of lead me to becoming one.

My mom was an Artist and my dad an Engineer, so, growing up, I had a penchant for drawing and numbers. My dad suggested I study Industrial Design in college, but I thought I wanted to be an Engineer. After two years of Engineering, I realized I was not enjoying it and promptly switched.

I spend a lot of time in the concept development phase of a project, lots and lots of ideations! Most of my designs, especially wheelchairs, have a strong functional component/need that in most cases drives the design direction chosen. I like to make sure the functionality of a design is never lost. I would say I am equal parts physical (sketching, physical models) and technology (3D modeling and rapid prototyping).

This depends on what stage of the project a design is at. In the beginning, I feel a sense of relaxation and adventure, exploring new ways of trying to solve the problem at hand. This can become anxiousness and nervousness, especially as a deadline approaches. And this eventually turns to happiness and a sense of pride once a project is complete, especially seeing how a good design can affect and improve someone's daily life.

Good questions! There are some obvious ones like being a good listener and seeing the big picture of the most important problem a specific design project is trying to solve. Empathy is a good one that allows you to think of solutions from the perspective of the intended user to help ensure functionality, ergonomics and general ease of use. I hate to say it but a lot of these come with age and lessions we learn from life!

Having been a Product Designer for over 30 years and just completing what has been my ultimate, dream design project (the CR1). I have transitioned roles withing my company to that of the Principal Product Manager for TiLite wheelchairs and I am enjoying my new role, in a new department, overseeing the future direction of our products and what comes next.

Be careful to not be so tunnel-minded on a certain design direction that you lose your ability to objectively listen to differing opinions. It's an easy trope to fall into, something any designer can relate to. There's also the need for sticking up for something you believe strongly in! Finding that right balance point between the two will help you gain the trust and respect of your peers.

The first part of this I inadvertently answered above. As for a pro-tip, I realize it isn't very original and easier to say than do but do something you're passionate about. It will show in your creative output, life's too short.

My daily routine usually starts with what's going on in the world (news wise) and then what's new on the Formula 1 website and then I start my day. I guess starting with something I thoroughly enjoy sets my mind for the day. During the day, find the time to take a break and disengage your mind, even for a short period. I find this helps a lot when having trouble finding a creative solution. A good lunch can also help stimulate your mind or break up the monotony of a boring day.

In the product design world, I think keeping up with what's in-fashion and current design trends from other industries are important. They can certainly be an influence in your work but shouldn't define it, otherwise you risk stamping it with a built-in time clock. Remember, good design is timeless.

I think good design solves a problem or fulfills a need in an attractive package. There should be clean lines, a purity of form that helps communicate what an object is or what it is supposed to do. Good designs are not overthought or too complex visually, at least for me personally.

Is the design solving the problem both functionally and aesthetically, are you happy with it? What do other's think, it's important to get outside input. Also know that a design can continue to get updated after it launches, sometimes a project's scope is too big to be able have everything ready at launch.

My biggest design and the work I am most proud of has been the TiLite CR1. It was the result of over 30 years of ideas from other design projects that were great ideas but didn't fit the particular project they came from. It was a realization of all these ideas, a brain dump if you will. New materials, new technologies and challenges that came with them. All in a uniquely styled package, which is hard to do for something that has existed as a product since the late 1800's.

I'm a huge car guy so my list is very automotive heavy. Pinin Farina, Marcello Gandini, Ferdinand Porsche and Adrian Newey are the big names in my book. If there was one person though that I could share a glass of wine with and talk design, it would be Leonardi da Vinci for sure!

I like visiting cities and seeing the different architecture, both new and old. I think older, historical buildings of importance need to be saved and preserved. There is a history and culture that they reflect that gets lost if they are torn down and replaced. Seeing them in pictures is not the same as being able to experience in-person.

I like to think I have become easier to work with over the years, certainly in my new role as a Product Manager and trying to help communicate the needs of new products. Working together as a team to keep the different departments focused on the primary goal of a new product has been a challenging and rewarding new career direction.

