Design by Committee?

[Little Jo]

I'm not sure if being historically correct is the goal to achieve (for sure, for historians it is). Think about the first Robin Hood or knights movies, being a success and I don't assume that the knights on those days had always been that "handsome" and clean, Robin Hood has been wondering around in pair of tights and the castles had been that bright and tidied at the inside as shown. I also do not think that armors had been that bright and shiny in the past, even the "silver" ones (which I assume wasn't not made from noble metal but simple iron or metal).
I think, Kevin Costerner's Robin Hood also wanted to be more "historically correct" (w.r.t. the time it's playing in) in contrast to the classical Robin Hood movie plays but they had added several elements and designs which just looks cool but for sure are not historically correct. So I think it's more a matter of what looks cool (acording to the current taste of "coolness"). And I think that's how the process of design is working. Is there anything said, how those 20 outfits initially are found? If those would have been choosen historically correct there wouldn't be an issue with the process after all 

I wonder why being that historically correct if keeping in mind that PM is a toy for fun and the figures just should look like somehow the period of time belonging to. 

I think there has been a similiar discussion around about the eye patch of pirates if I remember correctly ...

[Rasputin]

Would it be safe to assume that the statement "anyone walking past" is not just anybody like the postman or the cleaning lady but actually the overly educated design team who are in the business to design toys ?

[CountBogro]

Well, I think that's a safe bet, Rasputin. The area where the designers work is strictly off-limits for everyone exept the designers themselves. Geobra puts in a awefull lot of effort to keep all their new projects a secret. Don't forget; next year's line up is already in production! The designers are currently working on the new themes and sets of 2011!

I have no idea however about the reach of the marketing team (can they order new themes sets and/or can they veto themes/sets) nor that of the cleaners.
Somehow, I don't see the designers hoovering their offices themselves 

Bogro

[Gepetto]

They probably design them to stay clean (and purple).


Gepetto

[Martin Milner]

Well, I think that's a safe bet, Rasputin. The area where the designers work is strictly off-limits for everyone exept the designers themselves. Geobra puts in a awefull lot of effort to keep all their new projects a secret. Don't forget; next year's line up is already in production! The designers are currently working on the new themes and sets of 2011!

I have no idea however about the reach of the marketing team (can they order new themes sets and/or can they veto themes/sets) nor that of the cleaners.
Somehow, I don't see the designers hoovering their offices themselves 

Bogro

You're probably right, but that's not what I inferred from the book, the imporession I got was that the designers create 20 options, and then anyone from the cleaning lady to Herr Brandstatter can have a say.

[playmofire]

But the idea is maybe not as strange as it seems.  Many of these people will have children of Playmobil age and all will have been children at one time and maybe played with Playmobil as children.