Interview with Cheng-Jay Tsai
Cheng-Jay Tsai received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from Shih Chien University, Taiwan. He was a one-year exchange student in TH Köln, Germany.
Designer of the Day Interview
11 November 2020
We live in a world of short attention spans. Telling a good story lets me grab people's attention. Therefore I become a product designer; I utilize the synthesized insights and stories to create the life we envision. Likewise, we all have a story to tell. I enjoy listening to innovative concepts, inspiring research, and entrepreneurial ventures.
In my studying path, I noticed that I have a logically but unique sense to tell a story with all kinds of visual communication techniques. As a product designer, it gave me the right platform to deliver my creative ideas and enjoy the moment I am doing it.
I will concern more with the full process that leads my audience from the beginning to the end. If it's my inspiration, then I will ask myself what led me to this stage and communicate with the people who are not following my mindset from the beginning. Like aesthetics, convenience, and more concerning from the questioning, they are all substances that fill my design process make sense and complete.
I always enjoy listening to others describe innovative concepts or an entrepreneurial venture. Paying attention to these things going around us drives me to see through the intangible link and thinking out loud in a bigger picture.
I was born in Taiwan and raised in Taoyuan City, an offshore town where I never stopped observing, dreaming, and forging a creative path. I have studied industrial design in Taiwan, Germany, and the USA. With the experience of being a teaching assistant in class, working in a design studio, and teamwork, I acquired the organizational skills to prepare a presentation and an exhibition.
It has been the eighth year since I first studied industrial design in College. I just experienced the era that 3D printing and Arduino started being widely used in the classroom and small studio. Nowadays, product design department students need to learn code programming and have an interactive or video demo for the final presentation. Compared with our instructors' learning path, we have more dynamic tools with more digitalize professional techniques. As the new 3D tools keep popping out every year, and it seems impossible to become experts from all of them. Once you realized that background, I would suggest making our techniques and knowledge concentrate on becoming an expert in particular subjects. Our instructors' career path is not necessarily prepared for our generation, but making fair use of and integrating the internet world's influence with knowledge focus will bring about more professional career opportunities.
Being a designer is a job, and I couldn't integrate my work and life with the same value. If I feel stuck in my works, I will take a break or swiftly try the other tasks. We are not always in an artist-like working scenario and don't forget we are all humans that will feel tired.
"Vessel" is a cyberpunk concept series created by Los Angeles based industrial and concept designer Daniel Jin Park. The creator is also an instructor at ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena. I had not had a chance to take his class when I was in school. But His visualization and design envision inspired my passion for the industry, and I enjoy seeing all creativity thrive he has made.
Harman Kardon Neo Speaker Created by Gianni Teruzzi and his design team has inspired me greatly. He perfectly embeds the Harman Kardon DNA in the current product line and creates a brand new sight of the future audio experience. I love his work playing with proportions and silhouettes and dwelling in CMF and essential volume, which allowed the entry designer to look forward and keep doing great work.
Harman Kardon Neo Speaker Created by Gianni Teruzzi and his design team has inspired me greatly. He perfectly embeds the Harman Kardon DNA in the current product line and creates a brand new sight of the future audio experience. I love his work playing with proportions and silhouettes and dwelling in CMF and essential volume, which allowed the entry designer to look forward and keep doing great work.
Thank you for featuring me in the interview. More information about myself can be found at my site jamestsai.com
Design Legend Interview
11 November 2020
I am an industrial designer now working with the CMF trends research team in Taiwan. I am also currently a graduate student in industrial design studies. I have spent one year in an exchange program in Germany and a one-year scholarship program at ArtCenter College of Design in 2019.
After graduating from Shih Chien University, I have been a graduate student in Applied Arts at National Ciao-Tung University, Taiwan since 2017. Through meeting and corroborating with design and engineering students in various fields, I have gained relevant experiences in Applied Arts and expanded the limit of the boundaries.
From 2015 to 2017, I was a one-year exchange student in TH Köln, Germany. During the time, I have experienced the culture shock in Germany as well as evolve the well-knit recognition of design verification.