Designing wheelchairs has been a very rewarding career, especially as a chair-user myself. It can be rewarding on different levels depending on the project, sometimes it's self-rewarding if it's a design I know I will use personally. Most of the time, it's designs for other types of disabilities and there's a level of satisfaction in seeing your design being used by an individual and knowing that you helped them to be able to function and improve their quality of life.

I have only been to one previous design award and that was very early in my career. So this is kind of a full-circle moment for me to have won an A' Design Award and I am very much looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people at the awards ceremony. I think that, above all else, is the coolest opportunity these contests offer. The ability to see and experience so many other like minded individuals and to see all of the exciting and creative designs across all of the different industries.

The idea was to create a state of the art, custom fabricated, high-end carbon fiber wheelchair. This design was inspired by aerodynamic racing bicycles and Formula 1 race cars.

The main goal was to develop a design out of carbon fiber, that could be fabricated in different configurations and sizes to accommodate each user's unique body shape and dimensions.

To continue spreading the word about the CR1 and that it is available to purchase.

This design was a collection of ideas I've accumulated over the years working on other projects and never had the right time or project to utilize. The design concept phase was relatively quick, about 6 months. The execution phase to get the chair into production took almost 5 years.

As mentioned, this design was a collection of ideas I've had from over 30 years of wheelchair designs. This was the first project I was given an open book in terms of development costs and material selections. The use of carbon fiber as the primary material allowed the realization of this project.

It is for sale through the company TiLite, a wheelchair manufacturer out of Pasco, WA, USA. They are a division of the parent company Permobil out of Sweden.

As both a wheelchair designer and a chair user from a car accident while attending school, I have an inside understanding what this type of wheelchair needs to do. Both, from a physical-functional needs perspective as an assistive device but also the phycological of having a really cool and aesthetically pleasing design to help minimize the sociological stigma of being a wheelchair user.

Within the industry, no, but plenty of inspirations drawn from the outside world. Aero race bikes and Formula 1 race cars, especially their wings and aerodynamic concepts.

The target customer is an experienced chair user who knows what they want from a performance perspective and how they want to sit in their chair.

The two main distinguishing features of this design are the profile shape of the frame tubing and the unique, front-end design of the chair which incorporates a dual-angled design that lets the user get closer to objects for improved accessibility.

The name CR1 follows in the tradition of other TiLite chair designs which are abbreviations of the functional descriptions. CR1 is short for (Carbon Rigid and 1 designates the first model in this material).

This entire project was designed using SolidWorks.

The unique frame profile and tube shape sets the chair apart aesthetically, but of equal importance is the ability to custom fabricate each chair to the user's dimensions to match their unique body shape and individual preferences.

This project was designed in-house at TiLite but also relied upon some outside vendor's inputs to enable the manufacturing and commercialization. Lot's of input from Engineers in different departments.

Technology was instrumental in the design's creation, everything from CAD modeling, FEA analysis to order entry and CNC part fabrication.

Yes, advanced composite FEA analysis was completed to ensure the chair's strength and weight targets were being met before extensive physical durability testing was performed to ensure the design's viability and safety.

Trying to ensure the product's strength and safety while trying to keep the weight down by minimizing part and fastener sizes in every component.

I wanted to find a way to help spread the word of our cool design to audiences who might not normally think of an assistive device for the disabled in this manner.

I learned a lot about composite design and manufacturing! On top of that, I learned a lot about patience and perseverance in seeing this project through some big company politics and the world shut down through Covid.

No, thank you for taking the time to read if you made it this far :)

I have been a designer for over 30 years in the Health Industry, designing durable medical equipment and specializing in high-tech, ultralight manual wheelchairs. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from Kent State University.

I enjoy the challenge of creating something new and original, to take something that would be considered ordinary and turn it into something really cool!

I chose to become one after two years of studying Mechanical Engineering and realizing I was more into the creative side of things than the physical mechanics of making it function.

I design high-end manual wheelchairs and as a chair user myself, that will always have a place in my heart and occupying space in my brain thinking of ways to do differently. I enjoy the creative, problem-solving side of new projects and not just the form development.

