Dan Formosa, Ph.D.

Dan Formosa is a consultant in product design and design research. He has developed radically successful products in a wide range of categories for companies worldwide.

Dan holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial Design, and both a Master of Arts and a Doctorate in Ergonomics and Biomechanics from New York University. He has received a variety of design awards worldwide and his work has been selected for national and international exhibits.

Starting his career Dan was a member of the design team that developed IBM’s first personal computer. In the early 1980’s he co-founded Smart Design, based on the principle that design should be about people, not things. Accomplishments include innovations for Johnson & Johnson that have brought radical thinking to old and new products – from Band-Aids to surgical equipment. His work on the original line of OXO Good Grips kitchen tools helped them become an icon of Universal Design – design that works for everyone – and has been included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. The user-interface he created for XM Satellite Radio’s “SKYFi” receiver established the standard for satellite radio in the US. His work for Hewlett-Packard helped transform them into a consumer-friendly – and gender friendly – entity. The SmartGauge instrument cluster on the 2010 Ford Fusion is the first LCD-based display that addresses not just information display, it's designed to improve driving behavior.

Current work continues to focus on design and social responsibility. The scope of work ranges from automobiles to medical products. In addition to consulting with design, research and marketing teams, Dan lectures worldwide on design methodologies and the physical and emotional aspects of design and innovation. On a different note, he recently co-authored and illustrated the bestselling book Baseball Field Guide, employing principles of information design to explain the intricate rules of Major League Baseball.

Dan Formosa tel: 1 845 613 7500