Conor McDonald Designer Interview

We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Conor McDonald ("CM").

Designer Profile of Conor McDonald

Conor McDonald Creative is a full service consulting and design firm, with expertise in industrial design, interior architecture, manufacturing methods, materials, and design program management. design projects are rarely resolute and often daunting. the complicated series of steps, each contingent on the outcome of the previous, can be easily taken off course. drawing on experience and an extensive knowledge of materials and manufacturing techniques, Conor McDonald Creative simplifies even the most complex projects, defining a clear path toward manufacture and market.

Conor McDonald Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Conor McDonald.

Designer Interview of Conor McDonald:

DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

CM : i’ve known that I would be a designer since elementary school. i’ve always been intrigued by how things looked and worked. this interest led me to pursue an education in industrial design at risd and has afforded me the opportunity to be a contributing factor in a wide range of successful design endeavors.

DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

CM : with emphasis on my background and skills as the central focus, conor mcdonald creative is a design consultancy with expertise in industrial design, interior architecture, manufacturing methods and design program management.

DI: What is "design" for you?

CM : for me, design is the creative process of consideration as it is applied to problem solving.  

DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?

CM : any sort of work where i feel the application of my process will result in a new and interesting outcome.

DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

CM : i don’t have a favorite, but the platner chair is something that i look at with great appreciation. the piece is modern but not stark, easy in form and completely radical in its technique.  

DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?

CM : logos for a construction company when i was still in college.

DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

CM : i don’t have favorites. i try to not be bound by a specific material and consider the efficient use of a varying range of materials central to my design process.  

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

CM : when i’m not sleeping.  

DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

CM : i try to begin each project by recognizing its “stickiest” detail and attacking it head on. with this approach, the process gets easier as you go rather than being knocked off course at the last second.   

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

CM : a frantic need to complete the design in an efficient and highly considered way.  

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

CM : like i received a gift that i really wanted.  

DI: What makes a design successful?

CM : when there is an emotional connection.

DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

CM : whether or not the design successfully serves the function it was intended to. 

DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

CM : to insure that design remains a driver of both cultural and financial growth.

DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

CM : i see the design field starting to realign itself, moving back to creating high quality work rather than trying to make ironic objects.

DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

CM : my design is the outcome of my experiences. i’ve been fortunate to travel extensively and work in varied environments, broadening my knowledge of manufacturing techniques. each opportunity has given me a better idea of how things happen and how the process can be used. this exposure is the basis for my work.

DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

CM : my style is the outcome of my experiences, i filter everything i encounter and apply the gained knowledge to each challenge.

DI: How do you work with companies?

CM : in the capacity of a creative consultant, touching on product, marketing, manufacturing and engineering, with emphasis on addressing their design needs.

DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

CM : i think there is a tendency for companies to work only with designers who have experience in the field directly related to their project. i’m not sure that this notion is healthy. i think that a fresh perspective can be often be advantageous.

DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?

CM : design is truly a constant presence of my every day. in those moments when others daydream, i designdream.

DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

CM : consider the business of design with the same critical thinking that you apply to your design process. marketing an idea can be as difficult or more difficult than formalizing an idea.

DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

CM : the positive is that you get to live a full and satisfying life that incorporates design theory into your daily ritual. the negative is that it’s a very non linear way of making a living.

DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?

CM : design isn’t about rules. everybody could do it if there were rules.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

CM : the ability to observe and listen.

DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

CM : i’m never without some means to sketch. i tend to first develop designs using more traditional drafting tools, then go through a series of physical and digital modeling.

DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

CM : i never stop designing or thinking about design. when it’s as all consuming as this, the issue isn’t having time to think about the design, the issue is the time required to keep several designs on track, at once.

DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

CM : it depends on the complexity of the project and my knowledge of its intended market.

DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

CM : would you design a tattoo for me?

DI: What was your most important job experience?

CM : working manual labor for my parents’ company as a child. it’s very easy to become jaded as a designer until you remember what it was like to stack hay bales for days on end.

DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?