Find something you enjoy doing and work hard at trying to be the best you can be at it. There has to be a passion involved with what you do, otherwise you will just be going through the motions and not enjoying what it takes to succeed.

That level of dedication and personal involvement, to not be satisfied with "good" and pushing yourself to make it "great"!

A clarity of form and purpose is a fundamental of really good design. There should be no question about what something is, at least not when it comes to product design.

Good design helps to make the world a better place! This can be through solving a problem, improving someone's life or even just improving their mental well being.

Wow, I'm not even sure how to answer that question. I would love to work on integrating accessible design solutions better into new architecture to eliminate physical barriers and make it not be a detraction to the overall aesthetic.

That is a tough question as the TiLite CR1 was my dream project I've been wanting to do and spent the last 30 years gaining ideas for from other design projects.

Every design should have a feeling, an underlying emotion to it and it is up to you to try and communicate that.

Leonardo da Vinci, some automotive greats like Marcello Gandini, Battista Farina and Ferdinand Porsche. Also some furniture designers like Marcel Breuer.

I am a big car enthusiast so lots of automotive designs, especially classics like a Ferrari 250 GTO or a Porsche 911. If we're talking furniture the Wassily Chair stands out in my mind. All of these designs are timeless and still look beautiful by today's standards.

The TiLite CR1 carbon chair I am most proud of. It is a design driven by its functionality that created a purity of form that is a first for a product category that dates back to the late 1800's.

Rely on your strengths but focus and practice on your weaknesses. Don't be afraid to learn from others.

I would have become an Engineer, an unhappy one.

I define design as how something is created, how its form is defined by its function.

My parents who supported me and paid for my education.

A thorough understanding of each project and what is being asked. Learning all that you can about a project to better understand what is being asked of you.

Experience, learning what you don't know and if you don't know, asking for help.

As detailed and accurately represented as possible, full-size prototype models if possible.

That is difficult to say. I am close to retiring, relatively speaking, and would like to explore doing something outside of the medical industry.

First and foremost is to solve the problem presented and to try and do so in a way that maybe hasn't been thought of before and with as pleasing aesthetics as possible.

Everything that was just mentioned in the previous question.

If done well, it solves a problem and improves a person's life either physically or intrinsically.

I am helping to lead a design team on some new chair designs fabricated out of titanium which is an awesome material but presents its own challenges due to its manufacturing complexities and limitations.

The high-end projects as they offer more opportunities creatively by not being limited financially. This is especially true in DME (durable medical equipment) industry.

Better funding and assistance for individuals that don't have the financial means to afford the nicer equipment. Which, in my design industry means lighter weight and easier to push wheelchairs which have proven health benefits when it comes to long-term, repetitive stress type injuries.

In the US health industry, it's a continual battle against reduced funding and trying to come up with more efficient manufacturing technologies. Lots of potential in the world of 3D printing.

That is relative to the project size and the materials involved/selected. Normally, it's anywhere between 18-24 months for a new wheelchair design to go from concept to production.

After learning all that I can about the project and what is involved, concept ideation and form generation. Everything from quick sketch concepts to rough prototyping of more complex mechanisms.

I have never been asked that one before......how about a number, 100%! That represents giving everything you have and should be your effort on everything you do.

This depends more on your chosen design field, but I would say really good design sets the trend, don't follow, create!

Technology plays a huge part, whether it's in the software used to help create a design, the physical technology utilized within the product itself or the manufacturing technology used to make it.

SolidWorks is our primary design software.

Depending on the project, they can be as critical and important as the design itself, especially materials. They define the essence of your project, what it is, what it's going to look like, how much it's going to cost, etc.

To question why it looks different and the inspiration that drove the final design form.

I think this is so cool and makes so much sense, a level of appreciation for a job well done.

Someone who, hopefully, brings a different and complimentary skillset to the table.

Typically, it's the Engineers that have the most influence on a design as whatever you create, it still has to work or be manufacturable.

"Start With Why" by Simon Sinek.

Practice and experience to learn what you're passionate about and enjoy working on.

