Design October 6, 2006, 11:12AM EST

Philips Goes Fabulous

Forget industrial lighting. The Dutch titan is introducing product concepts that pique the user's psyche and respect the need for simplicity

by Kerry Capell

Borrowing a page from the fashion and car industries, Royal Philips Electronics kicked off its Oct. 2 Simplicity Event in London in high style. A massive section of the ExCeL conference center was transformed into a sleek futuristic showcase for a range of new design concepts and a sample of prospective products that aim to improve quality of life and contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

"The last decade was the information society, but going forward, health and well-being will be a leading theme and driver of economic growth," says Philips CEO Gerard Kleisterlee.

It's a trend the Dutch giant hopes to capitalize on as part of its ongoing transformation from a high-volume electronics manufacturer into a design-led company focusing on health and lifestyle. Forget light-emitting diodes and liquid crystal displays—the new Philips aims to give consumers what they really want: intuitive, easy-to-use products that better meet their needs.

PEOPLE FOCUS.

Consequently, Philips is changing, says Stefano Marzano, CEO and chief creative director for Philips Design, "from a company in which technology called the shots to one in which the focus is firmly on people."

The latest simplicity concepts have resulted from intensive consumer research, blending traditional design skills with psychology, anthropology, and ethnography. The research showed that an aging population, which caused a rise in health-care costs, will shift the focus of clinical health care from curing to prevention, with individuals taking increasing responsibility for their own health.

Set amid entirely white rooms furnished with white leather sofas and stylish cool blue lighting, the concepts were displayed in carefully staged home settings. Actors demonstrated a range of concepts based on Philips' core strengths of consumer electronics, lighting, and medical systems.

QUASI-HUMANS.

Using the insights from its research, the company developed personas—individual composite characters with particular needs and characteristics—to design appropriate solutions. These 14 entities, ranging in age from 5 to 53, illustrated the five key themes behind the event.

"Listen to your body" displayed a series of health monitoring devices while "Care for your body" used sensory therapies such as light to rejuvenate and energize. "Move your body" looked at interactive ways to stimulate play for kids and an exercise system to keep in shape for adults. "Relax your mind" used light and music to change the atmosphere of a room and your moods, while "Share experiences" explored innovative and interactive ways to share photos and communicate with family and friends.

With the focus on simplicity, the featured concepts reached beyond what the products do to how people experience them. So, instead of lengthy user manuals or complicated keypads and remotes, the collection focused on gesture, touching, and other intuitive ways for humans to interact with their environment. A wall-mounted device called Sunshine, which uses natural light rhythms to simulate artificial sunlight, for instance, is controlled through simple hand gestures.

CONCEPT TO PRODUCT.

Hoping to gain further insights on simplicity, the company unveiled a sponsored blog, www.livesimplicity.net, to allow people to share their own ideas about simplicity in areas as varied as travel, business, communication, health and wellness, and technology.

Getting feedback counts as a major goal of the event, too. This will be used to make improvements and move the concepts toward actual products within the next three to five years. A handful of products displayed at the event will likely hit the market soon.

One example: Living Colors, scheduled to launch in 2007, is an LED lighting system for the home that allows you to select from an infinite range of hues to change the atmosphere of any room.

"These products are a clear demonstration that we are delivering on our vision of using simplicity to design and produce products that better fit with people's lives," says Andrea Ragnetti, chief marketing officer of Philips and chief executive officer of Philips Domestic Appliances and Personal Care.

Capell is a senior writer in BusinessWeek's London bureau.