Assignment 3

Designer Profile

Iokia Bongers

Hi!

My name is Iokia Bongers and I am a designer at iokiab Design & Innovation.

I was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and have a bachelor of design with honours in Interior Architecture.

I have always been interested in all disciplines of design and the creative industry and particularly passionate about interior architecture and the built environment, and how much of an impact design can have on humans as we exist in and interact with space.

Ever since learning about Phygital design during my studies, it has fascinated and inspired me to widen my thinking and find ways to allow humans to interact and be further immersed into the built environment using digital technology and continue to close the gap between physical and digital.

Introduction

Phygital design bridges the gap between the physical world which we live in and the digital world that is becoming a more prevalent part of our loves daily, to bring new, innovative, and immersive experiences that aren’t possible in just the physical world.

Technology such as Virtual reality and augmented reality are examples of how phygital design is used to enhance user experiences by providing interactivity and creating a new reality within the physical world around us.

Phygital design is changing the way we see special design and the opportunities for the boundaries to be pushed further within the next 20 years are endless.

Figure 1. Phygital Design in Nike Store, Seoul (JDAustin)

Looking Ahead

Over the next 20 years, between now and 2043, Phygital design will continue to change how we see design and architecture as it creates new opportunities and ideas for designers to implement in their design projects and to combat design issues. Phygital design will also change how we design in that workflows will change, and the design process will be altered and developed from where it is now.Through this, Phygital design itself will develop and change as new technology is constantly being brought into the industry.

Over the next 10-15 years, Phygital design will begin to become its own industry rather than be a tool or technology that can be mplemented into designs. This means that more jobs will be created in the space of Phygital design and designing digital spaces.

Interior architects and designers will also branch out into new partnerships and collaboration, as well as have more communication with UX designers to branch the physical and built environments into the world of user experience and technology that we see even today beginning to be implemented but not yet integrated.

These developments that will continue to take place over the next decade will ultimately lead to existing in, experiencing and interacting with digital spaces that are more immersive than ever being a normality and expectation.

The meaning of space will change completely from being physical to becoming an interactive combination of physical and digital realm and the gap between the physical and digital world will be smaller than ever.

That’s the future.

2028

Phygital design will continue to become more prevalent

2033

Phygital moves from being a tool or aspect of design to becoming its own industry

2038

jobs created in designing digital spaces that humans can interact with through phygital technology

2043

Phygital spaces are the norm

Our Vision for 2043 IMMERSE the WORLD in INNOVATION.

Our firm’s vision for the next 20 years is to create Phygital design experiences that immerse users and show innovation that fits the needs of clients. Furthermore, we envision the continuation of innovation within the Phygital design industry and find new ways for humans to interact with the physical built environment, through digital technology. Ultimately, we will design great spaces which implement phygital products and technology and are solutions to our client’s design problems.

Our firm is built on the core values of championing innovation and creativity, persistence in solving design issues with great solutions and versatility to take on projects across disciplines and industries.

Figure 2. House of Wisdon Phygital Library, UAE (DGI)

Figure 3. SKP Phygital Store, Beijing (Sybarite)

Our Value

Our target client is someone who has a design project or problem but lacks the knowledge, expertise, and resources to combat it with a contemporary design solution which stand out from other projects and spaces in their industry.

The projects that our clients have may include but are not limited to interior design and architecture projects in which they wish to include Phygital elements to create an immersive and interactive experience, whether in an office setting, retail, or hospitality. They may also have a tight deadline to meet and want an efficient process and may also want to be heavily involved throughout the whole process.

When choosing us, clients can expect an efficient design process that keeps them in the loop and ensures their vision is coming to life, while implementing our firm’s expertise and skillset to make the clients projects stand out from the crowd and create an incredible user experience for their future customers and users. Our design process is easily adaptable to the individual project which makes the experience more personal for the client as well as assists us in finding the best possible design solution for the project.

Our commitment to innovation means that our client’s ideas will be made a reality and the spaces we design will not only solve their design problems but exceed expectation as we integrate Phygital elements and products into projects which also helps our clients stay ahead of the game.

Getting Ahead

Our firm is set apart from the crowd as we have the skillset and expertise to adapt ourselves to the client’s project rather than adapt the project to our design process.

Knowing our way around illustration and 3D visualisation software, building regulations and requirements as well as having expertise in Phygital design products and design means that we are comfortable to step out into our client’s project and make their vision come to fruition.

Our willingness to innovate and think outside the box puts us ahead of competitors and puts our clients ahead of theirs.

We aren’t afraid to experiment and pioneer the Phygital design space and implement new technology and contemporary solutions into our client’sprojects. One of our core values is championing innovation and creativity, and we are strongly committed to expressing that in our work.

We have high level of communication with our clients, keeping them in the loop throughout the whole design process.

