about this book
A Fine Line offers a step-by-step overview of the innovation process — from targeting goals to shepherding new products and services to the marketplace — in order to reveal how to arrive at an authentic human design that connects strongly with consumers. With a unique perspective, rich stories, and a global mindset, Esslinger explores business solutions that are environmentally sustainable and contribute to an enduring global economy.
about hartmut esslinger
Hartmut Esslinger is the founder of frog, a leading global innovation firm, and one of the most respected designers and business consultants in the world. Esslinger sparked a design revolution when he founded frog in his native Germany around the guiding principle “form follows emotion.” His work has defined the modern consumer aesthetic with such revolutionary products as the Apple Macintosh computer, Sony's Trinitron
television, Lufthansa's brand and fleet image, Disney's Cruise Lines and Consumer Electronics, and Louis Vuitton's brand aesthetic. His designs are in the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum in New York. He is also Founding Professor of the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Karlsruhe, Germany and Professor for Convergent Design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Austria.
events
press
- BusinessWeekBest Innovation and Design Books of 2009
- BusinessWeek“Throughout his book, Esslinger is keen to proffer tips on how design can affect both innovation and the bottom line. Apple stories abound, including intriguing behind-the-scenes tales that humanize both Jobs and Esslinger. But the writer also includes anecdotes of his design firm's work for an impressive, disparate collection of the world's leading brands, including Disney (DIS), Louis Vuitton (LVMH), and SAP (SAP). This book, yet another of his products, manages to be elegant and utilitarian while engaging the reader's emotions, resulting in an impressive user experience.”
- Fortune Small Business Magazine“[Esslinger's] book is an unapologetic manifesto for making design an integral part of doing business. It's also an... informative autobiography by an entrepreneur who built his small business, frog design, into a global powerhouse — and lived to tell the tale.”
- brandchannel.com“A Fine Line, by Hartmut Esslinger, explores the unholy alliance of creative design and practical business. And it's surprisingly soulful. The book draws on Esslinger's wisdom as an accomplished professional—he's the founder of frog design—and a thoughtful person. Its meticulous and relevant insights—citing real world examples and companies—on everything from innovation and industrial-cultural colonialism to originality and manufacturing plants, offer branding enthusiasts a unique understanding of how design influences the entire production process and beyond.”
- BusinessWeek - 20 Great Summer Reads“The founder of San Francisco consultancy frog design shares his strategies for clients ranging from Apple to Vuitton. In this quick, breezy read, Esslinger offers tips on how design can affect both innovation and the bottom line.”
- Core77“From his very earliest work, when he proposed that the clockmaker Kienzle use radio signals to synchronize with an atomic clock (in 1968!) his brand of design thinking was met with frequent skepticism and disdain. Today, however, companies all over the world chase the sort of strategic design thinking that frog pioneered...”
- Fast CompanyCatching Up With Hartmut Esslinger, Design Genius
- Gizmodofrog design's Hartmut Esslinger On Design in 1979
- PCWorldUnseen Apple Mac Prototypes from Harmut Esslinger
- theAppleBlogBook Reveals Rare Apple Prototype Designs
- Fast CompanyHow to Innovate, Step by Step
- Download the press kit
“A Fine Line is very enlightening because it proves that design is a magical thing that crosses nations and history, creates value, and improves our lives.”
Yang Zheqing
CEO, Shanghai Design Biennial & Shanghai Centre for Scientific and Technological Exchange with Foreign Countries (SSTEC)
“Excellent commentary about the value of design... It's packed with great insights for business people and innovators alike.”
Thom Lockwood, PhD
President, Design Management Institute (DMI)
“The idea that finely designed products can change the fate of companies is a message that millions of us owe to Hartmut.”
Michael Moritz
Partner, Sequoia Capital
“[Hartmut's] new approach to design is felt in every room in every house in every country and in every business around the world. He is an unsing hero of our times! A Fine Line is a must-read for designers and business people alike.”
Satjiv Chahil
Senior Vice President for Worldwide Marketing, HP
