{"id":16108,"date":"2025-11-18T09:29:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T02:29:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/after-40-years-brps-chief-design-officer-says-empathy-beats-perfection-every-time\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T09:29:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T02:29:21","slug":"after-40-years-brps-chief-design-officer-says-empathy-beats-perfection-every-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/after-40-years-brps-chief-design-officer-says-empathy-beats-perfection-every-time\/","title":{"rendered":"After 40 Years, BRP\u2019s Chief Design Officer Says Empathy Beats Perfection Every Time"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

The tension between perfection and progress is something every designer grapples with, yet it\u2019s rarely discussed with the kind of candor it deserves. In episode 11 of Yanko Design\u2019s Design Mindset<\/a> podcast (powered by KeyShot), premiering every Friday, we sit down with someone who has spent four decades mastering this delicate balance. Denys Lapointe, Chief Design Officer at BRP, leads a team of 135 multidisciplinary design experts from 21 countries, and under his stewardship, the company has accumulated an astounding 61 Red Dot Awards, culminating in the ultimate recognition: Red Dot Design Team of the Year 2025.<\/p>\n

For those unfamiliar with BRP, this Quebec-based powerhouse is the global leader in powersports and the number one OEM in North America. They\u2019re the creative force behind iconic brands that define adventure, including Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Can-Am, and Rotax. With nearly $7.8 billion in annual sales spanning over 130 countries, BRP\u2019s products traverse land, water, and snow. What makes Denys\u2019s perspective particularly fascinating is his 40-year journey with the same company, witnessing his designs evolve from sketches to prototypes to products that millions use to explore the world. He\u2019s learned when to push for perfection and when to embrace strategic compromise in service of getting breakthrough innovations into consumers\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n

Download your Free Trial of KeyShot Here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Why \u201cGood Enough\u201d Isn\u2019t in BRP\u2019s Vocabulary<\/h2>\n

When asked about embracing \u201cgood enough\u201d as a design philosophy, Denys immediately pushes back. \u201cBasically, I would say, Radhika, the word good enough is not a word that we use. It\u2019s I see it a little bit like the passing mark,\u201d he explains. Instead, BRP formalized a design philosophy built on three key pillars: innovative product architectures, high functionality (integrating ergonomics and human-machine interface), and the \u201cwow factor,\u201d which creates enough emotional content that consumers are drawn to products and want to possess them. The goal isn\u2019t merely to meet customer expectations but to exceed them, benchmarking relentlessly against competitors to win consumers\u2019 hearts.<\/p>\n

The breakthrough isn\u2019t in excelling at any single pillar, though. \u201cWe know that what\u2019s important is not so much to overdeliver on one of those pillars, but it\u2019s the equilibrium between the three,\u201d Denys reveals. This balanced approach is enforced through BRP\u2019s rigorous stage-gate process and Design Governance Committee, which reviews projects at each critical juncture, challenging teams on all three pillars and ensuring alignment with brand DNA. Younger designers might chase the \u201cwow factor\u201d at the expense of daily usability, but BRP\u2019s structured governance forces timely decisions that maintain equilibrium. \u201cAs design leaders, we must teach and coach our young designers to strive for perfection, knowing that perfection is difficult to reach. Obviously, but they need to learn to make the right compromise so to deliver a compelling offer to our consumers, which will exceed their expectation,\u201d Denys explains.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Accessory Ecosystem: Where Great Ideas Go to Thrive<\/h2>\n

One of BRP\u2019s most innovative approaches to balancing ambition with pragmatism is their accessory strategy. \u201cI remember several projects where we had too many ideas. We just had too many ideas,\u201d Denys recalls. When milestones force prioritization, rather than abandoning valuable features that drive costs too high for the base model, BRP shifts them to their accessory ecosystem. This allows consumers to opt into features they personally value while keeping base models at target MSRP. Ideas aren\u2019t killed, they\u2019re given to the accessory group to develop separately, ensuring that compelling offers reach consumers without compromising the product\u2019s commercial viability.<\/p>\n

