Let's Talk Design

In this episode of Let’s Talk Design, we sit down with Keesjan Engelen, founder and CEO of Titoma (Time To Market), a company that helps businesses design and manufacture complex electronic devices. With nearly 30 years of experience in Taiwan and China, Keesjan has worked at the intersection of business, design, and manufacturing, guiding startups and enterprises alike through the challenges of bringing hardware products to life.

We dive into his fascinating journey, from his business beginnings to moving to Taiwan in 1994, and what it was like working with Chinese ODM factories in the early days. Keesjan shares what he’s learned about avoiding costly mistakes, building global engineering teams, and why “to get to market fast, you need to avoid doing things twice.”

The conversation explores the philosophy behind Time To Market and what sets Titoma apart, the real costs of hardware design and why startups often underestimate them, and the lessons he’s learned from decades of working in Asian manufacturing, including IP protection, pitfalls with ODM factories, and managing supplier relationships. We also discuss the future of IoT, AI, and embedded electronics, how global supply chains are evolving from China to emerging hubs like India, and the critical advice every startup should hear before launching a complex hardware project.

Keesjan also reflects on becoming a leading voice on LinkedIn, how that has shaped his role as an advisor in the technology space, and what’s next for Titoma as new services and technologies emerge.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, product designer, or just curious about how ideas turn into real devices, this conversation is packed with insights on building hardware smarter, faster, and with fewer painful lessons along the way.

If you enjoyed the podcast please like and subscribe!

In this episode, we chat with Fadi M. Abul Hussen, a product designer and branding specialist with over 30 years of experience. From industrial design and 3D modelling to brand identity and packaging, Fadi shares his journey of transforming ideas into market-ready products. The role of surface modelling in SolidWorks, and his perspective on the future of design.

In this episode, we chat with Sabrina Schoenborn, a mechanical engineer working at the intersection of medical design and emerging technology. From developing the world's first arthroscopic robot to her current work in quantum sensing at Q-CTRL. Sabrina shares her journey, the challenges of designing for healthcare, and how collaboration, simulation, and design thinking play a role in shaping real-world innovations.

Share if you enjoy the episode; it helps us grow and bring more thoughtful conversations your way.

This week I met with Marty Brown. Marty is a multidisciplinary designer and founder of Secret Agency, a consultancy that tackles all aspects of a successful product launch. Throughout Marty's career he has worked for a range of organisations as well as starting Hollowway a boutique australian made sunglasses and watches company. 

In our conversation, we discuss how Marty tackles multidisciplinary projects as well as organise a team for a successful outcome. We also discuss how designers can boost their creativity and stay in a fresh mind in this landscape. 

I hope you enjoy the episode! If you do, please consider subscribing and sharing it with a friend to help us grow.

Join me this week as I chat with Chris Thomson, an acclaimed industrial designer and co-founder of the innovative filmmaking accessory brand, Syrp. After honing his craft at 4 Design, Chris transitioned into entrepreneurship, where he’s not only created products but also actively invests in companies that align with his vision. In our conversation, we dive into Chris's journey, exploring how he consistently prioritizes creativity in his projects. He shares the challenges and rewards of launching Syrp from the ground up, offering insights into the startup world. We also discuss his unique role as a contract designer, where his investments intersect with the design process. I hope you enjoy the episode! If you do, please consider subscribing and sharing it with a friend to help us grow. Follow us on Instagram: @letstalkdesign @cherfan_design Connect on LinkedIn: Roman Cherfan Chris Thomson Support the podcast by checking out a Lemanoosh course through our affiliate link: ⁠https://courses.lemanoosh.com/a/21475...⁠

This week on Let’s Talk Design I met with René Linseen and Elliot Bastianon from Furnished Forever. René and Elliot 6 years back now joined forces with a common passion for furniture, combining their backgrounds in Art and Design to create unique and visually stunning Australian-made pieces. Apart from Furnished Forever, René works as an industrial designer at Formswell Design with Dan Armstrong who recently came on the podcast. In addition, Elliot facilitates his personal artistic practice.

In the podcast, we discuss how the two of them work collaboratively to draw from their multidisciplinary experience to create artistic while functional and user-centric furniture outcomes. Further, they discuss the challenges and oppositions they have experienced when working on the modern Australian design landscape, where they mention theatre excitement for the future of the industry. To conclude the two of them give advice to incoming designer looking to take the jump into personal projects outside of the scope of their design practice.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

Support the podcast by purchasing a Lemanoosh course through our affiliate link: https://courses.lemanoosh.com/a/21475...

