Beats by Dre Chief Designer on Insights behind Beats by Dre headphones’ $1.5 Billion Success | E230 | #TheProductPodcast
“Great design moves the needle, creates change, and transforms society or markets. It’s inspiring, empowering, and gives people the ability to do something they haven’t done before.”
In this edition of #TheProductPodcast newsletter, we delve into the world of product design with Robert Brunner, founder of Ammunition LLC and Lead Consulting Designer at Beats by Dr. Dre. With many years of experience in the field, Robert shares invaluable insights on what makes great design, the importance of leadership in the design process, and how to navigate the challenges of product development in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
🗞️Subscribe to this newsletter so you get to learn how Product is being done inside the most important companies, directly from the top product leaders in the industry.
There are many incredible lessons to learn from Robert. Here are a few of the top ones:
➡️ Understanding Great Design
“What great requires is a world view. You need to look at the bigger picture and understand the world around you in this product and society. It requires a lot of empathy. To do great design, you have to really put yourself in the lives of others and really understand what that means and how something will create this positive change.”
Robert emphasizes that great design goes beyond just being functional or attractive. It’s about creating transformative change, whether in someone’s life, a market, or society as a whole. He explains that achieving this level of design requires a broader perspective, empathy, and a clear vision. Product managers and designers must look beyond immediate functionality and consider the larger impact their product can have on users and the world around them.
➡️ The Importance of Design Leadership
“It’s very important that as a creative person when you’re working with other organizations that you have confidence in what you’re doing because it is important. And because that energy, as you’re working with a team, is very important. If you feel subservient, you will be subservient. If you feel like you’re a partner, an important part of the process, you will become an important part of the process.”
Robert highlights the crucial role of confidence and leadership in the design process. He stresses that designers need to assert their value within organizations and not feel inferior to other disciplines. This confidence is key to effective collaboration and ensures that design is given the importance it deserves in product development. Product managers can support this by recognizing the value of design and fostering an environment where designers feel empowered to contribute their expertise.
➡️ Balancing Research and Creativity
“We’ve characterized it by this question that we use to guide our early work, which is what’s worth designing in the first place? Because to design and develop and deliver a product is a very expensive enterprise. It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of people. It takes a lot of natural resources.”
Robert emphasizes the importance of thoughtful research in the design process, but cautions against over-reliance on data alone. He introduces the concept of asking “what’s worth designing” as a guiding principle for product development. This approach encourages teams to consider the broader impact and value of a product before investing significant resources. Product managers can adopt this mindset to ensure their teams are focusing on truly impactful projects.
➡️ Fostering Creativity in Product Development
“In teaching creativity, you’re really teaching people to let go of bias, let go of convention, let go of all these things that hold you back and allow yourself to look at something openly and freely and then be willing to spend time to explore those things and iterate on them and play with them.”
Robert shares insights on nurturing creativity within product teams. He emphasizes the importance of creating a safe environment where team members feel comfortable experimenting and taking risks. This involves letting go of biases and conventions, and being open to new ideas. Product managers can foster this environment by encouraging experimentation and viewing failures as learning opportunities.
➡️ Navigating Non-Linear Product Development
“The one thing that I think people have to embody and get comfortable with is things are not always linear. In many ways, they shouldn’t be. You would like it to be linear. You would like it to follow the Gantt chart but many times aren’t. So you have to sort of build in the ability to be nonlinear and allow for discovery.”
Robert highlights the importance of flexibility in the product development process. He advises product managers to be comfortable with uncertainty and non-linear progress, emphasizing that this approach often leads to better outcomes. While timelines and goals are important, being open to discoveries and course corrections along the way can lead to more innovative and impactful products.
➡️ The Human Element in Design
“There is a very unique relationship people have with things, objects in their lives, that’s entirely emotional. We, in many ways, define who we are to the things we possess or the things we wear or the things we drive or the things we live in or sit on, right? Those are things that are expressions.”
As AI and automation become more prevalent in design tools, Robert maintains that the human element in design will remain irreplaceable. He argues that the emotional connection people have with products is fundamentally human and that successful design will always require human creativity and empathy. Product managers should consider this perspective when integrating AI tools into their design processes, ensuring that the human touch remains central to product development.
🔑 Key takeaways
- Great design goes beyond functionality to create transformative change.
- Design leadership and confidence are crucial for effective product development.
- Consider what’s truly worth designing before investing resources.
- Foster a safe environment for creativity and experimentation.
- Embrace non-linear processes in product development.
- Balance data-driven decisions with intuition and empathy.
- Recognize the enduring importance of the human element in design, even as AI tools advance.
🎧 Check out the full episode here 🎧
➡️If you found this valuable, help us spread the impact by sharing, following and rating the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts, so we all help each other learn and grow.
➡️ If you found this valuable, help us spread the impact by sharing, following and rating the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts, so we all help each other learn and grow.
Do you want to level up your Product Management skills? Check out our certifications , ready to help you improve your or your team’s skills wherever they are: entry, mid, or senior level.
🗞️ Subscribe to this newsletter so you get to learn how Product is being done inside the most important companies, directly from the top product leaders in the industry.
