Dhaval Thakkar, Industrial Designer
WHY ARE YOU AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER?
Growing up as far back as I can remember I was always drawing and painting in different mediums. All throughout high school fine art was my focus but I didn’t really know how to translate that into a fulfilling career. Although I enjoyed drawing and painting and the freedom of creating as a form of self expression, it lacked purpose.
Like many people that get into industrial design, I didn’t really find ID, it found me. I stumbled upon ID in an elective course as a first year business major at Indiana University. I was still trying to figure out how I can apply my creativity in a functional sense. When I learned the role of an industrial designer, it immediately clicked. Here was a career where I could utilize my artistic ability to visually communicate solutions for real world problems. It would fulfill my creative side while also providing a sense of stability and reason. The very next semester I moved across the country to San Francisco to pursue the dream of being a designer.
WHAT DREW YOU TO WORK AT SOULO?
I believe the congruent purpose of the team members and a focused end goal of improving the lives of the elderly is what drew me to Soulo. Being part of a bigger picture end goal was important to me. Beyond individual recognition, product sales, or brand growth Soulo has from day one shown their number one priority is improving the lives of people as they age.
DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT SOULO. WERE THERE ANY MEMORABLE MOMENTS?
I’ve been able to apply my creativity to improve the day to day lives of people. I’ve had the opportunity to wear many different hats at Soulo. From doing form exploration sketches, CAD models, and 3D prints to conducting zoom interviews with beta testers; I’ve participated in all parts of the design process.
SHOW US A PICTURE OF YOUR DESK AND EXPLAIN WHY IT LOOKS THE WAY IT LOOKS.
Here’s my desk setup that’s slowly been assembled in my bedroom over the last 18 months.
Desktop PC: My custom PC I built over quarantine where pretty much all my 3d modeling and rendering happens. Also works as a space heater when the renders are running overnight.
BenQ Design Monitors: One of the best color performance monitors on the market. Absolute game changer for photo editing and color selection for tech packs. Recently I set up the dual monitor setup and I don’t think I’ll ever go back.
Wacom Cintiq 16: Pen Display for 3D sculpting on zbrush or quick photoshop edits, pressure sensitivity on wacom pens is still an industry leader.
Logitech MX Craft Keyboard: Low profile sleek keyboard with a programmable knob to flip between tabs, change volume, etc. Super convenient once it’s part of your workflow.
Logitech MX Master 3 Mouse: Best mouse I’ve ever used, really helps with wrist pain if you’re on your computer for hours.
Logitech MX Sound Speakers: BenQ monitors are awesome displays, but the built in speakers are terrible. These aren’t anything fancy but they get the job done!
Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones: Overhead noise cancelling headphones, for when you really need to lock in or just want to ignore the outside world.
Xbox One Elite Controller: The most productive tool on my desk, couldn’t live without this one! Video games breaks are always needed.
Macbook Pro: The trusty daily driver: emails, zoom calls, youtube, online shopping, etc.
iPad Pro: An Incredibly powerful tool for when you’re on the go, and great to watch Netflix in bed.
Formlabs Form 3 SLA Printer: Desktop 3D printer for prototyping with the cleansing and curing stations.
Copic Markers: Can’t beat the pop and energy of marker renders, always adds a ton of character to any project.
Ugmonk Analog: I create lists for everything I need to get done and break everything down step by step. Having your to do list be physical and in your face makes a huge difference.
Herman Miller Aeron: Life changer, not an exaggeration. Over the last 18 months I sat at my desk for a minimum of 16 hours a day, the chair you sit in makes a massive difference and the aeron is one of the best!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PERSONAL CARE PRODUCT THAT YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT?
Foreo face cleanser! Super simple and effective, it has been part of my skincare routine for over 3 years now.
TELL US ABOUT A TIME THAT YOU OVERCAME A DIFFICULT DESIGN CHALLENGE.
I think a tough design challenge I had to overcome was working on a project where I was designing for the physically impaired. As a designer you’re always told you can’t just design products catered to yourself but often as a young designer that’s exactly what you do. This situation pushed me to apply design thinking from the perspective of another person and problem solve for issues I had never experienced. It required deeper research, open communication and was a lot harder but that experience identified all the flaws in my personal design process.
WHO IS AN OLDER ADULT IN YOUR LIFE WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO YOU?
My parents decided to leave behind everything they knew in India and travel across the world to provide My sister and I with the opportunities they never had. They work every day so selflessly, always putting myself and my sister first. They inspire me to work harder everyday, they’ve sacrificed far too much for me to not succeed to my fullest potential.
