606 Universal Shelving SystemDesigned by Dieter Rams

Living better, with less, that lasts longer

DM654: Strategic Technology - Individual Assignment #1 (Successful ST)Project By Ali Akbar Sahiwala

606 Universal Shelving SystemDesigned by Dieter Rams

Dieter Rams is an award winning German industrial designer �who initially conceived the 606 Shelving system with a company called Vitsoe in 1960. The product has been sold by Vitsoe over the past fifty years and Rams still plays a part in the design process till today. The 606 shelving system is highly robust; it is also very adaptive and can be used for various different purposes.

The product encapsulates a design philosophy �that Rams inculcated over his prolific career at Braun and Vitsoe. These ten principles are important to regard in examining the rationale behind this design classic.

Based on my analysis, I believe the shelving system can be improved if Vitsoe adopts the following strategies moving forward:

- Expand product range to attract to a broader range of customers.�New shelving systems could be designed that cater to different audiences. For instance, designing a system that does not require drilling into the wall could cater to students living in dormitories or people renting homes.

-� Diversify product range by designing more furniture systems. Vitsoe, being limited to the shelving market, captures only a niche market and is generally unknown to mass audiences. By creating more products (or possibly tying up with other businesses that sell complementary products), I believe Vitsoe will become a better known brand to the public.

- Build additional production facilities in key markets. Vitsoe already has a very strong footing as a sustainable company, given their efficient use of materials and packaging. A way to cut down on emissions and also cater to greater audiences would be to open more manufacturing/assembly plants abroad in key markets like the US and Japan. Given the product's long history, maintaining quality control across numerous plants should be achievable.

Good design is innovativeGood design makes a product usefulGood design is aestheticGood design makes a product understandableGood design is unobtrusiveGood design is honestGood design is long-lastingGood design is thorough down to the last detailGood design is environmentally-friendlyGood design is as little design as possible

606 Universal Shelving SystemDesigned by Dieter Rams

Humanity

The 606 Universal Shelving System is highly adaptable; constant additions and improvements ensure it always caters to customer’s needs. This product was designed by Dieter Rams in 1960, a designer often cited as the man who created a gentler world. His product has remained relevant and in production till today, meeting the needs of people young and old.

Barriers to Entry Created

Vitsoe as a manufacturer, prides itself on maintainting long-term relationships with customers by servicing, repairing and adjusting products when needed. Many companies are unable to maintain and offer such loyal service. Vitsoe, on the other hand, has created a shelving system that can be built today and updated throughout a customer's lifetime.

Economic Metrics

Vitsoe calculates the cost of products by adding together the cost of people, suppliers and materials. The company charges customers a price that allows Vitsoe to invest its profits for future research and development, yet it aims to provide customers with products that are not too expensive.

Commercial Viability

Vitsoe products are designed for longevity; unlike other companies that generate profit by selling more products, Vitsoe focuses on making fewer products of high quality and good design, that will ultimately lead to profit. Word-of-mouth and targeted marketing form the backbone of Vitsoe’s marketing strategy to get to the ‘right people’.

Environmental Sustainability

Vitsoe has focused much effort in efficiently using durable and recyclable materials sourced from local suppliers. Packaging of the products has been deeply studied to reduce waste. No Styrofoam is used; custom designed wooden boxes and skillets are utilized instead, all of which are uniquely designed to hold and transport various parts.

Ethical/Moral Acceptance

The 606 shelving system is highly durable and customizable. Vitsoe encourages people to reuse the system as they move into new spaces by taking the system apart and reconfiguring it; this creates reliability and trust as the product is designed for life and seeks to utilize materials to its maximum rather than subscribing to the ‘throwaway culture’.

User Relationship

The shelving system is built as a highly reliable product that people can depend on, being able to move and be customized as needed. Being a very easy product to comprehend and assemble, Vitsoe has also ensured great customer support from the beginning of the process when designing the shelves with the customer.

Differentiation

Most products built today to such high quality standards are often much more expensive or need to be bought as an entire set for a particular purpose. The shelving system is cheaper, yet maintains high quality and can be customized with various add-ons, that serve a range of functions for numerous industries, that many other systems cannot claim to do.

