Sain Keat Chuang (Ken), Partner & President of Titane+ (China / Singapore)

Ken is the President and partner in the Singaporean design firm with two additional offices in Shanghai, Titane+ which has a rather methodical yet flexible approach towards design. From engineering to product development to research to design – they offer a host of services for clients across Asia. As an aside, I totally love the way he describes the design process – it’s like listening to a philosopher whose found the meaning of life and uses every word with careful and deliberate intent.

Key takeaways include:

• Creation; still debating if it is a logical result of a design process or a mere baseless inspiration?
• Design is no longer the privilege of the profession… this misled the less educated clients into thinking that design cost can be lowered and reduced.
• A mature design philosophy and process is based on logic and facts.
• Confidence allowed me to focus on the design issues instead of questioning mundane questions of livelihood.
• We do not engage in active marketing, and most of our clients found their way to our door steps through introduction.

You can visit Titane+ at http://www.titanedesign.com.

What is it about design that makes you so passionate? Was opening your own design firm always in the cards even when you were studying at university?

The ability to create value through aesthetic, logic and function. a complex process but yet simple at its core, a fusion of ideas into a product made to pamper its user.

I enjoy the attention, feed on the admirations and lust on the adrenaline rush during the product launch. No, opening my own design studio is not in my to do list while I am in school.

Soon after graduating you began taking on international projects and clients which lead to awards and patents early in your career. How did that experience shape your design esthetic and did you notice any differences in design philosophy or process depending on where the client was located?

The design process is the same, the emphasis is different depending on the project requirement, business objectives and targeted market. A mature design philosophy and process is based on logic and facts. it should not be location bias and definitely will not change according to different culture. Unless a Chinese has an extra limb or an American has 6 fingers instead of 5.

My early success reaffirms my design methodology and believes, which begins taking shape while I am in Temasek Polytechnic. This confidence allowed me to focus on the design issues instead of questioning mundane questions of livelihood.

You seem to jump roles from product designer to design manager to lecturer and entrepreneurship, which roles interest you the most and have you found a certain synergy comes to form from having so many different hats within the design field?

I think the roles requires similar skill sets and ain’t that different from one another. Basically it entails communication, logic, leadership and the ability to design.

I have never in any one time given up any of the roles, meaning to say that while I am a business owner, I still participate in designing products, teaching young minds the logic in design, and none of them in particular interest me more than another. I do feel the synergy being in the fusion of roles. the platform is no longer single dimensional, it provides a variety of insights.

Can you describe the mission of Titane+, what scope of projects it undertakes and how you go about finding clients for your company?

Titane+ is now a multi-discipline, design based consultancy that deals from graphic design, product design, branding, advertising to AV production. We have two local airlines, couple of MNCs and some local businesses as our regular patrons. We do not engage in active marketing, and most of our clients found their way to our door steps through introduction.

What are some design trends you’ve noticed over your design career and how have they been influenced by the democratizing of tools of the trade and lower barriers to entry? For instance, 3D modeling software use to cost thousands of dollars can now be had for free (blender.org) and 3D printers allow people to prototype for a fraction of the price of traditional tooling.

Design is no longer the privilege of the profession with ridiculously easy softwares and lowered barriers, almost any committed individuals can make a decent logo or some form of 3D profiles. This misled the less educated clients into thinking that design cost can be lowered and should be reduced! However, most decent jobs are still performed using the traditional platforms like Alias Studio Tools and Pro Engineer, building visual prototypes etc.

How deeply has China influenced the design esthetics and manufacturing processes for designers such as yourself? It’s a massive market with a rich cultural and historical heritage – it’s now the world’s manufacturer.

It will not be fair to say that China has not influence my design aesthetics or process, nor is it apparent that China has changed my processes or design aesthetic. It is a matter of “time and space”. A natural maturing of thoughts and habits as one experiences more cultures and issues.

What areas of design are you most interested in and influenced by? How do you see design evolving over the next few decades?

Creation; still debating if it is a logical result of a design process or a mere baseless inspiration? I have encountered both instances which can be equally successful! apart from trying to second guess God, I spend most of my time developing, refining design processes. design will become less dominated by a group of design professionals but liberated to the commons. products can be made using cheaper production methods, softwares able to provide a whole series of VI, i can’t imagine the possibilities.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Designers need to think about new positioning, a reason to exist in this so convenient world.