Even better, accessories are designed to be compatible across product lines using a patented quick connect\/disconnect system. \u201cAn accessory that is designed for a seat can go on a side-by-side, an ATV, and even a snowmobile. So it simplifies people\u2019s garage,\u201d Denys explains. Once consumers invest in this ecosystem, it creates powerful brand loyalty because switching to another brand means leaving behind a garage full of incompatible accessories. This strategy demonstrates how strategic compromise doesn\u2019t mean lowering standards, it means finding smarter ways to deliver value. Some ideas work better as optional features than standard equipment, and recognizing that distinction separates good design leadership from perfection paralysis.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Empathy Over Aesthetics: The MoMA Scissors That Cut Nothing<\/h2>\n

Perhaps Denys\u2019s most powerful advice centers on empathy as the designer\u2019s primary tool. When asked what he\u2019d tell his younger self joining BRP in 1985, he immediately responds: \u201cI think I would tell them to learn to dissociate their taste.\u201d Designers must become ethnographers, deeply understanding users before, during, and after their journeys. \u201cYou need to learn to be able to project yourself as that consumer. The right trade-offs for that consumer ultimately. So learning to observe or observing, yes, with your head, but with your heart is the key to discovering the right insights. And I always say to the young designers that if you can identify the right problem to solve, you\u2019re 50% there with the solution.\u201d This empathy uncovers non-obvious insights that competitors miss, like noticing when users bend awkwardly, squint at interfaces, or stumble while dismounting.<\/p>\n

His most memorable example of design divorced from empathy comes from an unexpected source. \u201cOne day I was in New York City buying, and I bought a lovely pair of scissors, and it was exposed in the MoMA as an object of art.\u201d The perfectly symmetrical scissors intrigued him, but when he tried to use them at home, \u201cthe only thing it cut is the palm of my hand.\u201d It was beautiful but functionally useless, highlighting the danger of prioritizing aesthetics over usability. When asked what matters more than perfection, Denys offers: \u201cEquilibrium, holistic. We need to create holistic experiences that hit all aspects in the consumer\u2019s rational way of criticizing a product and also on the emotional side.\u201d A consumer might initially be drawn to something beautiful, but disappointment with the overall experience means they may never return to that brand again, making holistic balance essential for long-term success.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Safety First, Launch Dates Second<\/h2>\n

In the world of recreational vehicles, safety isn\u2019t optional. \u201cFor us, safety is not an option. Safety is a prime focus for everything that we do,\u201d Denys states emphatically. \u201cWe always strive for safe products. So I think basically we don\u2019t compromise on safety. You should never mess with, you should never compromise on safety.\u201d When presented with a hypothetical scenario where competitive pressure and board expectations push for an on-time launch, but a safety feature would delay production by six months, Denys doesn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cI think we would rally every member of the product steering committee to postpone our start of production.\u201d The long lifecycle of BRP products (four to ten years) outweighs short-term market pressure every time.<\/p>\n

This philosophy extends to BRP\u2019s approach as market disruptors and first movers. The Spyder three-wheeler family exemplifies accepting that you can\u2019t anticipate every need upfront. \u201cWe created something to attract the 95% of the population that drives a car instead\u201d of motorcycles, Denys explains. After launch, new needs emerged that weren\u2019t fulfilled by the first execution, but that\u2019s the advantage of being first: capturing insights that inform the next variant or platform. \u201cConsumers could not have told us because the product did not exist,\u201d he notes, demonstrating how iterative learning trumps waiting for an impossible perfection. In the rapid-fire segment, when asked to complete \u201cPerfect is the enemy of\u2026,\u201d Denys responds without hesitation: \u201ctime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Listen to the full conversation on Design Mindset<\/a> (powered by KeyShot), available every Friday, to hear more insights from one of the industry\u2019s most decorated design leaders.<\/p>\n

Download your Free Trial of KeyShot Here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The post After 40 Years, BRP\u2019s Chief Design Officer Says Empathy Beats Perfection Every Time<\/a> first appeared on Yanko Design<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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