Alias SketchBook Pro helps Umbra designers surpass expectations
by Shawna Fryer

Launching a new product every day is a challenge that would intimidate most companies. Not so for design and manufacturing company Umbra. This multimillion-dollar international housewares company makes and markets over 1300 diverse products. When it comes to developing creative ideas, Umbra feels right at home.

“What makes us different is that we’re not just a design company and we’re not just a manufacturer. We’re both. And in a lot of different categories,” says Paul Rowan, co-founder and vice-president of Umbra. “We’re doing international business with the best and biggest retailers in the world.”

With this exposure and success comes the pressure to continuously produce innovative ideas. Rowan and his designers are constantly brainstorming, collaborating and banging out fresh concepts. Concepts that are intelligent, original and delivered to consumers at an affordable price. Examples include window treatments, clocks, picture frames, mirrors and other everyday products. To show just how artistic designing housewares can be, Rowan created a mesh garbage can that was added to the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2000.

Need for speed

“We work in a fast-paced industry,” says Rowan. “Markets change rapidly and we’re continuously inventing new products…so we need the latest technology.”

Among Rowan’s favourite pieces of technology are his Tablet PC and Alias SketchBook Pro software. Being on the road on a regular basis requires him to sketch and scribble in places where pen and paper would be awkward. “I love the freedom that electronic sketching provides. It’s fast, easy, and much more conducive to collaboration with fellow designers,” he declares.

Sketchbook Pro supports Rowan’s need for speed when it comes to brainstorming. One of his favourite features is the Snapshot tool. “I do a lot of Internet research, people send me jpegs, designers send work in progress…I can take a snapshot of these images and make the necessary modifications directly over top of the images. I then save the images with the comments integrated. It’s such an easy, useful tool,” states Rowan. “Things that used to have to wait until designers returned to the drafting table can be worked on anywhere.”

Easy does it

SketchBook Pro is also known in the industry for its ease of use. Rowan had tried other sketching software and found SketchBook Pro to be much more user friendly. “It’s best because of its ease of moving in and out of other programs. Great flow!” enthuses Rowan. “I tried other software packages, but they had limitations.” Limitations such as incompatible file formats and lower quality sketches. Designers like the natural [c1] feel of SketchBook Pro and are often surprised how similar it is to working with pen and paper. “Whenever I show it to designers who are initially skeptical, they immediately love it,” adds Rowan.

Great minds

Designing innovative products is not a solo effort and team collaboration is essential. Perhaps this is where Sketchbook Pro shines the brightest in Rowan’s eyes. His traveling keeps him out of the office, but Sketchbook Pro ultimately keeps him in the loop. Emailing sketches back and fourth is a huge advantage over paper. It’s quick and allows him to keep accurate records. These advantages take design to a new level. As Rowan observes, “the Tablet PC and SketchBook Pro make you think about information management in a new way. It requires a mind shift away from paper. We’re just starting to experience its possibilities.”

Collaboration doesn’t just occur across distances. Rowan loves to use SketchBook Pro as a teaching tool. Sharing ideas visually in meetings is very engaging. Like the overhead projectors of yesteryear, lecturers can demonstrate and teach concepts in a step-by-step fashion. This is invaluable for artistic skill acquisition. “It’s like an interactive PowerPoint presentation,” adds Rowan.

Umbra knows it must continue to foster the creativity of its designers and provide them with the best tools. Speed, simplicity and sharing are invaluable during the design process. Paul Rowan is thinking about information management in a new way. A way that supports Umbra in achieving its vision. Just as the designers strive to create intelligent, purposeful and fun products, they simultaneously look for those qualities in their design tools. Alias Sketchbook Pro takes design and creativity to a new level. A level where Umbra will continue to excel and surpass expectations.