Episode 4

full
Published on:

15th May 2024

Chris Johnson on his time at Speedo, FactoryDesign and writing his book "Design, Lead, Succeed"

Episode 4 of the Design Journeys Podcast hosted by Chris Whyte. New episodes every other Wednesday!


On this episode we're joined by Chris Johnson.


Summary

Chris Johnson discusses his journey from studying transportation design at Coventry University to working at design consultancies, Bombardier, and eventually joining Speedo. He shares his experiences and highlights, including working on the iconic Concord project and designing the Fasken Elite Goggles for the Olympics. Chris emphasizes the importance of perseverance and combining passion with design skills to succeed in the industry. In this conversation, Chris Johnson discusses his experience designing racing goggles and leading design teams. He shares insights on the evolution of the product and the challenges of balancing ambition with rules in sports design. Chris also highlights the importance of research and innovation in creating step changes. He talks about his book, 'Design, Lead, Succeed,' and emphasizes the value of setting shared principles in design teams. Chris reflects on his career and the learning opportunities he encountered, including the challenges of transitioning into design leadership. He provides advice for candidates looking to stand out in the job market and shares his favorite book and podcast.


Takeaways

  • Perseverance is key in job searching, especially when applying to big brands.
  • Combining passion with design skills can open up new opportunities.
  • Having access to a factory or workshop can enhance the design process and allow for hands-on problem-solving.
  • Designing products involves not only creating physical designs but also setting the brand strategy and visual identity. Research and innovation are critical in creating step changes in product design.
  • Setting shared principles in design teams helps to align values and improve collaboration.
  • Transitioning into design leadership can be challenging, but taking sideways moves and pursuing further education can help in career progression.
  • Hobbies and interests on a CV can make a candidate stand out and demonstrate relevant skills and attributes.


Chris's recommended books and podcasts:


Buy "Design, Lead, Succeed" by Chris Johnson here: https://amzn.eu/d/glLIENd


Connect with Chris Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjohnson-design/


Connect with Chris Whyte on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte/⁠⁠


Learn more about Kodu Recruitment: ⁠⁠https://teamkodu.com/

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About the Podcast

The Design Journeys Podcast
For people interested in physical product design and development
Hosted by Chris Whyte, The Design Journeys Podcast is a podcast focused exclusively on product design and development careers. In each episode Chris interviews a founder or design leader from the physical product development space aiming to give listeners inspiration, insights and actions on how to further their own careers.

About your host

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Chris Whyte

Hi, I'm your host of the Design Journeys Podcast.

I'm also the founder of Kodu - a specialist recruitment consultancy focused exclusively on physical product development. It's the people who I've met in my years in the industry that inspired me to start this podcast.

When I'm not hosting the podcast, I help physical product brands, start-ups and design consultancies identify, attract and hire the best product design & engineering talent ahead of their competitors, across the USA, UK and Europe 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇪🇺

I focus exclusively on 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘴!)

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 & 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬:
✅ Do you have high growth plans for your physical product development and engineering division?
✅ Would you like to engage with and source those hard-to-find Design Engineers and Industrial Designers?
✅ Are you spending too much time in the hiring process only to find that the talent doesn't match your expectations?

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐌𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬:
✅ Are you interested in joining an exciting start-up, design consultancy or technology brand?
✅ Interested in honest, transparent advice as to which companies would be the best fit for you?

If you agree with any of the above, I know how you feel as I deal with people just like you every day.

I have successfully placed hundreds of design engineers, industrial designers, managers and directors into some of the world's most exciting technology brands, start-ups and consultancies.

My clients tell me they work with me because:

⭐ I focus on long-term relationship building, not transactions
⭐ I speak their language and understand their businesses and job roles
⭐ I’m professional, yet friendly and very approachable
⭐ My robust process significantly reduces time-to-hire

I’ve worked within consumer electronics, homewares, kitchen appliances, e-bikes, medical devices, gaming controllers, furniture, life-sciences, audio-equipment, vacuum cleaners and more!

Typically, I recruit the following roles:
💡 VP Engineering
💡 Engineering Director
💡 Design Manager
💡 Industrial Designer
💡 Product Designer (products not apps!)
💡 Product Design Engineer
💡 Mechanical Design Engineer
💡 Mechanical Engineer

Outside of work, I'm a wannabe rock star and a father to two teenagers. I support Manchester United and I'm terrible at FIFA/FC24 🤓

If you want to talk about my work or anything else, message me on here and I'll respond as soon as I can. Or you can reach me via:

chris@teamkodu.com

UK: +44 7538 928 518
US: +1 862 298 5088