Mike Jou
“Industrial design is a type of art. Instead of using media like paint or clay, we manipulate plastic, metal, wood, and other materials to create functional sculptures that solve practical problems.”
Mike Jou grew up drawing with his siblings and taking apart old and new toys. Using good furniture as his workbench, he often caused his father dismay. Years later, Mike would hone his talents in art and industrial design at The College for Creative Studies in Detroit. He has twenty years of experience designing everything from cars to consumer electronics. In addition to his strengths in innovative product development, he has a knack for building and leading teams that design award-winning products.
Seven years ago, Mike moved to Philadelphia to start the industrial design team at Comcast. International recognition for Mike and his team has included six Red Dot Awards—which honor the best in design and business, six iF Design Awards—celebrating well-designed industrial goods, an Emmy, a Cannes Gold, and nearly thirty patents.
Mike is passionate about leaving the world a better place. He and his wife regularly volunteer and donate to organizations that foster empowerment, equality, arts education, environmentalism, and well-being. Mike is also an adjunct professor at Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts and Design where, through his work with students, he hopes to design the future of design.
how does innovation influence your work?
“Innovation influences and informs every aspect of my work. As industrial designers, the purpose of innovation is solve the problems or serve people and society within the context of their evolving needs. This is done by adapting existing innovation or by starting from scratch when a solution doesn't exist.”
Where do art and your discipline meet?
“Industrial Design is a type of Art. We both channel creativity and problem solving outwardly to communicate complex concepts. Where we differ is purpose, media, and scale. Industrial Design emphasizes the creation of objects, often mass-produced, that perform a task. Rather than paint or clay, we manipulate plastic, metal, wood and other industrial and natural materials within their strengths and constraints to create functional art for the masses.”
Biography:
As a child, when Mike Jou wasn't drawing with his older brother and sister, he could be found taking old and new toys irreversibly apart while using his father's hardwood furniture as a work bench. Though his dad, Jeff, was an engineer, this was much to his dismay. Years later, Mike would take his love of art and science to Detroit where he graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Art in Industrial Design from The College for Creative Studies. He has 20 years of experience designing everything from cars to consumer electronics. As a leader, Mike has a knack for building and leading design teams at Fortune 50 companies from scratch and implementing the processes they use to succeed.
Mike moved to Philadelphia seven years ago to start the industrial design team at Comcast. The products his team have designed have been recognized internationally - he’s helped bring home to Philly six Red Dot Awards, six iF Design Awards, an Emmy, a Cannes Gold and nearly thirty patents. Mike is passionate about leaving the world a better place - he and his wife regularly volunteer and donate to organizations enabling empowerment, equality, education, environment, and well-being. Mike is also an adjunct professor at Drexel University’s Westphal College of Media Arts and Design where, through his work with students, he hopes to design the future of design.