This week on Let’s Talk Design I met with Bojan Smiljanic. Bojan has beat a different drum with his design career focusing on guiding start-ups towards success through strategic and physical design.

In the podcast, Bojan discusses his time living in China and how it changed the way he looked at design. He also discusses his experience moving to Australia and pursuing a design career in a new country. In addition, Bojan gives valuable guidance to those looking to pursue a startup, advocating for using crowdfunding as a way to kickstart a business built around a product innovation.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

Have a product idea? Reach out to Bojan at www.bojandesign.com

Support the podcast by purchasing a Lemanoosh course through our affiliate link: https://courses.lemanoosh.com/a/21475...

LinkedIn:

Bojan Smiljanic

Lets Talk Design

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@bojandesign

@_letstalkdesign

@cherfan_design

This week on Lets Talk Design I met with Spencer Nugent, founder of the widely popular ‘Sketch-a-day’ educational channel. Spencer's passion for sketching has led him to write a range of popular books as well as become an educator on Hector Silvas's Offsite online design education course.

On the podcast, we discuss Spenser’s design philosophy where he considers the detrimental effect of being too self-critical as a designer. We also discuss the environment that led him to create ‘Sketch-a-day’. Further, we discuss whether anyone can be great at sketching or if it is a pre-determined skill. Spencer also discusses his contribution to Offsite, discussing who this course is best suited to. Finally, we discussed the long-lasting effect his platform will have on the wider design community.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

LinkedIn:

Spencer Nugent

Sketch-A-Day

Roman Cherfan

Lets Talk Design

Instagram:

@sketchadaydotcom

@_letstalkdesign

@cherfan_design

Support the podcast by purchasing a Lemanoosh course through our affiliate link:
https://courses.lemanoosh.com/a/2147501260/yerfkFWE

This week on Lets Talk Design I met with Dan Armstrong, Founder of Formswell Design in Canberra. Dan paved his career at his time working for Breville, after moving to Canberra and starting his consultancy Formswell.

In the Podcast, we discuss Dan's career as an industrial designer where he lays out the key changes he has noticed over his time in the industry. We discuss Dan's passion for fostering community around design and how his constancy has worked to change the design landscape in Canberra. Further, Dan discussed key projects where he has implemented emerging technology with great success. To conclude dan gives advise to those aspiring to move into the Industrial design scene.

Thankyou to Dan and the team for providing his services in rebranding the podcast. If you like what you see you can reach out to Dan via formswell.com.au.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

LinkedIn:

Dan Armstrong

Formswell Design

Roman Cherfan

Lets Talk Design

Instagram:

@formswell_design

@_letstalkdesign

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Jonathan Tighe, Head of Industrial Design at Intellidesign. At Intellidesign Jonathan works on a range of commercial-grade products for the Agricultural, Defence, Medical, and other key commercial segments. Intellidesign operates out of Brisbane, manufacturing a large portion of their products in-house. Thus, they operate as an Australian electronics manufacturing firm producing products that have to withstand harsh environmental factors.

In the Podcast, we discuss Jonathan’s role as Head of ID and the challenges he faces when supporting this complex inhouse design/manufacturing team. Jonathan also gives his perspective on the current state of manufacturing in Australia and how he sees this industry evolving in the coming years. We discuss the environmental factors which often dictate the special design needs of the products created at Intellidesign, and how the team leverages designing against these factors.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

LinkedIn:

Jonathan Tighe

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@intellidesign0

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Sara Pontoppidan, Design Director at Clandestine Design Group. Sara moved to Australia from Europe to start her career in design. She moved from CMD Strategy Design & Innovation and then moved on to Counterspace Design in Melbourne. Over the last 6 years, she has worked her way up to design Director at CDG in Brisbane. In addition, Sara also recently became a Good Design Ambassador for the Good Design Awards.

