Interview
Mati Papalini and Marko Filipic
1 Please give us a brief bio of yourself and your design background.
We are Mati Papalini and Marko Filipic and together we are Watif. We are two designers with more than 7 years of experience in innovation projects. Our background is in Product Design, but we extend each project further, including Strategic Design tools, Service Design and User Experience Design.
2 What made you become/why did you choose to become a designer/artist?
We both came across Design by accident, we came from engineering backgrounds and we were looking to explore our creative and artistic side as well as our technical side. We met at Design School, and since then we have done all kinds of innovation projects. Design is our passion and we believe it has the potential to make big changes.
3 Tell us more about your business/company, job profile, and what you do.
At Watif, we help companies make their products the favourites of their consumers. We offer human-centred product design services aligned with the objectives and personality of each business. We develop detailed and transparent Design processes tailor-made for each project and company we work with.
4 What does “design” mean to you?
Good Design is the secret ingredient that makes people love certain products more than others. Sadly, the concept of Design has been misused as a trend. Many companies struggle with poorly implemented Design processes. They come up with an artistic result, complex to produce or use and disconnected from the company's reality. Good design is the result of a strategic process that includes the users, the company and the planet.
5 What’s your favorite kind of design and why?
Our favourite kind of design is minimalist design. We believe that a simple and clean design can evoke emotions in a subtle but impactful way. Minimalism is not just about using fewer elements; it's about finding the right balance between form, function, technology, planet and business. Minimalist design is at the same time challenging and rewarding. It requires a deep understanding of the user's needs, a strong design sense, and the ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and simplicity.
6 To you, what makes a “good” design?
For us, it is very noticeable when a product not only works but also breathes magic. In other words, it perfectly solves a problem that some users have, it has delightful moments that generate emotions, it is designed to have the minimum possible impact on the planet and its construction and manufacture make the most of the technological possibilities of each process.
7 Describe your design style and its main characteristics.
At Watif, we have a passion for detail. This means that every aspect of the design process, from the smallest element to the overall strategy, is carefully considered and crafted to ensure a cohesive and polished final product. Having a design process that integrates all the details allows us to easily distinguish anything that is not necessary to arrive at a pure, minimalist design.
8 Tell us about your design process.
At Watif we believe that each project and each client is unique, so we adapt our Design Process to the specific needs and objectives of each project. We create Design Processes based on 3 general blocks: - Research and Awareness: We start by learning as much as we can about the users, our client's business, the industry, the target audience and the competition. - Conceptual Design: Based on the results of our research, we brainstorm and generate multiple design concepts and ideas. - Development: In this phase, we start to turn our ideas into tangible prototypes that can be tested and validated. This is how we reach the implementation and manufacturing phase, taking care of every last detail. We also make sure to incorporate feedback and iterate throughout the Design Process, and we prioritise continuous improvement even after delivery.
9 Do you think your country and its cultural heritage has an impact on your design process?
Totally, we are Argentinians and we have a strong bias towards making the most of every resource to solve problems as efficiently as possible. This is always present in our process, helping our clients to reduce costs and come up with more innovative solutions.
10 Congratulations! As the winner of the 2023 MUSE Design Awards, what does it mean to you and your company and team to receive this award distinction?
Thank you! It was spectacular news to learn that the Nobi Lamp had won 5 MUSE Platinum and 3 MUSE Gold awards. For us, it is very exciting and great feedback for our work in which we put so much love and passion. Especially when that feedback comes from the great designers who are part of the MUSE Design Awards jury.
11 Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2023 MUSE Design Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?
