James Lua

Program manager and designer working in all phases of product development: research and strategy, design conceptualization, 3D CAD development, manufacturing and launch support. Clients include: Nike, Intel, Rawlings, Kobalt, and more.

Worked in all phases of the product design process, with the added benefit of NPI's experience in manufacturing and launch support. Coordinated with NPI's manufacturing team in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong to help maintain design vision through the production process. Clients included: Intel, Duracell P&G, Jarden, Midmark, Georgia-Pacific, and more.

Helped define NPI's marketing message with management. Generated marketing materials, including: print brochures, direct mailers, and email blasts. Managed, re-designed, and re-launched NPI's website (2008-2010 version) (HTML, CSS).

Instructed Design 501: Design Drawing, while simultaneously employed full-time at New Product Innovations. Created the course outline and lesson plans for the 10 week quarter. Lessons included: line drawing, shading/value, one/two/three point perspective, marker rendering, and Photoshop introduction. Taught Spring 2008 and Spring 2009.

Student feedback: "I loved that he brought real world experience to the classroom - he gave us realistic expectations in everything from job searching to what gets presented to your boss - without sugar coating anything. This helped a lot. Organization was great; thorough development process"

Project range includes commercial and consumer electronics, consumer goods, toys, packaging, medical, and recreational vehicles. Participation in research and strategy (field research, user-testing, focus groups), retail design projects (environment, merchandising, fixtures), and interactive design projects (graphics, illustration) made possible with the diverse disciplines within the company.

Personal responsibilities include the creation of new products, experiences (service design), packages, environments, merchandisers, communication graphics, client presentations, travel, and building client relationships.

Client list includes: Nike, Motorola, Skil (Bosch), Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Chiquita, Disney, Elmer’s, General Mills, McDonald’s, Owens Corning, Wilton, Rubbermaid and more.

Worked on Ryobi, Ridgid, Craftsman, and Homelite tools.