Michael Lyden

·The department allows me to walk around the building talking non-stop about the history and theories of Industrial Design focusing on Product, Furniture, and Automotive and a bit about manufacturing processes including injection molding, milling, and 3D Printing.

·Instructor of Transportation Design 1: From a User Experience perspective; what is personal transportation in 2020 and beyond—how do we build for a populous and industry changing at the most rapid pace ever? Focus on interior, UX/UI, socioeconomic impact

·Instructor of Transportation Design 2: Eyes on marketability; what branding and formfactor suit a buyer in 2030? Focus on exterior, form development, brand identity, form language

·Instructor of Concept Visualization: focus on becoming adept in the use of traditional design drawing and rendering techniques and tools including pencil, pen, chalk, marker.

·Instructor of Digital Design Sketching: focus on translating traditional design visualization techniques into the digital realm using Alias Sketchbook Pro and Adobe Photoshop.

·Assisting in planning, purchasing, building, and utilization of a new 3D-fabrication Laboratory

·IDSA Chapter Chair

Founder and Principal Creative

Consulting in the design, development, manufacturing, and packaging of lifestyle accessories and toys.
Collaborate in brand development, marketing strategy, and web traffic growth leveraging various Social Media channels.
Specialties in Automotive, Product, and Toy industries.

Product Development and Prototyping
Brand development
Social Media Strategy

Responsible for the look and feel of Cranial Ink and all client work, including, but not limited to:
Branding, Social Media Marketing, Graphic/Web/Logo Design, and UI for web and Mobile Apps.

Responsible for market research, category/segment exploration, and innovation opportunities in the retail market for lifestyle accessories and toys.

Collaborated with Creative Director, designers, engineers, and factory personnel to bring beautifully finished and packaged items to market on schedule and under budget.

Managed the time and output of two off-site industrial designers to maximize deliverables throughout the conceptual and developmental stages of mult-function tool and lifestyle product creation.

Maintained a production timeline for 4-12 concurrent new products and revisions and improvements to existing products dependent on retail season.

Also individually responsible for ideation, concept generation, development, presentation, and internal communication regarding production for a broad range of products including impulse items, novelties, toys, RC vehicles, lifestyle accessories and sporting goods.

Research and report on information pertaining to the automotive world focusing on exterior and interior design, product development, and market positioning.
Copyedit and fact-check content, format and process photography for publishing to web.

Strategy
Creative
Community Management
Content Creation
Automotive Relations

Collaborated throughout overall design process, responsible for sketches, models, presentation graphics, and 3D models used for final renders and rapid prototyping.
Developed project proposals and bids for prospective clients.
Designed layout for various pieces of marketing collateral.
Developed web aspect of client deliverables.