In the Podcast, we discuss Sara's background leading her up to where she is today. We discussed the challenges she experienced being a woman in design, speaking to how we can help foster more women in design. Sara also discusses the value of design mentorship as a designer starting out. In addition, Sara presents the philosophical frameworks she holds key when progressing through her career. Further, we discuss her experience in moving into her role as design director, speaking to how designers can develop their team management skills.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

LinkedIn:

Sara Pontoppidan

Roman Cherfan

Lets Talk Design

Instagram:

@levi_swann

@clandestine_design_group

@letstalkdesign

This week I met with Henry Shaw. Henry is an upcoming Adelaide-based Industrial Designer who recently was awarded the Industrial/Product Design Graduate of the Year Award for SA/NT by The Design Institute of Australia. Following his recent graduation Henry has moved on to working for Schneider Electric in an in-house design role.

During the podcast, we discuss how we have experienced the move from university to professional life. Henry explains what he found lived up to his expectations and what didn’t. He also mentions which skills he sees designers should work on to be as competitive as possible when moving into employment. We also discuss the future of our field and explore what we are most excited for as emerging designers.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

LinkedIn:

Henry Shaw

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@shaw.designn

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Sam Payne. Sam is an automotive designer who has worked for organizations such as JCB, Industrial Design Alliance, Design Q, and currently Fordyno. In these roles, he has worked across a variety of projects designing everything from furniture to VTOL airplanes. In his current role, he manages a team specialized in train design.

In the podcast, we discuss the challenges and similarities of designing different forms of vehicles. Sam also discusses how he has successfully implemented VR, and AR into his regular workflow. In addition, Sam discusses how carbon fiber and other composite materials are starting to revolutionize train design. Further Sam mentions the high level of design skill he has noticed in Australia, and how working abroad compares to working in Australia.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

LinkedIn:

Sam Payne

Roman Cherfan

This week is the podcast's 20th episode anniversary so I thought I would do something special! We have Rafael Gomez, Head lecturer at QUT, Angus Chapman Senior design manager at Topconn, Sara Pontoppidan Industrial Design Director at Clandestine Design Group, and Neil Davidson CEO of Clandestine Design Group. They represent varying sectors of design making the conversation all the more intersting.

In the podcast, we discuss the technologies at the forefront of our field, AI, Autonomous vehicles, 3d printing etc. We also discuss the role of design from a global/political scale, predicting what the future holds. Further, we discuss the low number of female designers in the ID field and how we can support young women to pursue a career in our field.

If you would like to see more episodes like this let me know in the comments below.

I hope you enjoyed this episode, if you did please consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend.

This week I met with Christoph Koch. Chris is a lecturer is QUT who teaches an advanced understanding of CAD. Chris also focused on understanding the role of an industrial designer in the coming world through his PHD.

In the podcast, we discuss the past nature of ID and how our role could evolve to meet the evolving needs of the industry. We also discuss how sustainability can often be a struggle to comprehend let alone to design for, but as designers, we are most suited to tackle the problem head-on. Further, we highlight the effect of additive manufacturing on manufacturing as a whole, predicting how the field could evolve in the coming years.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

LinkedIn:

Christoph Koch

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@entire.design

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Joey Zeledon. Zoey is an industrial designer who has worked for a range of organisations such as Clark Footwear, HP, Continuum, Smart Design, and more. His broad range of experience and strong community presence has instilled his place within the global design scene. More recently Joey has moved his practice to functioning as a self-employed designer working in the freelance space on various projects.

In this podcast, we discuss Joey's career where he reminisces on the experiences that have stood out to him. We also discuss the struggles and thrills of moving into the freelance space. Further, we discuss how designers often compare themselves to their peers, and social media influencers often to their detriment. In addition, Joey offers his opinion on topics prominent in our field such as AI and VR.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

LinkedIn:

Joey Zeledon

Roman Cherfan

Instagram: @joey.zeledon @cherfan_design

This week I met with Sophia Pavona. Sophia is an US based architect who started her career working for William Rawn Associates, Architects. Recently she has established her architecture practice SO-ZHA.

In the podcast we discuss the language of design and how we can communicate interdisciplinary. We also discuss how the major socio-economic and environmental changes could reshape what we see as the architectural norm. Further, we discuss the benefit of innovative technology such as 3D printing and AI on the development of the field of architecture.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

Linkedin:

Sophia Pavona

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@levi_swann

@sophia.pavona

This week I met with Angus Chapman. Angus is a Brisbane-based Industrial Designer who has worked for a range of in-house and consultancy design teams over his long career. Currently, Angus works for Topcon, where uses his design background to positively influence his design team. At Topcon, Angus works on a range of projects from agriculture to defence.

