consumerisms

The World's Leading Creative Class Countries

2011-10-05T15:34:00.001-04:00

The Worlds Leading Creative Class Countries

"The United States does quite a bit worse on this measure than on innovation and technology – ranking 27th in the world, just behind Slovakia.
At the top of the list is Singapore (47.3 percent), followed by the Netherlands (46.3 percent), Switzerland (44.8 percent), Australia (44.5 percent) Sweden (43.9 percent), Belgium (43.8 percent), Denmark (43.7 percent), Finland (43.4 percent), Norway (42.1 percent), and Germany (41.7 percent).
One BRIC nation, Russia ranks higher than the U.S. at 20th (38.6 percent). Brazil is 57th (18.5 percent), and China 75th (7.4 percent).
Many studies have shown that a key factor in American competitiveness and prosperity was its once world-leading system for developing and deploying human talent. That edge has clearly eroded. And not just in terms of educational attainment and performance, but in the share of its workforce in high-skill, high-wage Creative Class jobs. While the U.S. still holds a substantial lead over China, many other nations have caught up and surpassed it on this score. But America is a big country and my own research shows that the distribution of Creative Class jobs is geographically concentrated, with certain regions like Silicon Valley, greater Washington, D.C. and college towns like Boulder, Colorado scoring as high as the leading nations. While such creative concentration may be enough to underpin continued clusters of technological innovation and entrepreneurial business formation, it means a larger share of Americans toil in lower-skill, lower wage jobs—a key factor in the nation’s deep and widening socioeconomic inequality. While I am not as pessimistic as the declinists—there is still time for the nation to reverse course—many of “the rest” have clearly caught up and jumped ahead on this score. Given the deep divides that vex this country, it may be an issue that is particularly difficult to address."

Steve Jobs, Product Design,and Me

2011-08-25T10:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's news was a bummer. I can't help feeling that with the loss of Steve Jobs presence, Product Design is changing irrevocably - our leader has left the building. For years now, much of traditional product design in the US has been slipping away, small parcels sneaking off to China, India, and beyond until what remains is a shadow of the former glory. Manufacturing exited the building first, quickly, soon taking engineering with it. Now, overseas factories provide modeling and tooling, promoting their own products to clients who used to pay for American design.

Nearly every client I've ever worked with has expressed their desire to emulate Apple, to be a leader in their industry, to be like Steve. Honestly, few have had the dedication and guts to risk long-term research and investments the way Steve Jobs did. But his standard still pushed everyone to do a little more. He made me more diligent. He made us all feel like everything is possible.

I hope that Steve Jobs pulls off another miracle, hits yet another grand slam, and surprises us all by debuting another astounding, design-minded company in a few years. I still hope to meet the man some day. But for now, take a listen to his Commencement speech at Stanford, it's classic Steve Jobs.

100th Post: $100 Favorites

2011-08-22T14:40:00.001-04:00

It was hard to decide what to write about on my 100th blog entry. While I could certainly come up with top-100 lists, who'd really want to read all of that? One of the things I like best about reading blogs is finding out about cool new things that I come to love in turn. So on this momentous occasion, let me share with you a few of my favorite things that I'd happily drop a hundred dollars on, in honor of the hundredth post:

The Sodastream Soda Maker, favorite purchase of the year

KitchenAid Mixer Attachments - trust me, without these you have no idea what your mixer is capable of!

Philips Dual Screen Portable DVD Player takes long trips from excruciating to easy

Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker - consolidates the baby food process and is a super nice splurge for a new mom.

Dewalt 18V Cordless Drill - a bit over budget, but the ideal drill in my eyes. Great battery life and an easy chuck make short work of DIY work.

SimpleHuman SS Step Trash Can - think about how many times you use your trash can every day. Treat yourself to a good one!

iPod Nano - if you aren't in the apple game yet, this gadget is a great way to get started. With music, media, calendars, and apps like the pedometer, the nano quickly integrates into your day.

Snobject: Moleskine Coming to you in Color!

