Luke Woolfson served as the industrial designer for the Blackboard 2 team. Luke, who describes himself as “passionate for creativity and perfection,” holds a Masters Degree in Product Design from De Montfort University, Leicester, and previously served as a Graduate Design Engineer at Dyson. He joined FilmLight in 2004 as industrial designer for Blackboard 1.

What was the impetus for the development of Blackboard 2?

The original Blackboard control surface had been in service for five years and while the software had advanced a great deal, the hardware remained essentially unchanged. Our goal with Blackboard 2 was to push past the old limitations and create a new type of control surface that could change dynamically depending on who was using it, and provide the user with instant feedback.

The backlit, programmable keys are the feature most people notice when they see Blackboard 2 for the first time. Did that present a significant design challenge?

We spent a lot of time designing how to get an image onto the surface of a key cap. It took nearly a year to get a single key to look good. We also spent considerable time in getting the touch of the keys—how they move up and down—to feel right. Once we had one key, it was a matter of working with the electronic engineers to get a viable build together. We now have a patent pending on the key. We think it’s pretty unique.

People have always been impressed with the look of Blackboard 1, and the new surface improves on that. It is a stunner. What were your aesthetic goals?

We wanted to create a “wow” product. We were particularly keen to do something different with the top surface and so we decided to make it wood. It took some finessing to get the finish and the manufacturing process right, but we think it is very successful. It means that every Blackboard 2 will be different. The result is a control surface that is ergonomic and visually stimulating to the user, who, after all, will be sitting in front of it all day. We are hoping they develop a strong attachment to this product.

You can find out more about Blackboard 2 here.