iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD: Haier's Federico Ferretti on sponsoring young talents
Federico Ferretti of Casarte (Haier) - a sponsor in the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD - tells in this interview, what it takes to start your career as a young designer and how sustainability and social impact play into this.
iF DESIGN: First of all, why is Casarte a sponsor of the iF DESIGN STUDENT AWARD to promote young design talents?
Federico: Haier Design turned 30 last year. The way in which our global team of more than 350 people has evolved has always been rooted in our commitment to mix talents, coming from different cultures, backgrounds and generations. Looking at younger designers, we believe that passion, the driving force behind talent, is the ultimate skill the design world needs. We are investing in passion and, by supporting young designers, we foster the energy and the optimist essential for a better future.
iF DESIGN: What do you expect from the participants of the competition? What is actually an ‘award-worthy’ student concept?
Federico: We expect participants to present concepts that strike the right balance of vision, empathy, and action. An award-worthy student concept should demonstrate:
Vision: The ability to understand a complex context in which technology, business and people intersect and envision holistic and systemic solutions, able to go beyond the “product” itself.
Empathy: Clearly showing the ability to feel and comprehend deeply other people’s needs and wants.
Action: Not just showing a possible direction, not simply raising the question, but structuring a solution as a part of a roadmap that spans from engagement to actionable and practical steps.
These elements together create a concept that is both innovative and impactful.
iF DESIGN: Sustainability and relevance are among the central social challenges of our time, as are all UN SDGs. How do you or Haier confront these issues?
Federico: As a global number one player in home appliances, with a massive industrial footprint, Haier put sustainability at the core of the company. Sustainability in its broader sense of considering and weigh our impact on “glocal” economies, societies, and environment. In our design process we follow a “fourth dimensional approach” to ensure our physical and digital solutions are worthy of entering people's homes and lives:
Design to Use: Conceived to be functional and understandable for many people as possible, in different cultural contexts and life stages.
Design to Match: Embodied to resonate with different people's behaviors and values, aligning with our brands.
Design to Last: Engineered to accompany our consumers for many years, with the ability to be updated and repaired.
Design to Fit: Strategized as part of a minimal offering to support the proper business model and channels, and shaped to blend seamlessly into the domestic landscape once purchased. Time and people are the ultimate dimensions we use to measure design.
iF DESIGN: We live in a very complex world, with many environmental and political issues and then there are also technical evolutions like AI, posing new challenges (or possibilities) on young designers. How do you view all this when you think of young designers starting their career?
Federico: Younger (and older) generations should not fear change. Design has always been about change, and talented designers know that Design is not based on what they know, but more on the way they react to what they don't know. AI should be embraced as a "zooming out" tool, an "elevator" that allows designers to see challenges in their complex systemic structure and as part of long-lasting transformation. Young designers need to nurture the humanistic side of design, leveraging technology and AI to project their solutions in space and time, making them more sustainable and universal. True innovation comes from this blend of human insight and technological advancement.
Federico Ferretti is Head of Milan Experience Design Centre at Haier since 2021, supervising Haier, Hoover and Candy experience offering. In 2018 he founded the Milan Design Innovation Center for Midea. He is the former Managing Director of Continuum. Previously he was Associate Creative Director at Frog. In 1998 he started his design journey in Mattel- FischerPrice. Federico is an experienced lecturer with participations at various educational venues. He’s currently the Scientific Coordinator of the Master in Innovation Strategy & Product in IED Milan, a faculty member at Bocconi EMiLUX.
iF DESIGN: What are the key skills you expect when looking for new designers for the Casarte/Haier design team?
Federico: As previously mentioned, I do expect three “super-powers” (AKA soft skills):
1. See It (Vision): It's not just about creativity; it's about having a purpose and being creative. Advice:
Don't just try to have many ideas; understand what is ideal.
2. Feel it (Empathy): It's not just about who you are, but what you can do for others. Advice:
Be interested more than trying to be interesting.
3. Do it (Action): It's not just about making it; it's about making it happen. Advice:
Make it clear, make it real.
iF DESIGN: What is your number one advice to young, aspiring designers and why?
Federico: I am not old, but I do expect younger colleagues will give advice to me. They are the future! If I have to give an advice I would prefer to give it to my generation: Our role is to show the way, but not the one ahead, but the one were coming from.