I would love to share a glass of wine or two with Leonardo da Vinci and talk about design.

Yes, I am not fond of talking about myself or my work. It doesn't mean I am not proud of it or honored to be recognized but it is not my normal nature to self-promote.

My favorite color is black but if we are talking traditional colors, then it would be blue. Favorite place is somewhere warm and by the water, food is freshly grilled fish, season would be summer, thing would be sports cars and band would be Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor).

Well, the only funny stories I can think of center around tradeshows or conferences from back in the day and involved the consumption of too much alcohol, so I don't want to set a bad example. :)

Every day is the opportunity to try something new, don't be afraid to try something because you won't know if it's worthwhile till you do. It will always be in the back of your mind as a "what if".

No of course not, but it was obvious I enjoyed drawing and coloring and had a propensity for doing something creative.

Ha, another deep question, these are some good ones! 1,000 years from now, barring some natural or man-made calamity that has set the world backwards, I like to think we will have some really cool technology in our lives. Floating cities, and maybe (finally) some flying cars!

I am done talking about myself and for anyone who has lasted long enough to get to this point, I truly thank you for your time!

I have been an Industrial Designer since graduating from Kent State University in 1992. As a kid growing up, my mom was an artist and my dad was an engineer, so I had an affinity for both drawing and problem solving. Knowing this, my dad was the one who thought Industrial Design would be a great career choice for me. I thought I wanted to be a Mechanical Engineer and spent two years in that program which I was not enjoying. So, after two years I switched majors and have been a designer ever since.

Permobil, a Swedish company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Investor AB. Permobil was founded by Dr. Per Udden in 1967 and was built around the idea that every person has the right to have his or her disability compensated as far as possible by aids with the same technical standard as those we all use in our everyday lives. Today, Permobil is present in more than 17 countries around the world and has over 1600 employees.

Design for me has several meanings, both functional and aesthetic. It represents the essence of something, the heart and soul of what something is or does and how that is communicated and interpreted by an individual.

I enjoy problem solving, taking a need and creating a functional device that solves that need in a visually pleasing form.

My most favorite design that I have created has been the CR1. It was a unique project that doesn’t come around very often for designers, the opportunity to create a flagship product, from the ground up, with the only limits being your imagination. It represents everything I’ve learned in my professional career and showcases many ideas and concepts I’ve had over that time but didn’t have the opportunity to try.

One of my first design projects were some hospital bed control panels. I did pages and pages of different button design concept sketches, different shapes and layout configurations. To this day, if I’m ever in a hospital or see a bed on tv I’m looking at their sideguard control panels to see how they look.

My favorite material is carbon fiber. It has an unmatched strength to weight ratio and can be created in almost any shape or form. My favorite technology is manufacturing and in terms of product applications is automotive.

I would say I am most creative in the late morning or early evening hours.

Functionality, always making sure it works first, a true believer in form follows function. That doesn't mean that aesthetics aren't as important, I believe they are. But, you can have the most aesthetically pleasing design and if it doesn't function the way it is supposed to you will eventually be disappointed.

I have never been asked that before, I would say mostly a calm, analytical, relaxed feeling, not really an emotion I realize. At least at the early stages of a project, that can turn to frustration and stress as a project progresses, or doesn't progress and deadlines approach!

Satisfaction and pride for sure.

A successful design does the job it was intended to do in a clean and elegant manner.

What was the design intended for and how successfully does it accomplish that goal.

I think a designer's responsibility to society and the environment is dependent upon what the end product is and how many of them will be used.

In the product design world, there is an ever growing push towards using recylable materials and I believe this trend will continue where applicable.

Inspiration can come from anywhere, sometimes it's seeing something man-made, sometimes it's something in nature, you never know!

I am more of a minimalist, I like simple, clean designs that showcase a purity of form.

I live in Nashville, TN, USA and I would say our country's heritage plays a part in what you as a person are exposed to which of course is going to influence what you see, think and do as a person. I have lived abroad several times in my life and do think those outside cultures and experiences have helped shape me both as a designer and as a person.

