On October 8, University of Illinois alumni Jim Wicks returned to campus as part of the “Design Matters” campus wide lecture series organized by the school of Art & Design. Jim is a vice president and director of consumer-experience design at Motorola. The series was intended to explore the interrelationships between design, technology, and business in creating successful products, services and experiences.
Earlier that day, Art & Design students met with Jim at the Japan House to discuss his philosophy of design, and how his vision in creating the Motorola RAZR was influenced by Japanese aesthetic practices, in particular, the Tea Ceremony.