Her earliest exposure to design was through looking at the wonderful embroideries her mother had crafted before she was born and her grandmother’s intricate crochet designs, which had been entered into national competitions and had once won a first prize. Creativity is obviously genetic for Mylène Tjin, who receives the President’s Design Award for her design of the HP DeskJet 460 mobile printer.

Mylène Tjin, Programme Manager of Industrial Design, HP Singapore recalls, “I started off making my own creations in fashion and interiors when I was in my teens. Later, I also designed some of the furniture pieces at home. It led me to become interested in figuring out the spaces, structures and aesthetics in buildings. I had my mind set on becoming an architect. But when I heard about the Industrial Design faculty at the University, I liked the idea of being an architect of products, especially the part about not having to wait many years to see my designs realized. That certainly sealed the deal for me!”

“When I started studying Industrial Design, I was an idealist and I just wanted to design things the way I wanted them to be. Now, as an Industrial Design professional, I am focused on designing products that customers will appreciate, purchase, and actually use. The product should also contribute to the company’s revenue, and support or enhance the brand value. But at the end of the day, we designers are still able to place our stamp on our designs.

In creating her design for the Deskjet 460, Mylène looked for inspiration at the range of products with which a target user, a typical business professional would interact whilst using the Deskjet 460. These included notebook computers, cell phones and PDAs as well as other business-related products like briefcases, leather-bound diaries and desk accessories. One can immediately see these influences, not only in the design of the Deskjet 460, but also in the accessories that she designed for it, like the exclusive leather sleeve for the printer.”

“The design of the Deskjet 460 is about simplicity, and minimalism that works. A portable printer is usually cramped with complicated mechanism and multiple user interaction areas. My objective has always been to work around the clutter and make the entire product look inviting and easy to use. This is reflected not only on the surface but throughout. For instance, when the top cover of a printer is lifted, one might expect to see “engine” revealed, components, wires, and all. But instead, what you see in the Deskjet 460, is a neatly covered up engine compartment.”

As a designer, Mylène appreciates the increasing interest in design and the growth of a design culture is most appreciated and as globalisation commoditises manufacturing and even technologies, the only key differentiation available for a product is in the design and product user experiences. “Design is now fast becoming a major factor that could determine the survival of a company and all the top players are now leveraging the power of design.”

“I would like to continue to design useful and delightful products that users love and appreciate, spurring the demand for well-designed products. This would have a knock-on effect of manufacturers meeting the demand with supply by further investing in good design.”