Design at Sony

Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands

Sony has used design since the 1960s to set products like this PlayStation 3 apart from its competitors

Electronics, games and entertainment giant Sony has used design since the 1960s to differentiate its products and maximise the usefulness of its advanced technologies. Sony Design Group across the world employs around 250 designers and has developed a set of core design values against which the company judges the success of all its products

25 October 2007, Updated 29 November 2007

Sony uses design to successfully unite different aspects of its business, focusing on the main pillars of electronics, games and entertainment. The company continues to evolve its processes to meet emerging needs.

Key elements in Sony’s design strategy today include: 

  • The establishment of centres of design excellence in key markets around the world
  • A focus on cross-fertilisation of ideas through regular design review meetings and the rotation of design staff between functions
  • An increased use of multi-functional design teams to deliver a consistent user experience in even complex, multi-functional products.



Sony's first tape recorder, launched in Japan in 1950Since the early days, Sony had established a passion for unlimited creation and its long list of successful products continues to grow. In 1950 Japan’s first tape recorder was launched, followed by the first transistor radio in 1955.

Amongst many others, Sony created the portable music device market with the groundbreaking development of the Walkman in 1979. Since then, few companies have matched the track record for invention and innovation.

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History

In 1946 Sony was established by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita in Tokyo under the name Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (TTK). The two young founders, Ibuka an engineer and Morita a physicist, spent their first years in business repairing and building electrical equipment, like war-damaged radios, and marketing rice cookers.

Sony's first transistor radio was produced in 1955Having little equipment and no machinery the young company’s ideals were based completely on combining engineering know-how with the creative desire 'to do what never has been done before.' Recognising the whole world as a market place the Sony logo was introduced in 1955 to the public and three years later Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo was renamed to Sony Corporation.