Bob schofield – He makes us great!

Q: Name?

Bob Schofield

Q: In your own words, what do you do at bb7?

I lead and empower a passionate group of brilliant individuals who are smarter than I am! Together, we are bettering lives via good design!

Q: What is your expertise?

Extracting people’s unseen superpowers. I like to help people realize their full potential; it’s amazing to watch super-powered humans thrive!

Q: Brief history on your background/career?

As a child, I would curiously tear apart anything mechanical I could get my little hands on. As a teenager, that curiosity evolved into figuring out how to put things back together. In college, I studied mechanical engineering and learned why things were designed the way they were. As an adult, I would apply these principles to engineering and management.

Q: Why did you choose to go into your profession?

I have a natural deep curiosity of how anything and everything works.

Q: When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up and why?

It sounds cliché, but I wanted to be a professional football player. My dad was the high school football coach where I grew up. When I wasn’t disassembling everything in the house, I was learning plays, playing catch and punting out in the yard!

Q: What is the best piece of career advice you ever received?

Don’t try to do it all yourself; surround yourself with good people and learn to delegate.

Q: What motivates you at work?

This is an easy one. Watching people become proud of their accomplishments. Nothing in life comes easy and it’s great to see others’ pride in their hard work.

Q: One thing you cannot work without?

Tangible Item: Reading glasses
Intangible Item: Challenge

Q: What was the scariest product development project you worked on and why?

As a young engineer, I developed an insert molded hammer. Hammers are traditionally made of the hardest and toughest materials, so putting trust in a molded plastic hammer that wouldn’t break on impact and come flying back in my face was a leap of faith back then! It didn’t break by the way…

Q: How would you explain what you do to a 5-year-old?

Interesting question! These days, a 5-year-old will most likely look up “Mechanical Engineer” or “President” on his or her tablet and answered the question for me! But, I suppose I could say, “Think of the coolest way ever to scoop and eat giant bowls of ice cream….We make ideas like what you’re thinking come to life!“

Q: Describe the future of product development – 15 years from now!

In 15 years, product development solutions will be created using fast, constant feedback loops driven by empowered project teams. By allowing a design team to immerse themselves in a simulation of the user’s environment, virtual reality will allow them to more rapidly converge on optimal concepts.

Q: What is something no one knows about you?

I love jamming out to all kinds of rock n’ roll. My favorite rock band to jam out to is Iron Maiden.

Q: If you could master one more thing in life, what would it be?

Electric guitar

Q: Do you have any outside activities?

Outside of work? I love to cook.
Physically outside? I’m “one of those” homeowners with the “perfect” lawn; my neighbors kid me all the time!

Q: Education?

UW-Stout, and ~50 years of hands-on education through life experiences!