Industrial Design + Design Agency Leadership + Creative Confidence with James Howard — DT101 E74

James Howard is a teacher, design historian, industrial designer, and inventor of over 300 products with 18 patents. He's currently the owner-operator of Entrepreneurial U, a specialty private design school. Prior to teaching at the county college of Morris in New Jersey, Professor Howard was the owner-operator of the award-winning Howard Design Agency, an industrial design practice whose clients included Coca-Cola, Colgate Palmolive, and Johnson & Johnson.

James is also the owner of Cozy Cupboard Tearoom of Morristown, New Jersey. The English-style business has been a regional favorite for over 10 years. James serves as the Executive Director of the Black Inventors Hall of Fame, a virtual museum devoted to immortalizing African-Americans whose noteworthy inventions have improved lives, yet gone unnoticed.

Listen in to learn more about:

>> James’ journey to become an industrial designer
>> The Howard Design Agency
>> James’ years teaching design
>> Entrepreneurial U
>> Growth mindset
>> The power of optimism – in work, and in life

Show Highlights

[01:55] James talks about his journey into design, and his big sister Doris.
[03:11] Entering his first drawing contest as a young boy.
[03:16] The disappointment of not getting into the graphic design program – and James’ shift into industrial design as a result.
[05:31] Challenges James faced during his undergraduate and graduate years.
[08:56] Getting into graduate school.
[10:38] James’ struggles with his first mentor in graduate school.
[12:30] How things changed once he had a strong mentor on his side.
[13:15] Winning a design award from RESNA.
[14:01] His first job as an industrial designer.
[15:49] James’ advice for people dealing with bumps in the road.
[16:49] Why James decided to start his own design agency.
[19:51] 15 years at the Howard Design Agency.
[21:10] How running his own agency changed the way James thought about design.
[23:17] James offers advice on how to make a good pitch.
[26:42] The decision to leave his design agency and begin teaching.
[30:59] Founding Entrepreneurial U.
[32:09] James talks about the Bridge program, which helps adults change career pathways.
[32:51] The importance of cultivating a growth mindset.
[33:51] James as the perpetual optimist, and passing that optimism on to his students.
[36:16] Doodling as a second language, to tell stories and convey ideas.
[38:07] Resources James recommends.
[41:18] Where to find out more about James and his work.
[42:30] The Black Inventors’ Hall of Fame.
[46:20] Fluid Hive’s resources for those wanting to learn and practice design thinking.

Links

James on LinkedIn
Entrepreneurial U
Black Inventors’ Hall of Fame
A Conversation with James Howard, Perpetual Optimist
The History of Black Industrial Designers

Book Recommendations 

Marketing for the Small Design Firm, by Jim Morgan
Who Moved My Cheese: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, by Spencer Johnson
Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us, by Tom Kelley and David Kelley
Rebel Talent: Why It Pays to Break the Rules at Work and in Life, by Francesca Gino
The Universal Traveler, by James Bagnell and Don Koberg

Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like

Learning Service Design + Leading Service Transformation with Clive Grinyer — DT101 E66
Integrating Engineering, Design and Business with Tony Hu — DT101 E35
Leading a Design Thinking Consultancy, Betting Small to Win Big, and Driving Business Growth with Design Thinking with Natalie Foley — DT101 E5

Other Resources

Download Fluid Hive's Innovation Shield — a guide to avoiding innovation traps by asking 9 of Fluid Hive's Design Thinking Questions

Innovation Smart Start Webinar — Learn to Ask Like a Designer and take your innovation projects from frantic to focused by working smart from the start.

Fluid Hive: Learn — A growing collection of courses, webinars, and articles for people expanding their design thinking, service design, and human-centered design skills – people who want to think and solve like a designer.