As a client, you want to be in the know about your project and the design process that is taking place. With our firm, clients will feel confident in knowing exactly what is going on and will have the opportunities to voice their concerns and queries.

Overall, we aim to have the largest market share in the Phygital design and interior architecture industry and will continue to better ourselves to make that a reality over the next 20 years.

Competitors

Design

Group Italia

Value Proposition

- Provide multidisciplinary services

- Connections to Phygital design agencies

- Dedicated to providing innovative design

How are they competitive

- Product competitor

- QMS certified

- Wide range of services within firm

Sybarite

Value Proposition

- Provide service designing retail and hospitality spaces

- Highly experienced and specialised

How are they competitive

- Generic Competitor

- Highly specialised

- Shown on a large ‘stage’

Value Proposition

- Concept creation and realisation

- Working with AEC industry and specialist vendors

How are they competitive

- Cutting edge creations

- New innovative technology

- Brand specialty

Liganova

Value Proposition

- Phygital point of sale campaigns

- Phygital experience solutions

- Sustainability

How are they competitive

- Retail experience touch points

- Whole brand transformations

- End-to-end solutions

Business Model Canvas

Partners Activities

Create online presence

Graphic Designers and Social Media Managers

Programming and coding

Design and create Phygital spaces

Efficient Flexibile

Coders and Software Engineers

Resources

Social Media

Builders, Labourers, Contractors

Cost Structure

Design software

Coding software

Infrastructure

Value driven Salary, office, subscriptions

Innovation, Research

Unique Innovative

Customers Relationships

Long-Term

Channels

Owned channels

Instagram, Youtube, Tik Tok

Website

Revenue Streams

Asset sale, Licensing

Niche market

Business Owners

Innovative and driven

Percentage fee

Business Feasibility

As a business, we have specific partners who we work with to be able to provide the best possible service and designs to our clients. These partners include builders, contractors and labourers who bring our clients projects from a design shown in plans and renders, to a physical space, including the installation and setup of Phygital design features. We also work closely with graphic designers, marketing, and social media managers, as well as content creators to run the channels and make client communication possible. Finally, we work together with software engineers and coders to help with developing programs and software used in our Phygital design projects.

Our key activities as a business include both tangible and intangible steps towards our clients. These key activities include creating a large social media and online presence as well as a large presence and brand in the market to reach our clients, creating mood boards and inspiration for each project so that we can have a clear vision and visual language for each project, Code and design software, create mock ups and renders of the clients projects in order to allow them to be part of the design process, and design Phygital design spaces which are competitive in cost and at a high quality.

Key resources our business needs to make these activities work include 3D and design software such as the adobe suite, social media platforms and web design programs to help reach clients as well as show past projects, space and infrastructure to be able to innovate and create new technology to be able to stay ahead of our competitors and help our clients to stay ahead of theirs.

Key Partners

Key Activities

Key

Business Desirability

Our target client business owners and companies in mainly retail and hospitality sectors who are looking for a unique and contemporary space which incorporates innovative Phygital design technology.

This client would be interested in business, technology, and innovation, as well as have a focus of staying ahead of the market but may not have the knowledge, skill, and resources to do so themselves. Our client would also want a consistent design language across all existing and future spaces. Our target client would have a high budget but also want to know that their money is being put in the right places and be aware of exactly what their money is going into.

Our main relationship with our clients is a long-term relationship as we aim to maintain communication with the clients even after their initial project is complete. This is because our clients can come back to us for other projects such as new businesses, new spaces for existing businesses as well as to implement new Phygital aspects into their spaces. This also means that clients can get help with troubleshooting as well as maintenance issues. Our clients may also want to expand their business and long-term communication and relationship allows them to keep a consistent design language, visual and special branding which is something that our clients priorities.

As a business, we will mainly use owned channels to reach our clients. Doing this allows us to make the interactions more personal and allow better communication with clients. Our major channels will be a website, Instagram, YouTube and Tik Tok. Although these platforms will take time to run, the costs come down to paid advertising which proves to create a large enough revenue to be a financially sustainable strategy for us. Our website will be used to show our past work and show the clients which we work with as well as allow for easy contact from potential clients for quotes and enquiries. Instagram, Tik Tok and YouTube will be used mainly to show past work as well as to show the innovative ideas and Phygital technology we are incorporating. These channels also allow for maximum engagement.

Business Viability

Our business runs on a value driven cost structure meaning that we base our costs on providing a high-quality service which is highly personalised and tailored to our client’s project as opposed to a cost driven structure which aims for the lowest costs possible. We can do this as providing a high-quality personal service means that our clients are willing to renumerate fairly as well as want to stay with us for more projects which means we will have continuous high revenue. Our costs can be divided into generic and firm specific costs. Our general costs include salary for our designers and staff, office space and amenities fees and subscriptions and purchase of design software. More firm specific costs include marketing costs, investment into echnology and innovation, particularly in AR and VR software and hardware to enhance our clients experience and the eventual users of their space’s experience.

