Five (Make That Six) Questions Friday with Chantel Chambliss and Gordon Crum of Veritas Forge
Name: Chantel Chambliss & Gordon Crum
Title: Product Designers
Job description: Everything from concept art to prototyping, including wrangling Thing1 and Thing2 from time to time.
Company: Veritas Forge
Hometown: We're based in Bristol, Wisconsin.
1. Why do you choose to do the work you do?
Chantel: I love hearing our clients’ ideas and having the ability to turn them into 3D models and making photorealistic renderings. It’s very rewarding to hear their excitement upon seeing their vision “come to life.” I’ve always been interested in how things work mechanically, and being a product designer allows me to be creative at the same time. If not for pesky gravity and a rabbit hole, I might’ve gone down a completely different path.
Gordon: For us, taking on challenging product designs is a way of satisfying an insatiable need to create. We are truly addicts of the creative process; it brings us here early each day and often keeps us here late. There isn’t any other form of work on the planet that could hold our interest or be as fulfilling.
2. What is your proudest career moment?
Chantel: I’d have to say my proudest moment came when I worked on my first design. The client was very particular about what he wanted, and though it was a bit of a struggle, in the end he was so happy and totally loved it! Having that moment when I realized that this is what I’m supposed to be doing was amazing!
Gordon: We could shamelessly name drop and talk about the success of our designs, but for the most part, each design we complete brings satisfaction and makes us all quite proud. Each day for us offers new challenges in designing products that have never existed. Turning them into a reality is AWESOME!
3. What goal of yours inspires you most?
Chantel: The warm fuzzy feeling I get when a client loves the design keeps me coming back for more. Also, my boss has promised me a periscope for my Christmas bonus this year; I gotta stick around and work hard for that!
Gordon: I have achieved all of the standard goals in life so far: passing the third grade, building a hyperbaric chamber, and owning a pet skunk…what is really left but to become Iron Man one day?! Actually, if that doesn’t pan out, I do have a backup goal that gets me excited. I have a vision for what Veritas Forge could be and what we could achieve for our clients, and I won’t settle for anything less: total reform of the product engineering process from sterile and lifeless to one that is fun, and not hindered by technology but inspired by it.
4. How has SolidWorks made a difference in your life?
Chantel: Well, it’s very nice to not have ink smears from drafting on my hands and face. That’s definitely a bonus! SolidWorks is a wonderful modeling tool. It’s so helpful to be able to create in a three-dimensional world and be able to save trees one click at a time.
Gordon: I have quite literally brought color into an otherwise drab user experience. I believe the environment in which you work in should inspire you to create. That is why our office is full of strange and interesting things. SolidWorks provides an intuitive and visually appealing medium on which to iterate and explore ideas freely.
5. What do you do for fun?
Chantel: Here at the office, we often play with Play-Doh and wrist rockets, but sometimes if we are really lucky we get to break things to figure out how to make them better.
Gordon: Here in the office we frequently take part in extravagant pipe dreaming to the point of raucous laughter. It usually starts off with one of the designers offering up an idea for something, and the rest of the team proceeds to add on to the idea until it is absurd and hilarious.
6. Who’s your favorite super hero?
Chantel: My favorite super hero in progress is Gordon. He’s got a good start on his Iron Man suit, but don’t tell him it’s looking a little Tin-Man-ish!
Gordon: It’s a tie between Tesla and Tony Stark.