Ha, I am employed by a large one so the answer is very closely!

Finding that right fit can be difficult, especially for a young designer. It goes both ways of course, but making sure a potential designer is the right fit is very important for their happiness which will be reflected in the quality of work they produce.

It's rather simple, I like to familiarize myself with all of the input criteria and know what is being asked for me to create. I also like to see previous examples or other products in the market to know what is expected.

I have 1974 Porsche Carrera, that is at the top of the list, followed by a Marcel Breur Milla chair, some hanging sculptures by local artists and lot's of fine art pieces on the walls.

It isn't very exciting, usually it's wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed, repeat.

Find something that you love doing, it will make your days go so much easier and make you a happier person.

Being able to make a difference in the world or improving someone's life is very rewarding. The downside to becoming a designer that they don't tell you in school is it can be very difficult to find employment.

Clean and simple, don't overly complicate your work, especially for product designers.

This was an observational design improvement I noticed through using my wheelchairs every day for over 30 years. There are many times during the day when you want to get close to something and the frame on your chair is the limiting factor. The dual-angle front end on the CR1 can help the user get a little closer in many of those situations.

Everyone wants to look cool and the CR1 tries to take away that negative stigma and image of being in a wheelchair. F1 race cars and fighter jets are cool looking, purposeful machines driven by function. This inspired the CR1's aerodynamic form and tube shape, which could realistically only be achieved through using carbon fiber along with its strength to weight benefits. The aero inspired elliptical tube shape also offers a smoother and flatter surface area in front where a user's legs contact the chair frame.

The driver for the development of a new bearing was looking at what was currently being offered, industry-wide, and knowing that a better solution existed. Having a bearing created for the intended usage allowed it to be smaller in size and weight. This has a trickledown effect of allowing the parts associated with the bearing to be smaller and lighter which in turn allows the design to be smaller and improve the chair's maneuverability.

A great question but a hard one to predict. A lot of adaptive mobility design is driven by cost, which was something the CR1 wasn't as constrained by since it is our flagship product. I hope that over time, some of the design and feature benefits pioneered by the CR1 are adapted and spread throughout our product lineup.

Our company was founded on and is known for being the leader in custom fabricating each wheelchair based upon the individual user's specifications and body dimensions. The CR1 needed to have this ability to be customizable, which presented a challenge to do so in carbon fiber since that material requires special tooling for fabrication. Our solution was to section the sideframe into three different sections which allowed for differently sized and angled parts to be used which allows the chair to be custom fitted around each user's individual specifications.

All materials used on the CR1 were chosen based upon the need and the design of the parts. The frame was made out of carbon fiber for its light weight, strength and the ability to molded into the unique shapes required. The other part materials were determined by their application, titanium was selected for parts where high strength or galvanic corrosion was a factor. In other locations, carbon reinforced SMC was used where high wear resistance was needed but the part shape was too complex to be made in titanium.

There were several design iterations the chair progressed from through different prototypes. Some of the major design challenges were attachment of the caster forks to the frame, allowing for the finetuning and adjustments the chair provides for the user to be able to dial in the performance and comfort. The largest design challenge was segmenting the frame and figuring out where doing so provided the optimum location for strength and customization. This project started before the world shut down for Covid, so keeping the project alive and refocused on internally presented its own unique challenges.

The foam core technology for the fabrication process was developed and patented by our carbon fiber frame supplier. The core is critical in minimizing the noise that gets transmitted through the frame. Carbon fiber is already good at absorbing and minimizing vibrations, the foam core adds an additional layer of vibration absorption. This improves the user's experience and the quality perception of the product.

The person's mobility device should fit them so well that every movement translates into a reactive and desired movement of the device, an extension of themselves. Think of it as a wheeled prosthetic. In terms of personal dependence and importance, there isn't a single device a disabled individual will depend upon greater than their personal mobility device.

I hope the way in which it enables and improves the users lives. Partiality aside, the CR1 is the quickest responding, best rolling and instantly reactive wheelchair I've ever used. I hope enough people get to experience it for themselves to see how enabling a device it can be.