comprehensive design portfolio as of July 2018

1. PORTFOLIO
2018
DESIGN + INNOVATION
SOOSHIN CHOI

2. © SOOSHIN CHOI
ABOUT
Sooshin Choi is an industrial designer, design educator and a design influencer. He is currently a CEO and CDO atThe Modus Design, a
service offering advanced design education and design innovation consulting located in the Metro Detroit area.
As a designer, his experience includes 18 years of automotive design at General Motors Korea and Kia Motors, 5 years of system
furniture design at Fursys and 3 years of innovative product design at DEKA Research and Development. He continues developing
designs as a design consultant for the clients in the US, Korea, and China. He is a recipient of a number of prestigious awards such as IF
Hannover, IDEA, Good Design Award.
As a design educator, he was the Provost &Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Design at the College for Creative
Studies for 4 years until January 2018.As a Chief Academic Officer at CCS, he was responsible for developing vision and leadership for
all matters related to academics. He has taught at and served as a School Director at the University of Cincinnati for over 10 years
before joining CCS. His research focus topics are the innovation by design and inclusive design, which helped to develop many
innovative designs in collaboration with corporations including Procter & Gamble, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motors,
Crown Equipment, Boeing Company, and MeadWestvaco. He received IDSA Educator of theYear Award 2014.
As a design influencer, he is a frequent speaker and has been delivering keynotes and presentations at conferences, corporations, and
academia globally. He also served as a judge and a jury for numerous international design competitions including IDEA, Braun Prize, and
Car Design Awards China. Professor Choi is a member of the Michigan Design Council and a member of the Industrial Designers
Society of America (IDSA); he served as the EducationVice President from 2012-2014 and the Chair for the IDSA International
Conference 2016 in Detroit.

3. © SOOSHIN CHOI
ONE PAGER CV
DESIGN PRACTICE
DEKA R&D - 2.5 years
Director of Industrial Design
Fursys/Iloom - 5 years
Director of Design Development
Kia Motors - 10 years
Senior Designer
Daewoo Motors - 8 years
Designer
DESIGN EDUCATION
College for Creative Studies - 4 years
Provost &Vice President, Professor of Design
University of Cincinnati - 10 years
Director of School of Design, Professor of Industrial Design
DESIGN LEADERSHIP+RECOGNITION
IDSA International Conference Chair 2016
China Car Design Award Judge 2014, 2015, 2016
IDSA IDEA Judge 2015
IDSA Educator of Year 2014
Founder, Korean Designers in America 2014
Michigan Design Council member 2014
BraunPrize Juror 2012 and 2014
IDSA EducationVP 2010 -2012
© SOOSHIN CHOI
Image sketch for Kia Sephia

4. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN EVERYTHING
THINGS
I have designed automobiles,
furniture and many other products.
DESIGNERS
I believe that educating designers is
actually helping them to design
themselves as future design professionals.
DESIGN EDUCATION
Developing better pedagogy, curriculum and intriguing design problems are designing design education.
MOTTOS
DESIGN IS MAKING DIFFERENCE
Design is not just making better looking
and better-working things.
Design is making the difference, which
comes with taking challenges.
Design is connecting innovation and value
to create unexpected impacts.
DESIGN DESIGN PROCESSES
Developing a proper design process is
the key to making better designs
because each project needs a unique
design process.
Comprehensive design processes
begin with making the invisible visible
and end up with making intangibles
tangible.

5. © SOOSHIN CHOI
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
DAEWOO MOTORS (GM DAEWOO MOTORS) 1978 - 1986 (8 years)
Designer
Mostly responsible for minor model changes of passenger cars for Korean market.
KIA MOTORS 1986-1995 (10 years)
Senior Designer
Responsible for original designs of passenger cars, sports utility vehicle, mini van, and trucks for Korean as well as overseas market.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART 1992-1993 (1.5 years)
As an experienced student in vehicle design program while at Kia Motors

6. © SOOSHIN CHOI
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
DAEWOO ROYALE SALON full size passenger car
Launched 1984
A minor model change of as a full-size luxurious
passenger sedan based on Opel Rekord as a platform.
It went into the production and was the most significant design project in Korea then.
Opel Rekord: the base model
Render for
Daewoo Royale Salon
Production Royale Salon
SELECTED

7. © SOOSHIN CHOI
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
KIA SEPHIA subcompact passenger car
Launched 1992
I was in charge of designing a Kia Sephia, the first new passenger car design completed by the Korean designers.The design is a
roomy yet sporty style to fit the needs as a personal and family car. It was successfully marketed in Korea as well as in overseas,
especially in the US market.
Production Kia Sephia
520 pt
SELECTED

8. © SOOSHIN CHOI
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
KIA SPORTAGE 4x4 sporty utility vehicle
Launched 1993
Kia Sportage is one of the first Sporty UtilityVehicles (SUV) with a new concept of urban off-roader. The project was initially
meant to be marketed as a Ford vehicle but completed as a Kia model for Korean as well as overseas.
Production Kia SportageConcept sketch
SELECTED

9. © SOOSHIN CHOI
AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
KIA OTHER VEHICLES
I was in charge of the development of a variety of automobiles ranging from light and medium duty trucks and minivans. Kia
Carnival was the first passenger-focused minivan launched in 1998. I left Kia Motors in 1995 after completing the design
development.
Production Bongo truck
Production Carnival minivan
Prototype electric minivan
SELECTED