In the podcast, we discuss the positives and negatives of working in an in-house design team and how that experience compares to consultancy design work. We also discuss the benefit of a design background in Angus's role as a senior manager. In addition, we discuss the move away from domestic manufacturing in Australia, where Angus gives his perspective on whether he sees manufacturing returning in the coming years.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

Linkedin:

Angus Chapman

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@topconag_aus

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Henrik an upcoming UK-based automotive designer. Henrik has worked for organisations such as Raptee Energy and currently VITAL, instilling his place in the Industry.

During the podcast, we discuss a range of topics. We considered how automotive design has changed. We also discussed the retrofuturism movement and how design cycles form over generations. Continuing we mentioned the current trend of organic design and how design often imitates nature. Henrik also mentions how he has recently started to implement AI and VR tools into his design process with great success.

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

Linkedin:

Henrik Svanvig

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@svanvigdesign

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Levi Swann. Levi is a QUT lecturer, who has taken a real-world approach to his teaching, preparing his students for the industry while implementing a teaching style that ensures his students stay engaged and driven. Levi is also part of a range of design research projects where he implements his skills as a researcher. Currently, he is part of a research project where he is developing uv sensitive wearables, to help combat skin cancer rates (link below).

If there is someone you would like to see on the podcast reach out to me through the comments section or through social media, and I will be happy to get them on.

I hope you enjoy the podcast, and if you do would you consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend to help grow the platform.

Levi's UV wearable project:

www.qut.edu.au/research/article?id=185589

Linkedin:

Levi Swann

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@levi_swann

@cherfan_design

This week I met with Saurabh, a visionary Automotive Designer based in the UK. Saurabh has worked as an automotive designer for a number of years, working with well-known companies such as McLaren, Jaguar, Lamborgini, VW, Ford and more recently the electric vehicle company ZEEKR. Saurabh prides himself on following a key design process and has followed his passion for cars to where he is today.

On the podcast, we discuss Saurabh's career, where he tells the story of how he found himself in this career. We also discuss how the visual styling of vehicles has changed, discussing the contributors to its current form. We also mention sustainability and durability in modern cars, and how it compares to vehicles of the past. Finally, we discuss Saurabh Automotive's design mentorship program, where he guides students through advice and support, helping them reach their dreams.

If you are interested in Saurabh's mentorship program check it out at the link below.

I hope you enjoy this week's podcast, and if you do please subscribe and share the podcast with a friend.

Saurabh's Website:

www.creacionautomotive.com

Instagram:

@shah.autodesign

@cherfan_design

Linkedin:

Saurabh Shah

Roman Cherfan

This week I meet with Dr. Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia, Deputy CEO of the Australian Design Council, and Senator and Past-President of the World Design Organization (WDO), the global body for Industrial Design.Throughout Brandon's career, he has been a passionate advocate for design, having high hopes for professional design becoming an integral part of how the global system operates in the not-so-far future.

In the podcast he discusses what Good Design Australia is, mentioning how the organisation operates to support the growth of organisations and individuals to be the best they can be in the design space. We also discuss how the pandemic has changed the design profession, reshaping how organisations operate. We also discuss the Australian design industry's competitiveness on a global scale, and how he sees it evolving in the coming years.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and if you do please consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend.

good-design.org

Linkedin:

Brandon Gien

Roman Cherfan

Instagram:

@brandon.gien

@cherfan_design

For this podcast, I met with Anson Cheung to discuss his career working as an industrial designer for technology hardware products in Silicon Valley. Anson was previously a partner at the successful firm Bould Design, where he worked on projects for organisations such as Roku, Google Robotics, Intuitive Surgical, and many more. He has recently set up his own design consulting business and continues to serve clients in the technology industry. In the podcast, we discuss his successful LinkedIn blog-style posts where he discusses a range of topics providing advice for designers who are willing to tune in. We also discuss certain inequities such as a lack of gender diversity within Industrial Design. Further, Anson discusses where he sees Ai emerging to in the coming years. Finally, he gives advice to upcoming designers. I hope you enjoy the podcast and if you do please consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend. Site: anson.design Linkedin: Anson Cheung Roman Cherfan Instagram: @cherfan_design

Nathan Pollock is the founder of the very successful Australian Design firm 'Katapult Design', with locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Byron bay. In the podcast, he discusses the nature of his professional life and how he is stepping back to allow the next generation of designers to emerge. Nathan highlights key topics such as 'sustainability', 'AI', and 'VR', providing his developed knowledge on these topics. He speaks to the climate of Industrial Design today, and the skills he looks for in young designers.

