How does Apple get it so right? Why are their products so revered in the tech world? And amongst consumers?
One word frequently quoted in such conversations is design. The look, feel, UX - everything - has been deliberately created to be both beautiful and intuitive. So with that in mind, it wouldn't be that outlandish to think they must employ the very best designers - better than Google, Facebook or any other tech company.
Well that's where we'd be wrong. Apple has no better talent within it's walls than anywhere else. As an ex-Apple designer reveals in this Fast Company interview, the difference essentially boils down to company culture. The quote below may not seem particularly surprising, but it raises an important point - the impact of an organisation as a whole can be much, much greater than the cumulative talent of it's employees.
Whilst Apple may be a pretty renowned example, there are lessons every business can take from this. The power that can come from instilling a particular quality in a business from the start, and hiring based on "fit" as well as skillset, should not be underestimated.
“It's actually the engineering culture, and the way the organization is structured to appreciate and support design. Everybody there is thinking about UX and design, not just the designers. And that’s what makes everything about the product so much better . . . much more than any individual designer or design team.” It has often been said that good design needs to start at the top--that the CEO needs to care about design as much as the designers themselves. People often observe that Steve Jobs brought this structure to Apple. But the reason that structure works isn’t because of a top-down mandate. It’s an all around mandate. Everyone cares.
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