Experience Design at Nokia

PingMag interviews Liisa Puolakka, Nokia's Head of Brand Visual and Sensorial Experiences.

On experience design:

"[R]ather than just designing an object you take a more holistic approach. That means the design language and how it relates to other products; how does it feel to use, both rationally and emotionally; how it’s packaged; what accessories are available; the kind of environment it may be sold in; what services should be targeted to the consumer of that product. And when you start with that kind of approach you end up with something much more purposeful for the user, but not just purposeful, also more pleasurable, so the consumer is surprised, in a positive way, when they use the product. ... those things relate back to the brand, to the way that consumers think about a company’s image. Experience design is about the way a person experiences a brand."

I wonder how our online experiences, say a website, or, hey, the search experience, would feel when considered in this holistic way? What would happen if we did trend studies and future concepting? What if we did design projections 3-5 years into the future?

And what about clarity and single-mindedness of vision?

"The main thing is to find the right way, the appropriate way, to get across your point of view. A lot of the fashion companies do it very well, especially Prada, or Marc Jacobs. But also Nike - even though they have a huge range of quite different products, the story and the attitude is consistent. Starbucks is another company which understands very well its own point of view, and gets that story across. Apple of course…

But those are all companies with a strong figurehead, one person with a very clear vision. Nokia isn’t like that is it?

No, but it doesn’t mean a company can’t have a vision. If everyone shares that single point of view, if everyone believes in the same idea, it’s possible. It’s the vision that’s important."

Vision, point of view, belief communicated through story and attitude. How different would your products and company be with these tools, these assets in hand?