Eric Wood, a founding member at DXC, recently transitioned from Rivian to Cariad, a Volkswagen company, as the VP of Product Experience. We had the pleasure of sitting down with him to discuss his vibrant career journey and his exciting new role at Cariad, Volkwagen’s automotive software business.
The Physicist and Architect Redefining Mobility
Eric Wood’s journey into design began with a unique blend of influences. With a background in physics and architecture, he has always approached design from a first-principles perspective. This foundation in fundamental sciences allows him to strip down complex problems to their core elements, leading to innovative solutions in automotive design.
"I thought I wanted to be a physicist," Eric recalls. "But design projects were what truly excited me." One of his early assignments, designing environments for extreme and unusual conditions, such as space stations, cemented his fascination with the interplay between technology and human experience. "You start with fundamental needs much like in physics, and derive something new. That’s the essence of first-principles problem-solving." Eric’s love of design and creativity was inherited from his mother, a landscape designer, and his grandmother, who was a painter.
The Importance of First Principles and Human Observation
For Eric Wood, success hinges on a deep understanding of first principles and human observation. This involves looking beyond superficial tasks to grasp the underlying goals of users, understanding goal-oriented design versus task-oriented design. "It's about understanding what people are really trying to achieve, not just what they are doing," he explains.
Eric’s approach emphasizes observing how people interact with technology in their daily lives. By understanding these interactions, designers can identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. "Observing users in their natural environment reveals insights you can't get from a lab or focus groups," he notes. This method goes beyond traditional user research, aiming to uncover the fundamental needs and desires that drive human behavior.
Understanding the Nuances of Human Experience
Eric’s career reflects a keen awareness of how the human experience is shaped by the interplay of business, technology, and design. He recognizes that the nuances of user experience are influenced by various moving parts, from corporate strategies to technological capabilities.
His work at SAP and Rivian demonstrates his ability to navigate these complexities. At SAP, he broadened the customer base by integrating SAP transactions with Microsoft Office, making enterprise software more accessible and profitable by creating the ability for everyone within a business to easily use SAP. At Rivian, he transformed the automotive user experience with a focus on simplicity and intuitiveness. "Many cars are beautiful outside but have terrible software inside," he comments. "Our goal was to reimagine how people use their vehicles by owning the entire stack, from hardware to software."
A Career Journey: from Websites to Cars
Wood’s career path reflects a series of strategic pivots and learning experiences that have shaped his approach to design and innovation. Reflecting on his career to date, Eric admits he had a lot of great mentors. “I learned a lot from businesspeople who kept promoting me – even though I was heads down doing the work.”
While pursuing his Master’s degree in Architecture, Eric sought a summer internship to complement his studies. A chance opportunity came when his downstairs neighbor asked him to design a website for Standard & Poor's. "Their first website was terrible," he laughs. "I had no clue about corporate design or early web technologies, but that project started it all."
That initial project ignited Eric's passion for web design. The Internet, an uncharted frontier with no established rules, presented an exhilarating challenge that he was eager to tame and transform into something delightful. This project marked the beginning of his career in design, teaching him the importance of user-centric approaches and rapid iteration. "You learn a lot when you start from scratch and have to figure things out on your own," he reflects.
Eric’s move to Hollywood exposed him to the fast-paced world of web design, where he worked for leading agencies on projects for major clients like Microsoft and Nestlé. "Fast iterations, sleeping under your desk—it was an intense but invaluable experience," he says. "There were no degrees in UX or interaction design back then.”
A pivotal moment came at a corporate Christmas party, where Wood met Shai Agassi, a prominent tech figure who invited him to join SAP. "It was as much chance as hard work," Wood recalls. At SAP, he worked on broadening the customer base and integrating SAP transactions with Microsoft Office.
"At SAP, my role was to disrupt traditional enterprise consumption by merging SAP's functionality with the user-friendliness of Microsoft Office. First, we made SAP available in a web browser, then we created cross-functional applications. We translated fundamental business functions—like Finance, HR, and Legal—into user-friendly tasks, such as starting new initiatives or merging companies. This eventually led to 'Duet for Microsoft Office and SAP,'" he says. This strategic integration ensured that each product not only looked and functioned well but also fit within the larger business framework, driving commercial success.
Eric’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found TravelMuse, a startup inspired by his travels with his wife. "My friend Kevin and I put down a business plan and went shopping on Sandhill Road," he recalls. Although the venture had its challenges, it built his confidence and honed his strategic thinking skills.
