TONY CATIGNANI

I graduated in graphic design at the Ealing School of Art in 1970, then working at various design studios & agencies around London. Although this was extremely interesting and diverse field of work, I had in mind to work with 3D design. Together with my interest in cars I pursued a course in automobile design and was successful in attending the Royal College of Art, sponsored by the Ford motor Company. Graduating in Automotive Design in 1976. The following 8 years were spent developing my skills & experience with Ford in the UK & Germany. By 1983 I decided it was time to take a challenge and moved to a small design consultancy working with industrial design. In 1984 I was lured back into the car industry as a consultant designer to Saab Automobile of Sweden. Based in the UK for a few years. In 1990 I became a senior designer with Saab in Sweden and by 1995 I was exterior design manager at Saab. Saab had captured my soul but the company was sadly & frustratingly dying by 1999. By 2000, I joined Volvo cars at their design centre as a chief designer. I was responsible for a team including exterior, interior, colour & materials development. In 2004 I left Volvo and took up the roll as transport design director at Umeå Institute of Design. During this time I was responsible for developing the course plans and practical guidance of students in the design process and methodology. One main focus being on human centric design but encouraging exploration without preconceived ideas on what the result should be. My basic philosophy is about honest design with honest materials. Good design is form and function in balance. In most cases one does not succeed without the other, but design always revolves around people. This is a real challenge in the automotive industry where traditional views on vehicle aesthetics still prevail.

Tony Catignani …. "Design is serious fun"  "Futuristic, Realistic" "A great sketch is not always a great design" ….. updated 2020

I have always aspired to create exciting and desirable designs, even though I have worked in complex processes with serious production targets plus budget and marketing controls. Experience and knowledge has given me greater vision and the ability to work from concepts through to product completion within teams. 

The use of quality materials together with the attention to detail in the design process is essential for a successful product.

Technological development in materials will give greater freedom to designers in their quest for new and exciting design solutions.

Designers must be "provocative" and push their thoughts and ideas beyond what most people see today and have the opportunity to visualise and present those ideas in a clear and logical way. 

Increasingly many companies or organisations driven by financial and economical constraints tend to drive processes & costs as the priority, with minimum investment for the long term. Reducing quality and creating shortcuts wherever they can. In many cases engineering and marketing groups tending to fall behind these safe decisions. This usually leaves design teams frustrated and wondering what more could they do. The result is a diluted or uninspiring version of what could have been. What is alarming is the possibility that the company could be completely out of step with the future markets and fall way behind the competition.

Keeping a "brand identity" and being progressive is a tough challenge. It’s about finding the right balance between "revolution and evolution". Marketing and product planners can possibly know the target group of tomorrow, but that is a short term view.

Designers can produce concepts and ideas that go beyond what is expected and potentially offering exciting & valued products or services.  

Whatever a company size or strategy customers will expect service, quality and reliability as well as uniqueness and individuality in their lifestyle acquisitions. Products have to look exciting, but also be functional and easy to use. "Form and function in balance" with focus on "human interaction" are fundamental to good design.

What good is a beautiful chair if you can’t sit on it!    It’s as much about an experience as the aesthetics. updated 2021.