A successful design leader in both academia and business, Bryan Howell has collaborated with researchers and professionals globally on design and innovation issues for three decades.
The first industrial design director at Dell Computer, the founder of the global product design consultancy Pure Design Labs, and a design manager at Frog Design where he worked directly with Steve Jobs, Howell has advised numerous Silicon Valley start ups and Fortune 100 corporations as well as directed projects at the worlds leading design consultancies such as IDEO, Ammunition and Seymour/Powell.
He currently works as a tenured design professor at Brigham Young University, a board member on the Design Society’s Design Education Special Interest Group in the UK, a committee member for the annual Engineering & Product Design Education Conference, and a faculty member with the Crocker Innovation Fellowship, a yearlong cross-disciplinary innovation course for young entrepreneurs in the Marriott School of Business.
Additionally, Howell also directs efforts to link global industry with students through sponsored course projects, internships, the spring European industrial design tour and the annual BYU design symposium that brings leading national and international design voices to campus.
As a thought leader on design, he speaks and publishes internationally on fundamental and applied design issues involving methods of creativity, sensory perception, and intellectual property. With 31 patents to his name, he has successfully performed as an expert witness for Apple Computer on patent litigation.
Associate Professor
08/06 – Current
Provo, UT
I currently work as a tenured design professor at Brigham Young University, a board member on the Design Society’s Design Education Special Interest Group in the UK and a committee member for the annual european Engineering & Product Design Education Conference. I am also a reviewer for various publications.
I participate as a faculty member in the Marriott Business Schools "Crocker Innovation Fellowship", a yearlong multi-disciplinary course for student entrepreneurs. I run the corporate sponsored studio course linking industry with students to create new products and experiences. I lead courses in Two and Three Dimensional Design Composition, The History of Contemporary Design as well as a multi-disciplinary Experience Design Studio focusing on interface design and the definition, development and validation of meaningful product concepts.
I direct the annual BYU Industrial Design Symposium, which brings onto campus outstanding design leaders from across the nation for training and insight into the broader world of Industrial Design.
My students and I collaborate on fundamental design research and applied design projects that have been published and exhibited nationally and internationally. My research is focused on methods of creativity, sensory perceptions and intellectual property. The majority of my publications have involved undergraduate students in some form, often as co-authors. I am a committee member for numerous multi-disciplinary thesis projects across campus.
I also direct the annual industrial design European Study Abroad Program were students visit museums, historical design sites, design consultancies and corporate design centers. We also attend notable design events such as the Salone Milan and the Dutch, Paris and London Design Week.
Guest researcher
07/13 – 07/14
Delft, The Netherlands
Participated in a Personal Development Leave (Sabbatical) at one of the world’s largest Industrial Design Schools to increase my awareness of Design Research topics and methods, uncover and explore new course content and establish new contacts for future collaborations. Taught in the undergrad "Design for Experience" course and was involved as an editor for the "Concept and Conceptualization" graduate course. Collaborating with researchers on product sound and color/odor correspondances.
Expert Witness
02/13 – 11/13
Park City, UT
Retained as an expert witness for Apple Computer. I attended multiples meetings with USPTO examiners and provided argument strategy and content to a successful conclusion.
Owner,
PUre Design Labs
05/03 – 06/08
Park City, UT
Directed product, graphic, and packaging design with North American and South Asian clients. Significant projects included directing the design and development of a number of fitness product lines for Sportline Inc. as well as a line of Yahoo! branded consumer electronic products. Directed low cost product development process’s utilizing Chinese designers and manufactures.
Graduate degree studies
08/01 – 05/03
University of Texas at Austin
Completed major studies in Design Theory and Methods, and minor studies in Art History, with supporting studies in curriculum development, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property.
Guest Lecturer on “Design Research” at the McCombs School of Business, directed an undergraduate Design course project, and was an assistant in an undergrad Architectural Engineer Design course. Spent the summer of 2002 at Brigham Young University co-teaching the “Introduction to Design” course.
Industrial design acting director,
dell computer
04/00 – 08/01
Austin, TX
Directed the international research and design efforts of Dell’s internal and external product developers creating ~50 new products a year. Directed Dells 9.5 million dollar global Industrial Design budget. Successfully negotiated and restructured the industrial design department within Dells development framework as an independent entity.
Directed the design and construction of Dells first industrial design center. Recruited and hired design executives and researchers.
Initiated the first holistic, cross-functional, user experience research program that led to the establishment of the cross-functional customer experience research center. Established and implemented consistent product identity traits across the entire Dell product line, a first at Dell. Responsibilities included new product opportunity identification and validation, product line planning, entertainment marketing support, and design direction of corporate and consumer product lines for desktops, portables, and peripherals.
Industrial design manager,
dell computer
02/99 – 04/00
Austin, TX
Appointed to re-structure, unify and focus the newly centralized Portable ID staff into a successful implementation team. Organized and implemented a global design research program simultaneously on 3 continents to establish and verify global and regional design directions for three different product families.
Engineering development manager,
dell computer
06/98 – 02/99
Austin, TX
Appointed to manage the “future products” team in Dell’s recently created Inspiron Line of Business. Lead the Research that defined features and products that established Inspiron as the leader in the “Desktop Replacement” segment of the portables market. Worked closely with technology vendors to influence their roadmaps to Dell’s advantage. Led a team of Finance, Marketing and Engineering leads to explore, define and quantify product innovations, development risks and final feature sets. Shipped disruptive technologies, namely 15” and SXGA+ LCD panels and upgradeable video memory. Led the definition and creation of Inspiron’s 7000 series chassis that earned 2.1 billion dollars in revenue and 4.5 million dollars in margin over 2 years.
INdustrial Design manager,
dell computer
06/94 – 06/98
Austin, TX
Built a multi-disciplinary design team that created Dell’s award winning Latitude CP notebook and C Dock family. This was Dell’s first comprehensive product “design language”. Guided worldwide market research on language and usability issues. Created and tested Dell’s new keyboard layout, including a multi patented, split keyboard. This product family brought Dell notebooks from “out of the market” to “global market leader” in 4 years. Brought numerous other notebooks to market including the industry’s first 3 Spindle Notebook.
Design manager,
Frogdesign, Inc.
05/91 – 05/98
Menlo Park, CA
Managed the integration of strategic branding and product design for global clients from frog’s CA and Asian offices. Managed client accounts, including coordinating with engineering, graphic design, industrial design, market research, strategic planning, and human factors. US clients include NeXT Computers, working directly with Steve Jobs for 2 years, EO Computer (Pen input device), Packard Bell Computer, IBM (PDA group in Florida), Logitech (Digital Camera & Mice). Asian clients include Genesis (Digital Phones), Elecom (Computer Accessories), Sachihata (Office Equipment).
Designer and photographer,
Frogdesign GMBH
05/89 – 05/91
Altensteig, Germany
Performed the duties of a staff designer. Was responsible for the creation of product designs and the operation of the photo studio. Coordinated Industrial and Graphic Designers as well as model makers. Major clients include: König & Neurath (Office Furniture Systems), KAVO (Dental Equipment), Melitta (Coffee machines and accessories), Fissler (Cooking utensils), Junghans (time pieces), Jardin (outdoor furniture)
Museum and Exhibit Designer, Exhibit Systems Inc.
04/87 – 10/88
Salt Lake City, UT
Designed layouts, structures, graphics, photography, and content organization and presentation for exhibit booths, visitor centers and museum.