Searching for CMF Specialist

Hello all,

Our ID department has been tasked with an influx of color and material explorations on several recent products. The results of each exploration has been fairly successful, but has taken the team longer than planned to finalize. A big reason why these color and material explorations have taken too long is primarily because it is a process that our designers are a little unfamiliar with. I think most designers will produce a quick range of color options as a portion of the ID process, but to develop a wide range of multiple SKU’s that will be critiqued and criticized by domestic and international marketing departments can be a bit more involved. As a result, it would appear that designers can be slightly overwhelmed by the process; the color studies seem to be a little too far-reaching, exploring too many options before we find a suitable direction. Even once a direction is established, the process of finalizing a color and ushering it into molded parts can be very meticulous.

We have had several conversations about the need for an experienced CMF specialist that can help lead or guide these explorations so they can be more successful in a shorter amount of time. A CMF specialist for our staff can also help our department develop color and material strategies, and also track color trends in the market.

We have posted an ad on coroflot, but have had limited response. Coroflot is a great resource, but may not be the best option for a specialized position like a Color, Material and Finish designer.

I was curious if anyone had any recommendations for other online communities or forums to consider for a search?

Thank you in advance,

[ Deleted ]

When I was at Nike there was a fairly large team of Color Designers doing just this. Creating seasonal design strategies based on trend observations and user insights and applying them to multiple SKUs across price points and retail channels. Trolling around linkedIn for Color Designers at a place like Nike might be a place to start in regards to contacting a few people for advice. Send me a PM or an email and I can set you up with a couple of folks that might be able to point you in the right direction.

Also, the car industry is another great resource, there the position is typically called color and trim.