HP ProLiant BL660c ISS Technology Focus, Voume 10, Number 1 - Page 5

Meet the Expert-George Daniels For more than 23 years, George Daniels has changed the way customers look at Compaq and HP servers. George is the Design Navigator for HP Industry-Standard Servers and Software (IS&S) and the Lead Experience Designer for HP Enterprise Servers, Storage, and Networking (ESSN). George and his team are responsible for industrial design of all ESSN hardware products and the user experience design for all new IS&S software products. He says, ―We are changing the look and feel of both hardware and software products to be more intuitive, more engaging, and more integrated than ever before.‖ George's design influence is not limited to HP products. Bob Hastings, his manager, says, ―George is recognized in both HP and the industry as a design leader in the enterprise server and storage product space.‖ Truly fortunate George has always had a passion for design and art. He says, ―As a child, I learned to draw people from looking at coloring books. I carved animals and objects out of bars of Ivory soap. And I built a ship totally from matchsticks. But I never knew I could earn a living at something called Industrial Design until I got to college and discovered that program at Ohio State University. I am one of the most fortunate people in the world to be able to do what I love and be paid for it as well.‖ Likewise, HP is fortunate to have George's expertise. Bob says, ―He has a passion and commitment for delighting customers with best-in-class products.‖ He finds inspiration in work and play Name: George Daniels Title: Design Navigator ISS; Lead Experience Designer for ESSN Years at HP: 24 University/Degree: Ohio State University, BFA in Industrial Design Harrow Business School, University of Westminster MBA program U.S. Patents: 21 (Design and Utility) Among the many accomplishments of George's team, one of his favorites is the ESSN hardware product line look and feel they created with BMW Designworks. The project began after the Compaq/HP merger and took a couple of years of hard work (and fun) to implement, George says. The result was the consistent look and feel of ESSN products, as well as several patents and design awards. George recalls that he and his team were inspired when a BMW automotive designer said, ―We never design a car as if it was sitting still, we visualize it in motion.‖ That is why the team chose an asymmetrical design for the front door of the current HP 10000 G2 Series Rack family. George says, ―When viewed in a row, the design creates visual motion much like that of a piano keyboard.‖ George's love of photography complements his visual designs. He says that his camera sometimes reveals things that he may have missed. His designs are also inspired by cinematic innovations in movies like Avatar, Minority Report, and Iron Man. It's all about our customers George facilitates many customer tours each year to highlight HP products. The tours focus on product design and TCE (Total Customer Experience). George and his team capture valuable customer feedback so they can use it in future product designs. His team includes a Human Factors and Usability expert who tests most hardware and software products. This exhaustive work requires the team to locate users from both domestic and international locations to perform usability and serviceability evaluations. Most evaluations occur at the main testing facility in Houston, and some occur outside the United States. 5