Nobi Smart Lamp is a stylish, AI-powered lamp for fall detection, fall prediction and prevention. Nobi combines sensors with cameras, making this AI-lamp even more accurate and versatile. If a person falls, Nobi detects this immediately and asks after 30 seconds if they are okay. In the event of a ‘no' or a call for help, the intelligent lamp contacts either caregivers or family members. The lamp has the ability to open the door for emergency services. Nobi also prevents falls. When a resident sits upright in bed at night Nobi will shine soft light to gently illuminate the room. Nobi illuminates the entire room when the person stands up to go to the bathroom. Carers get alerts when the person leaves their bed during night so they can proactively help to prevent falls. And last but not least, the lamp also monitors sleep patterns and detects changes early so the AI tech can predict an increased risk of falls and reveal other health problems as well. In the near future, Nobi will also monitor cough behaviour to detect potential health issues in a very early stage (health prevention). We worked with Nobi's amazing development team for just over a year to design this lamp that has the potential to help save lives, help senior citizens live more independent lives and support care givers in their busy jobs.
12 What was the biggest challenge with this project?
The biggest challenge of this project was to create a product that -in essence- is cutting-edge technology designed to care for senior citizens, but it coud by no means look like care technology. If we want 65+ and their caregivers to adapt new technologies, then we should stop making “care” products. We wanted people to buy Nobi because they want Nobi, not because they need it. Therefore, we carefully designed a stylish, intuitive, and easy to use lamp. Developed to fit in every interior. Unobtrusive and easy to install, with no wearable accessories or charging required; only a Wi-Fi connection. With these lamps, Nobi demonstrates the importance of design in creating beautiful age-tech products. But understanding beauty not only as something aesthetic but as a product with a pleasant experience, easy to use and that integrates naturally into the lives of its users. Helping to close the gap between elderly and technology….
13 How has winning an Award developed your practice/career?
Winning an award like the MUSE Design Awards is great feedback that we are on the right track. The exposure is amazing and we can help more companies design products that their consumers will love.
14 What are your top three (3) favorite things about our industry?
The Design industry is extremely large, diverse and complex. Our three favourite things about the industry are: - The engine of Design is empathy. Any solution is always people-centred. - Design is integrative. In addition to the user, the process takes into account business, context, society and the impact on the planet. - Design creates the future. The development of new products, services and systems shapes the future, so it can also be designed.
15 What makes your country specifically, unique in the design industry?
Nobi is a rapidly growing Belgian company. Belgium is positioned as a research and development hub in Europe with great potential. Nobi's team is top-class and will undoubtedly play a leading role in the coming years.
16 Where do you see the evolution of design industry going over the next 5-10 years?
At the moment, with all the technological advances that are taking place, it is very difficult to make a prediction about what will happen in the next few years. We think it would be interesting to come up with an ethical model of what impact each new technology will have before it is developed. It is no longer a problem of what we can do, perhaps we should first ask why.
17 If you were a student entering this industry or an aspiring MUSE Design Awards submitter, what advice would you give them?
Work, work and work some more. Practice, feedback and testing are the best tools to keep improving as designers.
18 What resources would you recommend to someone who wants to improve their skills in the design industry?
There are now hundreds of powerful new tools appearing every day. But we think the best tool is to cultivate the Design mindset, enhancing qualities such as empathy, systems thinking, strategy, visualisation. Software changes every day and is easy to learn new tools, human skills always make the difference.
19 Tell us something you have never told anyone else.
Everyone should try mate (Argentina's national tea) at some point in their lives.
20 Who has inspired you in your life and why?
Since we were students, our hero has always been Dieter Rams. We believe he changed the industry and design thinking forever. His principles of good Design are the most inspiring thing a designer can read.
21 What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?
No one has the key to success. You have to pursue your dreams with passion, always be aware of yourself, your limitations and your potential, make mistakes and learn.
22 Which THREE (3) friends/peers would you nominate to participate in the next MUSE Design Awards?
23 Do you have anything else you would like to add to the interview?
It is really wonderful that the Nobi Smart lamp has won 8 MUSE Design Awards. We are very happy and we are celebrating! Thank you! Mati and Marko https://www.watif.design/ http://www.nobi.life