As firm our main revenue streams are asset sale and licensing. The asset we sell is the service of designing a space that involves Phygital design as well as the installation of these features and the construction of the space. Licensing is also part of our revenue streams as clients pay a fee to use software and hardware that we create and provide. With this fee comes installation, trouble shooting and maintenance. We charge a percentage fee which means we agree on a percentage of how much the space costs overall with the client at an early stage and allows the client to be flexible in the design process with revisions and changes. This also means that if the space costs less, the client is being charged unnecessarily.

Conclusion

As a firm, we look to immerse the world in innovation through Phygital design spaces. Built on our core values of innovation, creativity, and persistence, we aim to fulfill the needs of our clients and provide solutions to their design issues in the retail and hospitality fields. Our clients want their businesses and spaces to be ahead of their competitors and through our willingness to innovate, our skillset and our expertise we can achieve this at a high standard.

Seminar Questions

• What do you want out of this unit?

In this unit I hope to learn about and gain valuable insight on the ins and outs of running business in the interior architecture and other creative sectors. I also hope to get some practical experience through the classwork and assignments in putting together reports and other documentation that is necessary when operating in the professional environment.

• What are the opportunities for interior architects in your given topic?

There are many opportunities for interior architects and the architectural industry in Phygital design and services, some of which are already beginning to be implemented within many industries. Phygital design aims to connect the physical world with interactive digital experiences which is seen today using VR and AR. Opportunities in Phygital design can include development of virtual spaces within physical spaces to enhance user experiences or give the user a different architectural experience virtually, to what exists physically. This provides opportunity for more effective use of spaces and opportunities to add digital aspects to the physical environment.

• Should interior architects be aware and design for future trends? Why or why not?

Interior architects should be aware of trends that are becoming prevalent in society and culture as it will assist in designing spaces that are up to speed with technology and innovation that is taking place in other industries. In saying this, sticking too much to trends may limit creativity and originality and restrict the ability for a design to be timeless and survive through different trends as these future trends are usually temporary and eventually become obsolete.

• What do you think is an interior architect’s value proposition to their clients?

A customer or client of an interior architect would have jobs such as the need to come up with designs or provide designs for an interior or a space. Their pains may include not having the ability or skillset to do so and their gains would be having a good quality design to be able to show a builder or to be able to use. The interior architect can provide the service through their knowledge and skillset to alleviate the customers pains and create the gains that the customer wants.

• Do you think we as an industry need to strengthen the architect’s value in the publics eye? Why or why not?

In my opinion, the value of an architect in the eyes of the public is quite high in that it is generally understood that architects have a high level of expertise and skills in particular areas which are unique to the architectural profession. Some of these skills include technical knowledge and a wide skillset that allow them to create dynamic, unique, and aesthetic design. In saying this, as an industry, we need to continue strengthening the value of architects as it is evident that we are coming into a time of change and innovation in terms of technology, and it is important that the value of an architect is strong so that the role doesn’t become obsolete. It would also be beneficial to showcase how architects can be used in this new age of design which includers many digital and mixed reality projects.

• What value do interior architecture firms provide their clients, and is this value unique?

The value that interior architecture firms provide to their clients include specialising in designing unique interiors and spaces which fit the client’s needs as well as solving the clients design problems. Interior architecture firms generally provide the value of having a strong design language which us evident across all projects such as the use of specific principles or elements which become highlights of their work. The service that they provide is unique because interior architects have a high level of expertise and skillset in the areas required as well as knowledge of technology and software used in the modern interior architecture and design industry.

• Is it important for interior architecture firms to analyse their competitors? Why or why not?

As with any other business, it is important for interior architecture firms to analyse their competitors closely to get a competitive edge and achieve competitive advantages. This will help the business as clients are more likely to return in the future as well as suggest the business to their friends or others who may need similar work done in the future.

• How can interior architecture firms establish themselves apart from their competitors?

Interior architecture firms can establish themselves apart from competitors by finding gaps in the market in the interior architecture sector and filling those gaps. They may also implement the use of software or technology that has not yet been used in the interior architecture industry. Interior architecture firms may also find ways to provide a greater or equal service for a lower price or find solutions to make their service a lot better than competitors. All of these things require research and analysis into their competitors in order to find where the advantages and disadvantages lie. They can then work on setting themselves apart from their competitors.

Week 5

• Do you think interior architecture firms need to have a long-term vision? Why or why not?

I think it is important for interior architecture firms, as with any business, to have a clear long term vision of where they want to be and what they want to achieve, as well as their long term purpose and why the business exists for now and the future. This gives the firm the ability to plan and act on things now that can help them to achieve their vision for the future and think about the impact they are having on their own future.

