The best designers of the red dot design award 2007 in interview: Anthony DiBitonto and Goeran Jerstroem

In this year’s red dot award: product design, the utility knife “Oxo Good Grips “, designed by Smart Design, has won the red dot: best of the best.  From 2,548 entries the internationally renowned jury of experts selected a total of 43 for the red dot: best of the best and awarded amongst others Oxo. We talked to the designers from Smart Design, Anthony DiBitonto and Goeran Jerstroem.

What inspired you to create this particular product and what was the intention behind it?

The OXO brand has long been associated with Universal Design in the realm of kitchen tools. The Utility knife is part a new hardware tools product line that was created to appeal to a broad audience of users from expert carpenters to novice “do-it-yourselfers”. The design of the tools specifically addressed the needs of women users because they are a fast growing segment of the home repair and decoration market.

For the Utility Knife, we were inspired by the challenge of improving the function of an essential tool that has existed for many years. The new design is a refinement on the traditional form and benefits the user through enhanced ergonomics, simplified blade changing and safe blade storage.

What does being awarded with the “red dot: best of the best” mean to you?

A simple, everyday tool such as the OXO Utility Knife doesn’t often garner design recognitions like the red dot: best of the best.  However, we take this honor to be proof positive that Smart Design’s user-centric approach to design works to solve the most basic as well as the most complicated of design challenges.

What particular challenges do you think designers have to face these days?

Designers today are often asked to design products in categories that are already saturated with “me too” offerings. How do we create real improvements with our designs to set them apart in the crowded marketplace? Our challenge is to come up with yet undiscovered, meaningful innovations and communicate them effectively through design. Our reward is in creating products that deliver experiences that make life better for people.

As a designer, what would you still like to accomplish in the future?

As the resources in our world become less plentiful it will be important for us to effectively design more sustainable products. Consumers are now aware of the need for this and as designers we must try to guide our clients to make a difference.

What do you think is the economic significance of design?

A utility knife is an essential household tool. It delivers a specific function that is needed by many people on a daily basis. The OXO Utility knife brings innovation and improved user benefits to the product and communicates these enhancements through the design. This will highlight the product in the marketplace bolstering sales for OXO and the retailer. For the consumer, the high quality materials and construction will provide economic value through years of safe, comfortable and reliable use.

Safely stowed away – the fascination of functionality

The Oxo Good Grips utility knife is rather a modern day multi-purpose tool. Its design features a new blade storage and replacement solution based on an interesting interpretation and a new approach. The layout focuses on a lever mechanism: A large lever at the base of the handle pulls in the same direction as the door to unlock and open it in one easy motion. Upon opening the spring-loaded blade cartridge, the safe edge of the replacement blades comes slightly forth. Thus the blades seem almost to present themselves to the user. The sophisticated layout of the cartridge interior aims to prevent injuries and thus the user is aided through the blade replacement process with the help of visual cues at the tool-end. On sliding the new blade into place – in an intuitive manner and without particular user precision – it is held securely in place by a magnet. Once the blade has been replaced, the door can be swung closed, locked, and the knife is ready for use. With its intelligent functionality and appealing looks, the design of the Oxo Good Grips delivers a successful and exciting contemporary interpretation of a knife that is both safe and convenient in everyday use.