Intended Application

Shelves, cabinets and tables are hung from tracks. Additionally, a variety of additional tables and accessories that cater to different needs can be added that are safe and compatible with the system. The shelving system can hang a wall of kitchen cabinets; create a sophisticated wardrobe with drawers and hanging rails; or organize an entire home-entertainment system.

Design Form

The shelving system has components that are attached simply by slipping the notched pins into position. Three variations exist for mounting the system, either to the wall, on a x-post or compressed between the floor and ceiling. The system is distinctive yet unobstructive, allowing it fade into the background easily.

Enablement/Pain Resolution

The easy interchangeability of components encourages either day-to-day rearrangements or complete reconfigurations. If a person moves to a new space, Vitsoe can redesign and reconfigure the system to suit new needs. The system is highly robust and helps peple organize their lives and belongings, plus adds a featuer of intimacy to their homes.

Capitalization

Vitsoe is a privately owned company and seeks capitalization internally, purely from within the company. They do not seek funding from outside investors, and this allows them to focus on producing quality products while maintain a strong customer rapport.

Market Timing

The product was initially launched in 1960 and has since been on the market. This shelving system was one of the earliest products that could be customized and adapted in a variety of different ways. More than half of the company's orders come from existing customers, with whom relationships have already been established.

Value Proposition

People who buy the shelving systems are confident that the product will serve them over the course of their lives. There are a number of testimonials and videos on Vitsoe’s website, that highlight how valuable the product is and how it has served customers over decades across the world.

Displacement Factor

The product has been in the market for over fifty years. It has outlasted many other products in terms of lifespan, and has a strong appeal as it was designed by a legendary designer. In the future, the product will possibly become more coveted and regarded as a piece of design history.

Brand Identity

Vitsoe is known for its precision, craftmanship and excellence, as exemplified by the shelving sytem. The 606 shelving system has a loyal following among private customers, design enthusiasts and architects. The shelving system has won multiple awards for design excellence, and is part of the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, located in New York.

Feature Richness

The shelving system can be used to display and store a number of different products. Each component has various options, allowing the shelves to be customized to fit into a range of spaces. By 1980 the Vitsoe catalogue listed more than 150 different positions for the 606. Today, more components are added that appeal to people living across various cultures.

Competitive Advantage

Vitsoe has been able to significantly reduce costs of the shelving system, while maintaining high quality standards. This is unmatched by competitors who sell similar bespoke systems at significantly higher prices.

Innovation Cycle

Internally within the company and based on customer feedback, Vitsoe develops new solutions to the shelving system, all of which are designed to be compatible and work with previous versions. No fixed timelines are mandated when new fixtures will be made available to customers.

Engagement & Experience

Vitsoe pioneered dealing directly with customers worldwide. Each customer liaises with a ‘planner’ free of charge when ordering the shelving system. The planner ensures every detail has been considered and adapted for the shelving system.

Usability

The product is very easy to understand and install. Despite being very simple and functional, it has discreet design features that make it highly ergonomic and suited for various uses and industries: the product has been used in homes, libraries, retail shops and even hair salons.

‘Functional Capability’ and ‘Fosdick Curve Measurement’ are omitted

Sources are adapted from a combination of the following:- Vitsoe US Website and Online Catalogs: https://www.vitsoe.com/us/shelves - Face-to-face interview with representatives at Vitsoe showroom located at 33 Bond Street, New York- Monologue: Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams by Klemp K. | Gestalten- Monologue: Dieter Rams: As Little Design as Possible by Lovell S. | Phaidon Press

Please refer to the following videos created by Vitsoe that give further information about the 606 Shelving System:- A persistant system: http://vimeo.com/69684642 | Interview with Mark Adams, managing director of Vitsoe, who explains the company’s phllosophy and goals.- Definitely no robots: http://vimeo.com/28458679 | Behind-the-scene glimpse of the Vitsoe London workshop, the process employed and production techniques.- Tidy up your life: http://vimeo.com/57483353 | An insight tracking how the shelving system has grown and evolved over the lives of two veteren Vitsoe employees.