• Should interior architecture firms update their visions regularly, or maintain one for the entirety of the business?

Interior architecture firms should definitely revisit their vision and potentially update e their vision as the creative, design and architectural sector is constantly changing due to the innovation and advancement of technology and materials. Updating their vision allows the business to continue to be innovative themselves and stay ahead of the market. In saying this, I think a firm should have one main idea or value that they base their vision on which should be maintained.

• Do you think clients remunerate interior architecture firms’ value appropriately? Why or why not?

I think that the value of interior architecture firms is generally renumerated appropriately by clients as there is a benchmark for the work firms do. As there is no replacement for interior architects, clients generally recompense fairly. Particularly firms that show their value by working in a niche, going above and beyond or having a large clientele are renumerated better as clients see more of their value.

• How can interior architects better communicate their value to prospective clients?

I think firms can show their value to clients in a few different ways depending on what suits their business. Firstly, providing a detailed overview of the work and processes they will undergo over the span of the project as well as the specific services they’ll provide is one major way that firms can show clients exactly what their value is. Another way is clear communication throughout the entire project so that the client can see how their project is going and have a say in their design coming to fruition as this helps the client feel like the project is theirs and will create a sense of interpersonal value as well.

• What is Positioning and why is it important?

Positioning is the creation of a positive image and perception of a firm as opposed to their competitors, putting the firm above and ahead of the rest of the market in the eye of clients. This is important for a firm as it means they would have a larger market share as well as a bigger clientele with positive views, as well as a positive public view creating the potential for more new clients. Overall good positioning is positive for a business in getting clients and keeping clients, raising revenue and ultimately profits.

• What does a good business positioning look like?

Good business positioning in a firm looks like being unique and providing different products and services for their clients as opposed to their competitors such as newer technology or working in niche markets. Good positioning can also look like competitive prices compared to the rest of the market which would entice more clients and create a better perception of the business while still upholding a good quality standard.

• Do you think interior architecture firms have different business models or do most firms use the same generic business model? Why do you think so?

I think that most firms would use the same or very similar business models which would align with a generic model as it is proven to work for firms as long as they are thoughtful about each sector of the business model and make it suit their business and the way they operate. In a way, firms would take this business model and chance it to suit them making each business unique in some ways. On the other hand, there are firms working in specific markets or that operate in specific ways that would need to use a different model.

• How can interior architecture firms strengthen their business model to stand out from other interior architecture firms?

Firms could stand out by changing and rethinking certain parts of their model such as their revenue and costs to make their business less expensive than other firms. They could also strengthen the customer relations strategies as well as their key activities which would make their business more attractive to clients and potential clients.

Reflection

Over the course of this unit, I have gained a lot of insight into running a business and in particular, a design and interior architecture business. I was also able to dive into the world of Phygital design which is not something I had investigated before.

From a business perspective I think the most valuable things for me were learning about fees, revenue, and costs as this is something that is extremely important in the professional world but had never been taught to me to the extent and depth it was in this unit. I also enjoyed learning about value proposition and forecasting as these are major factors that not only help in the design industry but can be taken to any field in a business sense.

To plan a Phygital design business I had to explore the ins and outs of the topic which has given me a large intertest in this field of design as well.

One thing I found challenging at times was analysing competitors as well as thinking outside the box to create a vision and the Harman Fan. I think that over the course of the semester I did develop my understanding and improve in these areas.

Overall I think that a lot of the business planning will help in my career as I now have a broader understanding of the workings of a business.

Figure 1.

JDAustin. (n.d.). Phygital design in Nike Store Seoul. JDAustin.

https://jdaustin.com/nike-seoul

Figure 2.

Design Group Italia. (2020). House of Wisdom. Design Group Italia.

https://www.designgroupitalia.com/project/house-of-wisdom/

Figure 3.

Sybarite. (n.d.). SKP-S Beijing. Sybarite.

https://sybarite.com/work/skp-s-beijing/

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Customer relationships. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/customer-relationships

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Channels. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/channels

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Key activities. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/key-activities

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Key partnerships. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/key-partnerships

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Key resources. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/key-resources

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Revenue streams. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/revenue-streams

Strategyzer. (n.d.). Cost structure. Business Model Canvas. Retrieved from https://www.strategyzer.com/business-model-canvas/cost-structure

Austin, J. D. (n.d.). Nike Seoul. Retrieved from https://jdaustin.com/nike-seoul

Liganova. (n.d.). Festive campaign 2021. Retrieved from https://liganova.com/portfolio/festive-campaign-2021/

Sybarite. (n.d.). SKP’s Beijing. Retrieved from https://sybarite.com/work/skp-s-beijing/

Design Group Italia. (n.d.). House of Wisdom. Retrieved from https://www.designgroupitalia.com/project/house-of-wisdom/