Nicole Varona

• simultaneously handles various portfolio companies projects in the field of robotics, agriculture technology, food automation, and mobility
• collaborates with the Industrial Design team to produce the exterior design, Human-computer interaction (HCI), user interface, and overall customer user experience (UI/UX)
• ergonomic design and development - establishes guidelines early in the product design and development process with the aim of reducing musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), ensuring user operator comfort, and reducing fatigue and injury risk levels
• Cross-functional coordination with product managers, software engineers, and mechanical engineers - prioritizes features and improvements, join design discussions, and provide feedback and solutions
• User scenario generation - using storyboards to show product usage and solve potential problem areas for main/secondary users
• produces concept design of future products through digital sketches, 3D modeling, and 3D rendering.

• Integrates and uses design to help bring to market all kinds of products from individuals, start-up companies, to big manufacturers in both local and international markets.

Clients Served: Honda, Yike Bike, Raytrix, Box Medical Solutions, Research Institute of Sweden
• Projects include vehicle, marine vessel, product, medical, and appliance design.

• leads a team of designers in designing computer peripherals such as gaming keyboards, mouse, headphones, PC casings, and soundbars (speakers)
• successfully implemented a more streamlined design process that increased the design output of the junior designers and the teams as a whole (1800% increase).
• sharpened the junior designers' skills in important fundamentals such as product design sketching, rendering, and quick ideation to make them competitive in an international environment
• spearheaded the acquisition of reference materials that will contribute to the skill development of the industrial designers, with the aim of making them globally competitive.
• Enacted the acquisition of 3D scanners and printers for boosting the capability and speed of the design team
• Communicates with overseas suppliers and engineers from China, Taiwan, and Korea during the mock-up and manufacturing stages.

• Designed the 2016 Panasonic washing machine (NA-F60MB - 6 kg), the first low capacity ODM fully-automatic washing machine in the Philippines for Panasonic.

• Designed, presented, and released a full line-up (Standard, Deluxe, and Timer version - 0.5 HP to 2.5 HP) of the 2015 Window Air Conditioners for the Philippine market

• Designed, presented, and released a full line-up (Standard and Deluxe version - 0.5 HP to 2.5 HP) of 2015 Window Air Conditioners for the Hong Kong market in collaboration with Panasonic Design Center Malaysia (PAPAP)

• Designed and improved the evaporator door for all Panasonic 1-door refrigerators by eliminating ultrasonic welding

• Prepared, conducted, and generated research data by surveying the Philippine market (2013 and 2015), going all over the Philippines for house to house visits and personal interviews.

• Presents design ideas both locally and abroad to convince Panasonic's Japanese top management to invest in design changes for Air conditioner models.

• Spearheads design meetings with suppliers, engineers, and mock-up makers whenever there are product samples, on-site evaluations, or new material recommendations.

• Generated and designed exhibition areas for major Philippine government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Tourism (DOT).

• Guided local manufacturers and small/medium entrepreneurs (SME) to use Industrial Design as a tool to maximize the use of natural materials and increase marketability and profit.

• Successfully completed and produced 3 books (500+ pages each) worth of technical drawings, instruction manuals, and field manuals for all Fisher Regulator products.

• Illustrated hundreds of technical drawings for Fisher Regulators to be used by field engineers and customers.

• Collaborated with Fisher Regulators in McKinney Texas for all the graphic design needs of the company, whether it be in the USA or in other countries.