I hope you enjoy the podcast and if you do would you please subscribe and share the podcast with a friend to help grow this community.

Katapultdesign.com.au

Instagram:

@Katapult.design

@cherfan_design

Linkedin:

Nathan Pollock

Roman Cherfan

I really enjoyed my time chatting with Hector Silva. Hetor has taken the initiative in creating an online Industrial Design course. His course 'Offsite' is targeted at people from all levels of Industrial design, spanning a non-designer to a seasoned professional. During the podcast he discusses perceived limitations with current university education, offering his course as a solution. Further, he highlights the future of education and how he sees evolving technologies such as AI and VR becoming more integrated. I hope you enjoy the podcast and if you are interested in finding out more about Offsite, you can find out more in the link below. Enjoy!Offsite: advdes.org/OffsiteInstagram:@offsite.design@cherfan_design Linkedin:Hector SilvaRoman Cherfan

This podcast features Jeremy Bogan, a man in a unique situation. He is a manufacturer currently operating from Shenzhen, China, who was born in Australia. This situation allows him to speak to the barriers between Designers and Manufacturers, offering insights into how we might optimise this relationship. He also gives guidance on how to better communicate with a Chinese manufacturer. Finally, his career spans various fields both within Australia and overseas giving his discourse on topics such as Automation, AI, and Robotics merit. I hope you enjoy the podcast and if you do consider subscribing and sharing it with a friend to help support its growth. https://88wheels.com/ Linkedin: Jeremy Bogan Roman Cherfan Instagram:

@88wheelco @cherfan_design

This week we have Michael DiTullo. Michael is a US-based Industrial designer who has worked with a plethora of high-profile clients spanning decades. He works to innovate through his designs, always bringing something new to the table. His diversity and commitment to his projects have led to him receiving various awards from global organisations such as the 'Good Design Award'. If you enjoy the podcast consider subscribing and sharing the podcast with a friend. 

If you would like to come on the podcast don't hesitate to reach out.  

https://www.michaelditullo.com/index.html  

Instagram:  @d2lo  @cherfan_design  

Linkedin:  Michael DiTullo  Roman Cherfan

David Shaw is the director of 'Street and Garden' a Brisbane-based urban furniture design company and a member of the Design Institute of Australia. In the podcast, he discusses his background and the process he follows when designing furniture that not only suits the location but transforms the environment. He also mentions how he has observed design evolving over the past decades, explaining how it has shaped the modern world. Enjoy!

Last week I was lucky enough to have Neil Davidson on the podcast. We discussed a range of topics portrayed from the perspective of his successful design consultancy. Specifically, we discussed the skills he has noticed Designers are missing, and what we can do to fill his perceived education gap. If you enjoy the podcast don't forget to follow and share the podcast with a friend. 

www.clandestinedesigngroup.com

Instagram:

@clandestine_design_group

@cherfan_design

Linkedin:

Neil Davidson

Roman Cherfan

In this podcast, Greg Meyer from the Design Institute of Australia discusses who the DIA is and how they work to build community within Industrial Design. Greg also discusses his career where he has worked with prominent organisations such as Colgate, Energiser, Caterpillar, and Rio Tinto. Where he designed innovative solutions over the past decades. Apologies for the lack of audio and video quality, there was an issue with the recording of this podcast. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the podcast, and don't forget to follow 'Lets talk ID' on Spotify to stay up to date. 

Design institute of Australia:

https://www.design.org.au/

Instagram:

@cherfan_design

@designgregmeyer

@design_institute_au

Linkedin:

Roman Cherfan

Greg Meyer

Today we have a 'classic' Industrial Designer who has had a long career spanning multiple countries. He discussed the lessons he has learned along the way, and where he sees the future of design. Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date with the new podcasts.  

Instagram: @cherfan_design @wowme.design  

Linkedin: Roman Cherfan Anton Ruckman  

Check out the projects Anton has been working on at www.wowme.design