10. © SOOSHIN CHOI
FURNITURE DESIGN
Fursys 1995-1998 (3 years)
Director of Design
Fursys is a leading system furniture company. I was responsible for a design team for design projects of system furniture, task chairs, and
public furniture.
Iloom 1988-2000 (2 years)
Director of Design Development
Iloom is a spun-off business of Fursys. I led a team of designers and engineers. Responsible for development of system furniture and
office chairs.
Terminal chairs at Incheon International Airport
Stacking chair.
iF Excellence Award
iF Ecology Design Award

11. © SOOSHIN CHOI
INNOVATIVE DESIGN
DEKA Research & Development
Director of ID Group
While responsible for setting up an industrial design
group, I developed a few projects including:
• iBOT Independent Mobility, a powered
wheelchair that can climb stairs and curb, used on
rough terrains, move on two wheels. Responsible
for both product design and the user interface
design
• Segway application for military and recreation
• Virex blood processing equipment
iBOT Gen 3
4-wheel mode
iBOT Gen 3
Balance mode
iBOT Gen 3
Concept model
iBOT Gen 3
Control Panel
Segway
Military version
Virex
Processor unit
iBOT Gen 3
Rear combination unit
iBOT Gen 3
Prototype

12. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
DESIGN EDUCATION
ClassesTaught:
• Seminar - Inclusive Design
• Design Studios around the topics of Innovative Design,
Emotional Design, and Inclusive design
• Capstone Studios
• Capstone Development
• Seminar -Theory of Design
• Designnovation Studio - Cross-disciplinary studio for
corporate sponsored collaborative projects
• Materials & Processes
• Human Factors
INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Procter & Gamble: Inclusive Design ForTravelers
Samsung Electronics: Smart Digital Devices
Office Printer
Printer For Colleges
Smartphones
Hyundai Motors: Automobile For American Generation-Y
HankookTire: Innovative Sustainability ForTire
LG Electronics: Laundry
Wearable Smart Devices
Mean Westvaco: Stationary System For College Students
Crown Equipment: Smart Safety For Indoor LiftTrucks

13. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Samsung Electronics: Printer For Colleges
Participating students:
Matt Baer
Nadia Bryson
Nico Roger
Rance Pritchard
Participating students:
Mark Grote
Holly Howes
Kris Brauer
Jonathan Grossman
Participating students:
Jeff Brown
Joyce Chiang
Kyle Oldfield
Travis Wettroth
SELECTED

14. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Samsung Electronics: Smart Communication Devices
Participating students:
Sam Amis
Nori Sakatsume
Mike Seehafer
Li Wang
Alan Dickison
Kyle Louis
Jennie Chen
Participating students:
Lauren Argo
Brian Bjelovuk
Woo-Ram Lee
Matt McElvogue
RossVelazquez
HaiHong Wang
Participating students:
Evan Caruso
Zach Harris
Sam Hansen
David Kennedy
Aaron Korosu
EstherYen
SELECTED

15. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
Hyundai Motors:Automobile For American Generation-Y
Referential Vehicle –Positioning Map Analysis
Scion XB
UsefulStylish
Aged Look
Young Look
Ford Focus
Honda Fit
Honda Element
Toyota Yaris Pontiac Aztec
Scion tC
!
Participating students:
Brian Hillner
Kim Carter
Kristi Bluhm
Peter Steiner
Sam Peter
Kristina Gerig
Mark Chrapla
Taryn Dyle
Zed Farlow
Alex Walters

16. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
SEA ORBITER
An interdisciplinary collaborative project with Jacque Rougerie (French Architect-Oceanographer) and UC Medical to develop
design concepts for a multipurpose space within Sea Orbiter
SeaOrbiter
as conceived by
Jacque Rougerie

17. © SOOSHIN CHOI
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
EXEMPLARY STUDENT WORK
Ryan Eder took my Inclusive Design Seminar class and later designed an inclusive exercise machine as a capstone project. His
design received Gold in Student Category, People’s Choice and the Best-in-Show at IDEA 2006.
More info: www.includehealth.com
Ryan Eder, 2006 University of Cincinnati
2007 Gold: Student
Peoples’ Choice
Best-in-Show

18. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN CONSULTATION
Production Kamaz 5490
KAMAZ heavy duty truck
Concept design development for both exterior and interior for Kamaz, a Russian
truck manufacturer

19. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN CONSULTATION
MAKO QUADRO surgical robot and arm
Concept design development for the base unit and detail design for the robot arm of robotic-arm assisted surgery system.
Precision
DelightfulEffortless
Consistency Confidence
Precision
DelightfulEffortless
Consistency Confidence
Precision
DelightfulEffortless
Consistency Confidence
Precision
DelightfulEffortless
Consistency Confidence
Design language concept comparison
Design language concept comparison

20. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN CONSULTATION
SURRECO ESPOSÉ table
A series of tables with a unique surface-leg construction
Detail of production Esposé
Computer render

21. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN CONSULTATION
Leg system
Variations: High and low in different shapesCanadian walnut top
Painted topSURRECO ESPOSÉ table

22. © SOOSHIN CHOI
DESIGN CONSULTATION
PHOENIX CONNECT DESIGNLINE industrial computer
Concept development and production design of a computer system for industry use.
Incorporating inclusive design features for ease of
adjustment for the multi-shift factory environment.
IDEA Finalist 2014

23. © SOOSHIN CHOI
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Keynote at the Education Symposium at the
IDSA International Conference 2015 Seattle
Presentation atTsinghua University and Kookmin University Presentation at AHFE/Design for Inclusion, Orlando
Seminar and workshop Presentation at Nanjing, Hangzhou and Shanghai Presentation at Interior Motives Conference Beijing
SELECTED

24. © SOOSHIN CHOI
PROFESSIONAL DESIGN EDUCATION
Education of design and innovation to design professionals and executives since 2013.