Reference from
Colin Green, Brand Manager Discovery:
20th August 1992
To whom it may concern,
Note of reference for Howard Chapman
I first met Howard
in late 1986 when my company, Land Rover, commissioned The Conran Design
Group to propose an interior design for a new vehicle which was then
at the concept stage. The design proposal was to be judged in parallel
with those from our in-house design team and also from another outsourced,
but automotive, design house. Howard led the design team of 3 which
Conran Design assigned to the project. I was the Product Planning Manager
responsible for the suitability of the design to the marketplace, reporting
to the Project Director. The product concept came to the marketplace
in 1989 as the Land Rover Discovery.
Each of the design
teams worked to a common brief which described the marketplace, the
competitive environment, the customer, outlined the programme and product
concept and stated various fixed points around which each team had to
work.
Howard took this
brief but then applied his own experience from earlier automotive work
and also more recently the retail sector. He interpreted the brief in
a very different way from the other teams because of this background
but in a way that was very sympathetic to the overall product concept.
Howard's ideas gave Discovery an overall interior feel and style, a
theme running throughout the interior design rather than simply being
a collection of styles for the various major internal elements without
anything necessarily drawing them together. More than anything it was
this theme and style which made the Conran design the one which we chose
and the one which has contributed so much to Discovery's sales success.
During the design
and development involvement with Conran, Howard and I worked quite closely
together for a period of around 6-9 months. He demonstrated a very good
understanding of what our requirements were from the initial brief and
from further discussions about the product and the market sector. During
the whole exercise he was able to listen to advice and criticism but
did not feel as if he could not speak up for elements in which he believed
strongly.
This flexible approach
led to what I believe is an automotive interior but with the essential
advantages of a strong theme and of 'difference' at least from the rest
of the 4 wheel drive sector. Howard developed a very responsive in house
team organisation to handle this particular project. Our need for tight
security was paramount and, to this end, all work was carried out in
a dedicated facility with more than adequate security. His small team
which supported the work covered
- concepts
- design work
- model making management
- logistics to and from ourselves
- presentations and progress meetings
- administration/ records/minutes
Howard's presentational
abilities were also vital to the success of Conran winning the design
project. 'Local' presentations at their facility were made regularly
to myself and the Project Director but the 'competitive trial' element
and the culmination of the design stage were both presented to a full
Board Committee headed by our Managing Director. Howard handled all
of these with confidence and was able to field questions and points
fluently and constructively.
Howard demonstrated
considerable dedication to the project and to Conran's involvement within
it. We regularly had conversations and updates into the late evening
and, even though his wife gave birth to a baby daughter during a crucial
project phase, Howard was back in the office a day later. This commitment
led to all phases of the project being delivered on time and to target
cost.
In terms of personal
involvement, Howard's approach was first class. He was (is) always good
natured, amiable and easy to get on with. He's invariably interested
in others and what's being happening to them and this still holds true
6 years after first meeting him.
However the biggest
contribution Howard made to our product was the impact he made through
his design skills and feel for the market and customer. He accurately
interpreted our brief, questioned and added his feel for the product
and the sector, then produced excellent work for us as customers and
which was totally suited to the project.
I would have no
hesitation in recommending Howard for any position for which he is technically
suitable and would be pleased to add any further thoughts or information
as required.
COLIN GREEN
Brand Manager Discovery
