The Artistry of Manufacturing
When I share with people the goal of my work—developing artful leaders with creative visions in business—and I mention Apple as an example, the response is often, "Yes, Apple has beautiful products."
It’s true—Apple products are beautiful, emotionally engaging, and pleasing to the senses. But these qualities are not merely byproducts; they are the result of a profound artistic approach. This artistry became particularly evident in the mid-2000s, when Apple, led by Jony Ive, revolutionized the way laptops were manufactured.
Jony Ive, the former senior vice president of design at Apple, set a guiding principle for himself: make products humane and relatable. “There is a widespread conception that stuff is too complicated and divorced from human concerns. All the attributes that are emotive have been ignored,” he said.
To achieve this, Ive strove for simplification in everything he did. Simplification wasn’t just his goal; it was his vision. He consistently aimed to reduce the number of parts and joints in each product, enhancing both durability and aesthetics. This vision of simplification laid the groundwork for one of Apple’s most significant manufacturing innovations: the unibody design.
It's important to remember that Ive's and Apple's commitment to beauty and elegance goes beyond surface aesthetics. They ensure that the internal components are crafted with the same level of care and precision. In that, Apple’s philosophy mirrors that of artisans who meticulously craft every detail, resulting in products that are beautiful both inside and out.
Apple’s willingness to push beyond conventional manufacturing boundaries to achieve this creative vision is what sets them apart. While many companies might be satisfied with using existing technology to design their products' internal components, Apple’s team did not settle. They kept searching for new, innovative ways to push the boundaries. In most companies, Jony Ive might have been told that his vision for simplifying internal and external parts couldn’t be realized with current methods. But Ive had the support of one of the greatest creative visionaries of our time—Steve Jobs—who empowered him to push Apple’s boundaries in every possible direction, including its manufacturing processes.
In 2008, Ive went on stage and told the audience, “For years, we have been looking for a better way to make a notebook. And we think we found it.”
The Artistry in Manufacturing
Before 2008, laptops were typically made from multiple parts that had to be connected together, resulting in more bulk, weight, and potential points of failure.
To fulfill his creative vision of simplicity and aesthetics, Ive and his team embarked on a journey to revolutionize Apple’s notebook manufacturing. They took machining, typically used for small-batch production, and adapted it for mass production, defying industry norms and innovating the entire consumer electronics manufacturing process.
Apple’s breakthrough was to replace all of those parts with a single part, which they called the unibody. Instead of layering multiple sheets of metal, the new process started with a thick block of metal and, in a reversal of the old process, produced a frame by removing material rather than adding it. In these products, a single part forms both the backplate and the frame, with all the screw bosses cut into it to attach other components, condensing even more parts into one. This innovation allowed Apple to create much thinner and more durable computers, like the MacBook Air, that could fit into an envelope—a memorable moment in Steve Jobs' keynote at Macworld Expo 2008. This shift wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about simplifying the structure to enhance durability, functionality, and beauty.
For me, this is part of the artistry I seek in business: pushing the boundaries of manufacturing to produce better products—for people. The goal wasn’t just pure efficiency or cost-cutting. The unibody process was a clear manifestation of artistry in the industrial world, where creative vision meets groundbreaking innovative manufacturing.
Craftsmanship: Bringing the Artistic Vision to Life
But artistry alone doesn't make a product exceptional. It’s the meticulous craftsmanship that follows the artistic vision which ensures that every aspect of the product meets the highest standards. The unibody process didn’t just revolutionize the interior and exterior design of Apple’s products; it also allowed for a new level of precision in the details.
Take the computer indicator lights, for example. In the unibody process, the inside of the case is thinned so a laser can drill tiny, precise holes in the metal. These holes are so small that the metal looks solid from the outside, but they’re just big enough to let the LED light shine through. This attention to detail isn’t just engineering; it’s craftsmanship—an artful approach to creating something that is both functional and beautiful.
Most other companies would likely have followed the obvious approach of making a hole in the metal, inserting an LED, and placing a piece of plastic over the top. But Apple’s approach was different: it was a craftsman-like approach to the industrial production process. This obsession with details is a common theme among every creative company I've researched and among artists I often talk to.
Jony Ive admitted this as well: “In many ways, I think it's more beautiful internally than it is externally. I think that testifies to just our care.”
Leadership’s Role in Creative Vision
What often goes overlooked is leadership’s commitment to the creative vision. And when I say commitment, I don’t just mean giving positive feedback and recognizing the effort; I mean putting your money where your mouth is.
Apple's decision to shift to the unibody manufacturing process was backed by a massive financial investment, reflecting its commitment to producing the most elegant and high-quality products. In 2012, Apple spent $9.5 billion on capital expenditures, with the majority dedicated to the unibody production process, compared to only $865 million on retail stores. That’s approximately ten times more invested in manufacturing than in its points of sale!
Just as an artist refines their technique to explore new creative possibilities, Apple’s refinement of the unibody process opened new avenues for innovation across their entire product line. This approach didn’t just transform laptops; it led to significant advancements in the design and durability of devices like the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 and everything that came after.
Conclusion: The Intersection of Art and Industry
Apple didn’t just change consumer products from an aesthetic point of view; they changed the manufacturing process for the entire industry—all in service of this creative vision. And as you can see, it wasn’t cheap. The investments and the years of research to achieve this new manufacturing process weren’t for the sake of efficiency alone. The financial investment was huge, but the rewards were equally substantial.
This demonstrates that financial success can be a natural byproduct of pursuing a creative vision. Apple’s unibody manufacturing process is a perfect example of this philosophy in action. While fundamentally an engineering and industrial achievement, the process also embodies artistic elements like setting a clear vision, thorough research, precision, transformation of materials, and aesthetic consideration. Apple’s attention to both visible and unseen details reflects the meticulous craftsmanship of artists, showing that beauty and functionality can coexist and drive one another.
For Ive, simplification was not just a goal but the guiding principle that shaped Apple’s revolutionary approach. This challenges the conventional wisdom that financial incentives alone drive groundbreaking work, highlighting instead the transformative power of commitment to a creative vision. By embracing an artful approach to design and manufacturing, Apple set a new standard—proving that true innovation often lies at the intersection of art and industry.
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