Telenav was Eric’s first foray into the automotive industry, where he learned the business from the ground up and met many of his business mentors. Notably, he developed a standalone infotainment system. "It was basically a Samsung tablet suction-cupped to the dash—but it really worked," he explained. "We drove our designs every day, constantly iterating." This hands-on approach ensured the final product was intuitive and user-friendly. More importantly, Eric learned to ship real software in cars used worldwide, leading the design of software for GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, and more.
Designing Cars of the Future at Rivian
Eric’s role at Rivian marked a significant breakthrough in automotive design by integrating vehicle capabilities (Camp Mode or Drive Modes) with hardware behaviors (lighting suspension, power management) and software UX, ultimately creating the Camping App, the Drive Mode Apps and others. He aimed to create a cohesive user experience. "Many cars are beautiful outside but have terrible software inside," he notes. "Our goal was to change that and as a start-up I had the opportunity to use design to bring these elements together without the constraints that existed in mature automakers."
He emphasized the importance of owning the entire supply chain to maintain design integrity. "The advantages of Tesla and Rivian come from full-stack ownership," he explains. "It allowed for greater control and accountability, resulting in a more cohesive and intuitive user experience. We could design, build, test, and revise quickly—on a weekly basis—without relying on multiple tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers, a process that traditionally takes months or even years for traditional automakers.”
OEMs face significant challenges with UX and software integration within automobiles. Eric Wood explained, "the UX reflected the complexity of both the internal processes owned by different departments within the OEM and the supply chain, highlighting how fragmented the process can be. No single entity owned the entire user experience. This fragmentation, compounded by reliance on Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers, makes cohesive design difficult. Automotive design has evolved through legacy practices, resulting in a highly static system. The industry's integrated nature and regulatory requirements foster risk aversion and resistance to change, complicating efforts to innovate in UX and software integration.
Strategic Design Leadership: More than Creativity
As a strategic design leader, Wood exemplifies the importance of aligning design efforts with market and company forces to enhance the end-user experience. He understands that effective design leadership requires more than just creative vision; it involves strategic thinking and a deep understanding of market dynamics, and in the case of automotive manufacturing, the limitations of the supply chain.
Wood’s success is also rooted in his keen awareness of technical realities, including manufacturing, supply chain, costs, and risk management. He recognizes that great design must be feasible and scalable. "You can't ignore the realities of production and distribution," he advises. "Understanding these aspects is crucial to bringing innovative designs to life.” In the automotive industry, this means understanding the intricacies of tiered supply chains and the regulatory environment.
Human-Centered Innovation in Car Design
At the heart of Wood’s philosophy is a commitment to deeply understanding the human experience and designing conditions that serve it most effectively. He believes that design should be driven by a clear understanding of user goals. "Design should make life easier and be more intuitive," he asserts.
His work at Rivian illustrates this approach. For example, the adventure vehicle that had air suspension to raise and lower the vehicle depending on the terrain—higher when off-roading and lower when on highways for aerodynamics and fuel efficiency—could also be used to level the vehicle when camping with a tent on the vehicle on uneven terrain. "When you are in camp mode, it solves people's problems traditionally associated with camping. The vehicle can level itself; it can keep the headlights from turning on in the middle of the night when you open the door, it can keep the power on to run an electric cooler. Instead of thinking of the car as a car, think of it as a digital tool that drives, which can change the physical and software behaviors to solve entirely new problems.”
Looking Ahead at Cariad and Volkswagen
Reflecting on his journey, Eric emphasized the importance of confidence and perseverance. The advice he would give his younger unemployed self would be, "Don't worry about what people say. Be confident in the work you are doing in front of you. It may not be perfect, but it builds over time."
Eric’s next chapter as the VP of Product Experience at Cariad, Volkswagen’s technology subsidiary, presents an exciting opportunity to apply his insights on a larger scale. Eric will be building their software-defined vehicles platform, enabling all VW brands to create the EVs of the future. “I’m excited to take what I learned at this small OEM called Rivian and apply all those learnings into something that will massively scale. VW is between the first and second largest vehicle maker in the world.”
Eric Wood’s career exemplifies the power of strategic design leadership. His ability to integrate first principles with a deep understanding of the human experience has driven innovation across various fields. By aligning design with broader business strategies and technical and physical realities, Wood ensures that his work not only meets user needs but also achieves commercial success.