As for my growing environment, I was born in Taiwan in 1994. Taiwan has emerged as a progressive country, priding itself as an energetic democracy and an economic dynamo.
Above all, Those are the academic developments and my growing background that drive me to a designer's path.
After graduating from Shih Chien University, I have been a graduate student in Applied Arts at National Ciao-Tung University, Taiwan since 2017. Through meeting and corroborating with design and engineering students in various fields, I have gained relevant experiences in Applied Arts and expanded the limit of the boundaries.
From 2015 to 2017, I was a one-year exchange student in TH Köln, Germany. During the time, I have experienced the culture shock in Germany as well as evolve the well-knit recognition of design verification.
As for my growing environment, I was born in Taiwan in 1994. Taiwan has emerged as a progressive country, priding itself as an energetic democracy and an economic dynamo.
Above all, Those are the academic developments and my growing background that drive me to a designer's path.
A designer’s responsibility is to define the parameters, to reformulate, change, or partially dissolve them. To establish the realization of the designers' awareness, I believe that the essential aspects of personal identity are always in process.
I major in Industrial Design, especially in product design, design thinking, and computer graphics in modeling emphasis. Since the experience of the exchange student in Germany in 2015 and the second language training after my graduating, I believe that mixed cultural backgrounds can bring about a more evident personal identity.
In chronological order of my learning process, they are Thomas Heitherwick (London, England), Dieter Rams (Wiesbaden, Germany), and Ross Lovegrove (Cardiff, Wales).
One of my favorite designers, Thomas Heatherwick, has always involved in materials and making. His enthusiasm for problem-solving matured into Heatherwick Studio’s current design process. They have works in the design concept, architecture, landscapes, all of them are inspired to challenge the current state with the highest positive social impact. The passion they showed always get me motivated when I was a freshman in college.
By stepping out of the comfort zone, and also making friends with designers from all over the world, I believe that I can let the world know a product designer from Taiwan with a faith that lasts.
Designer Interview
11 November 2020
In my studying path, I noticed that I have a logically but unique sense to tell a story with all kinds of visual communication techniques. As a product designer, it gave me the right platform to deliver my creative ideas and enjoy the moment I am doing it.
I am an industrial designer now working with the CMF trends research team in Taiwan. I am also currently a graduate student in industrial design studies. I have spent one year in an exchange program in Germany and a one-year scholarship program at ArtCenter College of Design in 2019.
Designers care about social harmony and improvement that happens in real life. We are trying to break through the boundary in our field and search for opportunities for cooperation. Thus, there will become sparkles from different environments and cultural diversity through design.
I will concern more with the full process that leads my audience from the beginning to the end. If it's my inspiration, then I will ask myself what led me to this stage and communicate with the people who are not following my mindset from the beginning. Like aesthetics, convenience, they are all substances that fill my design process make sense and complete.
I usually focus on the CMF Design concentrates on the fundamental principles of the use of colors, materials, and finishes to customize products. Also, this area of expertise is what I will keep getting advance in my design method.
It has been the eighth year since I first studied industrial design in College. I just experienced the era that 3D printing and Arduino started being widely used in the classroom and small studio. Nowadays, product design department students need to learn code programming and have an interactive or video demo for the final presentation. Compared with our instructors' learning path, we have more dynamic tools with more digitalize professional techniques. As the new 3D tools keep popping out every year, and it seems impossible to become experts from all of them. Once you realized that background, I would suggest making our techniques and knowledge concentrate on becoming an expert in particular subjects. Our instructors' career path is not necessarily prepared for our generation, but making fair use of and integrating the internet world's influence with knowledge focus will bring about more professional career opportunities.
Being a designer is a job, and I couldn't integrate my work and life with the same value. If I feel stuck in my works, I will take a break or swiftly try the other tasks. We are not always in an artist-like working scenario and don't forget we are all humans that will feel tired.
I usually start my design by sketching and drawing. Quick sketches and prototypes are helpful in every design process.
I have rewarded the MOE Scholarship Program in 2019 and will engage in advanced studies at ArtCenter College of Design, USA.
my social networking and email can be found at jamestsai.com
I want to thank you all for the great interview and the people who have interested in my works.