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Our mission is simple:

To elevate the human experience, and move people & business.

Our mission is simple:

To elevate the human experience, and move people & business.

RKS is a design and innovation firm that creates solutions for clients that are relevant to the market, build the brand and create emotional connection.

RKS services the full range of companies from funded startups to multinational corporations. Founder Ravi K. Sawhney cultivated a people-centric approach modeled from his work at Xerox PARC in the 1970’s, where innovative methods using psychology as an essential factor in design resulted in the first-generation touch screen graphic interface as well as many other breakthroughs.
RKS came to national attention shortly after its founding by developing the production design of the animated Teddy Ruxpin, one of the greatest disruptive success stories in the history of the toy industry. Success followed success, with RKS being in on the ground floor of tablets with Alan Kay, Pocket Arcades with Sega and the game-changing dental whitening system for Discus Dental. Another milestone was the turnaround of MiniMed, developing a discreet personal insulin pump that allowed millions of diabetics to shed the stigma of being seen as “sick.” This inspired design took MiniMed from a declining $40M in revenue to $270M in three years, leading to its acquisition by Medtronic for $3.6B.

The 1990’s brought a confluence of deep introspection and humanity, along with insights into how the work of Joseph Campbell and Abraham Maslow could inform design. This direction led to RKS Design’s highly acclaimed Psycho-Aesthetics methodology.

RKS logo small
About Page Panoramic View of the Studio

About

RKS is a design and innovation firm that creates solutions for clients that are relevant to the market, build the brand and create emotional connection.

RKS services the full range of companies from funded startups to multinational corporations. Founder Ravi K. Sawhney cultivated a people-centric approach modeled from his work at Xerox PARC in the 1970’s, where innovative methods using psychology as an essential factor in design resulted in the first-generation touch screen graphic interface as well as many other breakthroughs.
RKS came to national attention shortly after its founding by developing the production design of the animated Teddy Ruxpin, one of the greatest disruptive success stories in the history of the toy industry. Success followed success, with RKS being in on the ground floor of tablets with Alan Kay, Pocket Arcades with Sega and the game-changing dental whitening system for Discus Dental. Another milestone was the turnaround of MiniMed, developing a discreet personal insulin pump that allowed millions of diabetics to shed the stigma of being seen as “sick.” This inspired design took MiniMed from a declining $40M in revenue to $270M in three years, leading to its acquisition by Medtronic for $3.6B.

The 1990’s brought a confluence of deep introspection and humanity, along with insights into how the work of Joseph Campbell and Abraham Maslow could inform design. This direction led to RKS Design’s highly acclaimed Psycho-Aesthetics methodology.

Our work elevates the human experience. 

Our Impact

around the world

Dozens

of countries

Hundreds

of expeditions

Thousands

of interviews

Design approach of RKS Design consultancy in Los Angeles smaller image

Psycho-Aesthetics™ (P/A)

Our Advanced Human-Centered Design & Development Methodology

Top design is no longer just about winning awards and creating great portfolios—it’s much more. The best products create lasting emotional connections between the product, brand, and service, and the user. The basis of this connection is a foundational understanding and user’s needs and wants. Crafted over forty years, our advanced design thinking approach, Psycho- Aesthetics (P/A), allows us to understand and quantify these emotional connections. Unique among product design companies, this human-centered methodology is deep the bones of our firm. Our product design agency uses it to conceive and bring to life new innovative technologies, new products, and services, new brands, new digital experiences, new environments, even whole new companies. Our best work is done when we create solutions that remain fresh, inspired, relevant, and human. Using this approach, we work with our clients to create lasting, impactful projects that grow their businesses to new heights. United by Psycho-Aesthetics, our design firm creates a common languages with our clients that can be used over the life of the relationship.

A few of the great institutions that use our design thinking methodology; P/A™:

Our work improves the human experience.

Our Impact

From 2005 – Present

Design approach of RKS Design consultancy in Los Angeles smaller image

Dozens

of countries

Hundreds

of expeditions

Thousands

of interviews

Psycho-Aesthetics™ (P/A)

Our Advanced Human-Centered Design & Development Methodology

Human Centered Product Design Firm View of RKS Psycho Aesthetics Hero's Journey Graphic Portraying how a user interacts with a product
Top design is no longer just about winning awards and creating great portfolios—it’s much more. The best products create lasting emotional connections between the product, brand, and service, and the user. The basis of this connection is a foundational understanding and user’s needs and wants. Crafted over forty years, our advanced design thinking approach, Psycho- Aesthetics (P/A), allows us to understand and quantify these emotional connections. Unique among product design companies, this human-centered methodology is deep the bones of our firm. Our product design agency uses it to conceive and bring to life new innovative technologies, new products, and services, new brands, new digital experiences, new environments, even whole new companies. Our best work is done when we create solutions that remain fresh, inspired, relevant, and human. Using this approach, we work with our clients to create lasting, impactful projects that grow their businesses to new heights. United by Psycho-Aesthetics, our design firm creates a common languages with our clients that can be used over the life of the relationship.

A few of the great institutions that use our design thinking methodology...

We Create Solutions For Our Clients That...

Elevate the
Brand
Are relevant to the
Market
Create Emotional
Connection

We Create Solutions For Our Clients That...

Elevate the Brand

Are relevant to the Market

Create emotional Connection

View of RKS Psycho Aesthetics broken down into a visual of the process with steps for each

Meet our awesome leadership

Meet our awesome leadership

Play Video about Lance Hussey Explains Product Design
Play Video about Lance Hussey Explains Product Design
View of RKS Design Office people working at different offices and interacting and engaging with one another
Ravi Sawhney acting silly profile photo

Founder, CEO

Ben Azzam Executive Vice President at RKS design consultancy smiling

Executive Vice President

Lance Hussey creative director at RKS Design consultancy smiling

Creative Director

View of RKS Design Office people working at different offices and interacting and engaging with one another
Ravi Sawhney acting silly profile photo
Founder, CEO
Ben Azzam Executive Vice President at RKS design consultancy smiling
Executive Vice President

Lance Hussey creative director at RKS Design consultancy smiling
Creative Director
Cary Chow smiling at RKS design consultancy
Exec VP Program Management

Cary Chow smiling at RKS design consultancy

Exec VP Program 

Management

John Vernon design engineer at RKS design consultancy

Director of Product

Development

VP Partnerships

John Vernon design engineer at RKS design consultancy
Director of Product Development
VP Partnerships

Armando Pena Profile Image

Head of Software 

Development

Alex Levine Senior Design RKS Design

Chief of Staff

Armando Pena Profile Image
Head of Software Development

Alex Levine Senior Design RKS Design
Chief of Staff

Clients that have moved with us

Explore some of our recent work

Intel

Creating a new business unit to position Intel into a service provider and not just a chip manufacturer.

FreshRealm

A zero waste solution that provides healthy meals right to your doorstep.

FloWater

A more premium, refreshing, and sustainable alternative to disposable water bottles.

Interested in more?

Clients that have moved with us
Explore some of our work​
Intel
Creating a new business unit to position Intel into a service provider and not just a chip manufacturer.
FreshRealm

A zero waste solution that provides healthy meals right to your doorstep.

FloWater
A more premium, refreshing, and sustainable alternative to disposable water bottles.

Interested in more?​

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