INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS: my take on CES

AI and Robots were everywhere. Almost no clear problems being solved.

Every product had "AI" slapped on it like "smart" from a few years ago. Humanoid robots looked impressive until you realized they were being puppeted. None of it felt ready.

What stuck with me was how many products didn't have a defined user or use case. I talked to a team showing orthoscopic tech, but not for the medical industry. It was a cool demo, but when I asked who it was for and what problem it solved the answer surprised me - "we're here to discover that."

That's a big issue within this industry. Starting with tech and hoping to back into customer needs. Instead of starting with a need and building towards a solution.

I love to see imaginative new ideas and wonder what could be. But unless you’ve got millions to burn, start with the problem, not the technology.

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