1994

By the early 1990's, the original IBM AS/400 product line was rapidly losing market share due to a growing perception that the product family employed outdated technology, and was highly overpriced. David saw this as a tremendous opportunity for design to reinvent the product in order to alter market perceptions and drive business results. David led a strategic design initiative to recast that image via a sweeping change that would forever reposition the status quo.

The resulting award winning design featured stark black enclosures, dramatic air inlets, and simple yet powerful forms. This was a striking contrast to the putty colored neutral appearance that had come to dominate not only the IBM server products, but the entire industry. Following the new series introduction, AS/400 Division revenues jumped by a double-digit percentage. Comments of yesterdays technology were quickly replaced by emotional associations with objects such as the F117a stealth fighter.

David later built on this powerful design foundation with the introduction of the IBM NetFinity line of rack mounted PC based servers in 1999. Nearly 15 years later, the complete IBM product line continues to demonstrate their direct lineage to the AS/400 Advanced Series breakthrough design.

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