Dataflex wins an iF product design award 2013

Press Release

Dataflex has won a prestigious iF product design award for the first time. Their recently released ViewLite Plus monitor arm has been awarded the renowned iF label. This brings the total number of awards for the ViewLite Plus up to three. The two-man in-house design team that designed the new monitor arm couldn't be happier.

The iF product design award isn't just any award; it has become an internationally recognized label for outstanding quality over the course of 60 years. In the world of design, it's regarded as more or less the equivalent of an Oscar. During the last week of November, the design team heard the news they had won an iF award. Naturally, they were ecstatic.

For a small team to win such a big award and 'get it right' after just a few tries – the ViewLite Plus monitor arm is one of the first few products they've designed together since the team's inception in 2010 – is remarkable. The team consists out of Roderik Mos, product manager and Tijs Horn, product designer. Both are employed at Dataflex since 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Three awards in total

'Receiving the acclaimed iF award is such a great honour for us', says Tijs Horn. 'On top of that, we feel as if we've struck gold. We never would have guessed we'd win one, let alone two, well established awards that are sought after by the international design community. I'm still not sure how we pulled it off. One thing I do know is we sure don't mind all the extra celebration cakes we've been having lately.'

Earlier in 2012, the company already had two good reasons for celebrating. The ViewLite Plus won a 'red dot design award – honourable mention 2012' in June. Then, in October, Tijs Horn – 26 years old – won a 'European Aluminium Award – Young Designers Prize', for which he was eligible due to his age and the fact that the ViewLite Plus is almost entirely made out of 'green' (partly recycled) die-cast aluminium.

Team dynamics

On the question of what they (the design team) think it was that propelled them to this sudden success, Roderik Mos answers: 'Well I don't mean to oversimplify things but maybe it's just that we've actually been working well together.' Mos explains: 'When we start a project for a new product, I have a rough idea of what I want it to be able to do and what it needs to look like. I then take my idea to Tijs and he fills in the blanks, shapes it and technically fleshes it out into a working prototype.'

Tijs Horn agreeingly nods: 'Yeah but if you put it that way it might seem a bit too straightforward. Between Roderik's 'vision' for the product and my different design ideas, there is a lot of bouncing back and forth. That's our playing field. Basically, it's where we'll stay until we end up with something that we're both comfortable with.'

The iF Brand

The iF brand as a whole, also including communication design and packaging design, has become a symbol for outstanding achievements in their respective fields of expertise. Out of 3,011 entries, the ViewLite Plus was recognized with the renowned iF label for its product design in the 'office / business' category.

The jury considered criteria such as design quality, finish, choice of materials, degree of innovation, environmental impact, functionality, ergonomics, visualization of intended use, safety, brand value and branding and aspects of universal design.