2011-07-19T21:39:00.000-04:00

The Volant Collection from Moleskine offers beautiful vibrant colors - the black's a classic forever, but the new colors are a treat. The green and orange join a family of brightly colored books with great features - tear away notes, removable pages, the palest grid lines, and sticky tabs. Moleskin continues to make the most delightful notebooks around.

Pioneers of American Industrial Design

2011-07-07T23:15:00.001-04:00

Often when people hear the term "Industrial Design" they think of factories and machines. Those things result from design, but Industrial Design is actually the discipline of solving problems through the design of objects. It's a strange and wonderful merging of art, engineering, business, and research. It's a unique field full of wonderfully unique individuals. The masters of my discipline are being honored by the US Postal Service with lovely iconic images that showcase the simple beauty of designing useful objects.

P-Tree Gives you Permission to Pee

2011-07-07T15:41:00.000-04:00

The P-Tree by Dutch designers Aandeboom is fascinating. Drunken revelers can now pee on trees without worry - although having permission might take all the fun out of it. The P-Tree is simple: strap the rota-molded urinal to a tree, tie it into septic or drainage, and viola! Instant potty. The only question I have left for Aandeboom is, what about the ladies?

A Castle of Your Own...

2011-06-24T10:37:00.000-04:00

It's easy to walk through a room and think, I really need more furniture, or I wish I had more artwork to hang. It's easy to forget about your walls. Vinyl decals transform walls in an instant and bring a burst of personality to a drab room. I especially love the kids motifs, which offer real style at a great price. And if you were ever a gamer, there are retro game decals here that'll make your day. If you've never browsed the Blik catalog, do yourself a favor and check it out!

Snobject: Weber Genesis E-310 Grill

2011-06-21T18:44:00.000-04:00

Honestly, all I think when I look at this grill is "Yes, please!" Seeing as it's the first day of summer here, I thought it only appropriate to highlight this perennial favorite - The Weber Genesis E-310 Grill. It's relatively compact but boasts 3 burners and tons of grilling real estate. Users report it's easy to use and easy to clean. It's built for the long-run, though the longevity comes at a price. The biggest drawback is that it comes in a ton of pieces, but clear illustrated directions get you grilling asap. And best of all, it's trimmed out like a classic car. What is there not to covet?
Weber 6511001 Genesis E-310 Liquid Propane Gas Grill, Black

The Things Users Won't Tell You

2011-06-15T15:30:00.004-04:00

Let's cut right to the chase - companies want to know what you want to buy. They really, really want to know. They email you surveys, they print feedback sweepstakes on your receipts, and they pay market researchers a LOTTA money to tell them what you want. And you tell them! You're genuinely thrilled to let them know what you're thinking! You want them to know what you want to buy too!

So what's the problem with all of that? Why does it seem so hard to find exactly what you want on the shelf? Because, honestly, you can't tell them what you want. And they're pretty silly to keep asking! For the average user the majority of any experience doesn't register in the conscious mind. The subconscious processes much of what we see, hear, touch and smell - and only the highlights are big enough to catch our full attention.
What companies could really use is insight into unarticulated needs. These are the things you won't tell them, but you'll recognize instantly when your attention is drawn to it. Take the photo above for example. When surveyed, the owner of this refrigerator was asked "can you store wine in your refrigerator" and responded "yes" with no qualifications. Upon direct observation of the user's fridge, it was obvious that wine bottle storage was not being adequately addressed.

The user isn't going to tell you what they need, but it's right there waiting to be observed through ethnographic documentation. Traditionally, ethnography demands a rigorous period of immersion into a culture for observation. The same principles can be applied to observation research on a smaller scale. Forget the focus groups. Forget the surveys. Take the plunge and get right inside the user's world - the answers are there waiting for you.

Orville's New Bag Needs No Bowl

2011-06-03T14:38:00.004-04:00

The Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl is pretty neato. Click through to watch the video - unfortunately they don't have one available to embed. The bag unfolds and expands similarly to other popcorn bags. Once it pops up, you tear off one edge and end up with a bowl-like package suitable for snacking. Beats coating your knuckles with shiny goodness when reaching deep into the greasy salty sides of a regular bag for the last kernels...

Who Needs a Burger Press?

