Design Students to Participate in a ''Once in a Lifetime Experience'' Where They Take a Product From Concept to Prototype in Just Three Days
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Jun 3, 2002--RKS Design (www.rksdesign.com), an internationally renowned, award-winning design group, today announced that it had selected seven participants for its 3rd annual ''Life in the Fast Lane'' design workshop. Selected from over two hundred applications received from around the world, these seven exceptional industrial design students will take part in a uniquely collaborative, high-energy product development event where they will work with senior members of the RKS Design team to take a product from concept to prototype in only three days. The 2002 workshop will take place on June 7, 8, and 9 at the RKS Design offices.
The seven participants selected for the 2002 Life in the Fast Lane design workshop are: Brett Tom from the Pratt Institute, Daniel Ballou from California State University at Long Beach, Kristin Will from Western Washington University, Andres Cardenas from the Savannah College of Arts and Design, Ryan Nagode from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Samvit Blass from the Massachusetts College of Art, and Dosun Shin from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
As in past years, the RKS Design team will guide the students through a product design process to enhance their skills in sketching, rendering, product engineering, CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing). Real-world products - such as a portable MP3 player (2000 Life in the Fast Lane) and the Urban Griller, an urban barbeque grill (2001 Life in the Fast Lane) - are chosen to simulate a realistic industrial design experience. The subject of this year`s workshop will not be announced until the participants arrive at RKS Design headquarters to start the workshop.
As part of the workshop, participants are also introduced to RKS Design`s proprietary design technique known as Psycho-Aesthetics(TM). It is a unique methodology that helps to create a meaningful connection between the consumer and a product and subsequently builds positive brand associations for RKS` clients.
If the past workshops are any indication, students will come away inspired about the industry and excited about their future careers. For instance, a year after the workshop, Scot Herbst, a 2001 workshop participant says, ''(Life In The Fast Lane) was fundamentally one of the more significant points of my education.'' And fellow participant Bill Nottingham relates that the experience helped him ''open (his) eyes to a different way of thinking.''
''The goal of the `Life in the Fast Lane` workshop is to expose these talented young designers to what it takes to work in a collaborative environment as well as introduce them to our Psycho-Aesthetics methodology for design,'' said Ravi Sawhney, president and CEO of RKS Design. ''We feel very strongly that this unique educational experience contributes to the overall advancement of the industrial design business by mentoring these exceptional students. Our team looks forward to the event each year and we look at it as our way of giving back to the design community. The first two years provided some incredible results with the portable MP3 player and Urban Griller. I can`t wait to see what materializes as a result of this year`s workshop,'' he added.
For being selected, participants will receive travel reimbursement, lodging, all ground transportation, meals, art supplies, an 8x10 picture of the finished product for their portfolio, a copy of a full page ad featuring the design team and the final design, and a certificate of participation. More importantly, they will have benefited from working in a truly collaborative environment and receive a better understanding of what it takes to be a world-class industrial designer.
About RKS Design
RKS Design, Inc. has proven itself one of the hottest design groups in the country, measuring its success in repeat business, growth, recognition, awards, and product achievements. Using its proprietary methodology of Psycho-Aesthetics(TM), RKS assesses cultural and environmental factors for each design, as well as the influences of southern California`s ''FATE'' - fashion, architecture, transportation, and entertainment - all of which provide a completely different perspective from that of the world`s traditional design centers. This intuitive design approach explores lifestyle trends and user interaction to expose user needs and influence the manipulation of technology, materials, and form to satisfy those needs. RKS innovation has helped boost the revenue and customer loyalty for such companies as Hewlett Packard, Amana/Maytag, Medtronic, Gibson, Intel, Wham-O, Fossil, and JBL Audio. The company is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. For more information, visit the RKS web site at www.rksdesign.com, or contact the company directly at 805/370-1200.
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