A New Face for Plantronics

Wherever you look, design is an integral part of our lives. Sometimes the best designs are the ones you notice the least. In the Industrial Design (ID) group at Plantronics, that's all they think about and work on—;making the best-looking headsets that money can buy. They're dedicated to creating sleek, elegant and functional products.

The group is composed of industrial designers who are really artists at heart. They cover the entire spectrum from initial concept to full product realization, creating sketches and building models along the way.

Merging Technology with Style

Creating the most fashionable and comfortable headsets are of paramount importance to Plantronics. As headsets have become more mainstream, style and consumer trends have become as important as functionality and technological innovations. The members of the ID team are masters of merging technology with style. They conceptualize next-generation products while assessing the most ergonomically viable options. The ID group has created an in-house ergonomics team that is dedicated to addressing fit, and has developed the famous Plantronics Wall of Ears, where molds of numerous ear shapes and sizes are used for testing out new headset models.

From Concept to Build

The ID group at Plantronics performs two very important functions: participating in the product development process to bring new headsets to market and doing ongoing concept work for future products. ID designers determine color, materials, location of buttons and controls (called the "man/machine interface"), and any other aesthetic qualities of the new headset. They sketch and create models to scale until they come up with just the right design, a process that can take up to a year.

The ID group really tunes in to what consumers are looking for—;trends in clothing or vehicles, form factors of products they are buying and fashionable colors. You name the trend – music, fashion, or lifestyle – and the ID group is on top of it, using this information to create the most compelling, wearable and elegant headsets.

Sound (and Design) Innovation

As headsets become more mainstream (and users more fashion conscious), Plantronics is putting design at the forefront and is letting consumers drive the development of new and interesting headsets. The ID group leverages experience from companies such as BMW, Nokia, Motorola, Rubbermaid, Fiat, Indian Motorcycle and JPL, to name a few. As products get to market more quickly, the ID group actively plays a role in developing the trendiest yet comfortable products available.