Interview - Joseph Hofer

Joseph Hofer and his wife Kathryn

Joseph is an industrial designer and photographer who resides in Kitchener, Waterloo. He was instrumental in the creation of the BlackBerry Bold series, as well as the Q10, Z10 and BlackBerry Passport. 

INTERVIEW

I’d like to ask my wife to review this — but for now here is my first draft. Let me know if it’s in the format / content you were hoping.

1. Describe your path to what you're doing now.

My early years in rural Ontario were focused on the journey of becoming a craftsman, building and refinishing furniture. To expand on what I was learning about making things by hand, I began studying industrial design in college and during the first few years of my career. After learning traditional design techniques such as prioritizing a products function, form-giving, materials selection and CAD systems, I began questioning and thinking about a product’s purpose on a deeper level. Today, I’m developing Hofer Studio, a design practice that draws talented professionals together, such as design researchers, graphic and industrial designers, and engineers—to deliver thoughtful product experiences for clients and users alike. The unique ‘design partner’ role I often play has given me viewpoints into different business models, strategies, and the effect on product relevance.

2. What does a typical day look like to you?

A typical day starts with a coffee and quiet time. If not, I can lose sight of the big picture. Planning my week happens on Monday morning, so I typically have a schedule and list as to what needs to get done on that particular day. I use blocks of time to either focus on something near (a deliverable for a client that week, etc), or far (planning longer term projects, future business developments, etc). Since most of my clients and contributors work remotely, we use video calls, screen sharing, and group messaging to interact throughout the day. It’s always been important to me to maintain and build my network, so a coffee or two a week with old and/or new contacts is not uncommon. Since family is my top priority, I try to keep evenings personal though I can be found 'burning the midnight oil’ at times to keep a commitment.

3. Have you had any mentors along the way? 

I’ve had many mentors along the way. I think the key is to not only have one. I’ve had different mentors for design, personal, business, finances, etc. Some were authors, design leaders I’d never met, others became close friends for a season.

4. If so, are there any particular lessons from them that stick in your mind?

Some that stand out —

My parents — to treat others as I would prefer to be treated

Kathryn Hofer — to plan what I do before I do it

Frank Tyneski — to collaborate not control, to forgive and believe for the best in people, and to always be learning and pushing oneself

Todd Wood — to constantly adjust design focus from macro to micro, back to macro. To look for patterns, develop principles, and be intentional about design choices—never be careless

Doug Heaman — to love those hard to love

Colin Nanton — to pursue my purpose and passion

Brian Klemmer — to listen without judgement

Daniel Pink — to consider the effects of automation, Asia, and abundance in planning my future

Steve Fleming — to be of integrity

5. What makes a project challenging? Are challenging projects the most rewarding? 

In my experience there are two types of challenging projects. 

The first type of challenging project is culture-driven. It could be a lack of openness to change from the team; decision-maker to developer. It could be strong egos, with individuals wanting things their way over what’s best for the user. Not having a collaborative, respectful team will stall innovation, cause rework, and kill passion. I’ve seen this over and over and it’s toxic—I run from these types of projects. 

The second type of challenging project is constraint-driven. Often a new product will be birthed out of specific constraints—technical, business, or user criteria that are important for the point in time. These constraints are incredibly inspiring and needed to breed innovation, as creative brains work to solve the problem through ideation and iteration. In a nutshell—weak constraints create a weak design, strong constraints create a strong design.      

6. What factors did you have to consider when designing for BlackBerry? 

A few buckets come to mind though there were many others. Design for humans. Loyal BlackBerry users loved their device. Was it fit in hand, materiality, tactility, configurability—or a combination thereof? Designing something to be cherished and used hundreds of times a day was not an easy challenge. I helped develop the BlackBerry keyboard surfacing that resulted in a harmonious blend of ergonomics, brand identity, and speed of use. Along with that, every aspect of the device was studied in an attempt to make it feel ‘second nature’ and accessible. Design for physics. Working closely with the antenna and mechanical designers, the product designs themselves were often shaped by technical achievements or considerations. Such as the Bold 9900 metal frame, one of the first products with a full continuous metal frame that acted as an antenna, and without antenna-gate. Design for the brand. The BlackBerry Bold product design created a language that influenced brand identity for generations of products to come. Considering a portfolio and designing a framework to build future products with was top of mind.   

7. How has your work at BlackBerry influenced your current work? 

It has influenced me tremendously, and for that I’m grateful. I’ve become bolder in my creativity, more diligent in my design, and more empathetic in my choices.

8. How do you think designers help to shape the world?

We attempt to shape future realities by understanding changing trends and empathizing with other humans; making sense of what we learn in order to propose actionable strategies. 

9. What advice would you give to budding designers? 

Be patient.

Treat others as you would prefer to be treated.

Never stop improving yourself.

Focus on both the big picture and the details.

Live honestly. 

10. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? 

If I maintain caring for my family as a top priority, focus on making smarter business decisions, and consider others more deeply in my design; I see myself as a more effective, confident, and creative design entrepreneur.