Hi, I’m Katie Wittenberg
Fractional design leader and Freelance Industrial and Furniture Designer.
The best products in the marketplace are based on market research, sales insights, and user insights. These powerful data points combined with design for manufacturing and cost targets and material, design, or technical innovations are foundational to how I have brought winning products to market throughout my 20+ year career in product design and development.
I’m passionate about designing products that provide users with an elevated experience regardless of category or price point targets. This focus has guided me through a variety of roles throughout my product development career, from designing and building luxury custom furniture, to designing and managing the technical development and product engineering of indoor and outdoor furniture and home decor at Target. In addition to designing new stoves, fireplaces, fire pit tables, and developing innovative new materials, my role at Hearth & Home Technologies (HHT) included leading trend and consumer insights research. These responsibilities carried over to my role with Grand Leisure, a top mass market patio furniture supplier, where I continued to lead trend reporting, material/CMF development, and market insights strategies.
As Design Manager at Grand Leisure, I led design and product development processes for up to 5 major retail accounts at any given time, bringing hundreds of SKUs to market while also managing the US Design team of 4. My accounts included Lowe’s, Home Depot, Home Depot Canada, Canadian Tire, Rona, Big Lots, and Target, and as Design Manager, I supported all 16 retail accounts we served as needed. I led the continuous improvement of Grand Leisure design processes building a comprehensive global workflow encompassing defined responsibilities and processes for US Design, China Design, R&D, and Sales teams.
I have driven manufacturing capability improvements in partnership with global and domestic cross functional teams in multiple roles. My unique background includes experience in custom design/build, designing on the retailer side, designing as a manufacturer, and designing for mass retailers. I’m not afraid of getting my hands dirty and continuously strive to deliver quality and value even in the lowest cost items I have designed.
Let's work together to bring some fantastic products to market! I am open to work for freelance Industrial and Furniture Design and design leadership opportunities.
My Approach
Leading Line Design LLC exists to support your design needs from research and insights, to strategizing and objective setting, from initial concepts through CAD and sampling, and in presentation to retailers. I’m passionate about ensuring products are impactful, priced right, and are right for your customers and consumers. I’m available for fractional leadership roles working with global and domestic teams to improve your traction in the market.
Design Leadership:
· Strategic Planning
· Global Team Development
· Cross-functional Partnership
· Brand Differentiation/Brand Language
· Product Standards
Data-driven Industrial and Furniture Design:
· Design for North American Commercial Success
· Trend Forecasting
· Comp Shop Support
· Material Development/CMF
· Adaptability to any category
Design for manufacturing:
· Category experience in indoor and outdoor furniture, gas and wood burning fireplaces and inserts, gas, wood, and pellet steel and cast iron stoves, refractory (Interior panels), fire media, log sets, fire tables, home decor, wall decor, shelves, outdoor accessories, garden accessories, grilling accessories, holiday decor, and enthusiasm for new categories.
· Experienced woodworker and welder with history working directly with factories on production process improvement and rapid continuous improvement projects.
· Material expertise in cast iron, wood, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, foam, polyester batting, outdoor textiles, PS wood, and plastics, and finishes including powder coats, heat transfer, and stains.
· Manufacturing technique experience in sand cast, welding, injection molding, extrusions, cut and sew, hand finishing of wood, metal, and ceramic fiber panels, and upholstery.