2011-05-25T15:44:00.006-04:00

Grilling season is upon us, and I've been meaning to look into burger presses. Not necessarily because I want one, but because I've been wondering who does? I'm more the type to be lulled into a stress free zone by patting out my burgers systematically, and I haven't as yet desired a machine to do it for me. But the fact remains that there are a LOT of these little devices on the market in many forms - so here's the run-down:Williams Sonoma is all over the idea of perfectly formed burgers. They've got round ones, square ones, and pleasing heavy cast tools all around. The pass-through design seems to make sense as patties drop straight through after you press them.
Crate & Barrel has also been working the burger angle, although their presses make a bit less sense. The presses are virtually burger molds, with not much opportunity to extricate the patties intact...may explain why they're on clearance at this time!
There's also a lot of professional grade equipment on the market, and an affordable option is Weston's Burger Express. It's spring loaded, making it easy to remove the burger intact off of the raised platform after you press it. And you get to set your desired thickness. As with most presses, the use of waxed paper is encouraged to make production perfect.

What I'd like to see next is a press that allows you to customize - who says we all want the same burger size? Or maybe something that cranks out the burgers like a potato slicer? Or a patty sized cookie gun? There's definitely room for improvement here. I now understand the appeal - users describe deep satisfaction with consistent thickness, shape, and ease of production. But I think a better product awaits - after all if you're in the market for a burger press, you're seeking perfection.

How do you Start from Scratch?

2011-05-12T14:55:00.001-04:00

The conversation tends to go like this:

Me: I'm in product development
You: Really? I have this great idea I always wanted to make, let me tell you about it.
I listen to the idea, then you ask: So how much would it cost? You know, to make it?
I describe many caveats and exceptions, but eventually I have to name a number, and your face falls.

The reality is that making something new isn't easy, and it sure isn't cheap. So how do you start from scratch? How do you know if it's worth the risk? This is an area where research meets design to generate a strategic plan. The development process relies on identifying a quantifiable market opportunity - there must be money to be made in the first place. The process equally relies on understanding your users to the degree that you can spot these opportunities, harvest sufficient insights, and produce a desirable solution to a user need.

I recently embarked on this journey for the first time with a true start-up entrepreneur. Over the years I've heard a thousand great ideas, but this was the first one that had the opportunity, insight, and solution to potentially make it. Visit Goat Gear to learn more about the product you're seeing below.

Couponed Out Yet?

2011-05-10T16:41:00.003-04:00

Extreme Couponers is on TV. A million group coupon emails are in your inbox. Stores you "like" push incentives onto your Facebook wall. There's a coupon just about everywhere you look these days!

Why now? What's the trend all about? A new generation of consumers, who no longer subscribe to print papers, are discovering coupons for the first time through other mediums. Bloomberg values Groupon's IPO at $15B - $25B. To maintain that value Groupon will need to evolve - consumers are already experiencing coupon fatigue, and only 10% have actually purchased a group coupon. People are still vary of jumping down an internet rabbit hole chasing after a coupon - it's a little more sketchy than flipping through the Sunday paper coupons.

As companies accrue more and more data about us, the offers will become more specialized and the targeting will be fine-tuned. But are you really getting a discount(meaning real cash value) from the coupon offers that appeal to you? Or is this just advertising dressed cleverly in sheepskin? After all, you're not saving money if you're buying something you didn't plan to buy in the first place.

Heinz + Chick-Fil-A = Smart Ketchup

2011-04-26T15:14:00.003-04:00

When touring North Carolina I have certain items on my must-eat-list: pork bbq, Bojangles, Cook Out shakes, and Chick-Fil-A. Acquired the Chick-Fil-A yesterday, and it was delicious as usual - and accompanied by a truly nifty ketchup packet from Heinz. Practical, intuitive - the only complaint I have is that I missed the free waffle fry day at Chick-Fil-A that accompanied the product launch in March.

The Old VW Beetle is New Again

2011-04-18T18:37:00.005-04:00

Well, according to VW the new bug design is going to tap into new buyers:

"VW, which wants to triple its U.S. sales of cars and trucks over the next decade, says the changes will appeal to more buyers, especially men."

But I just don't buy it. I think they should've designed a new vehicle for men if that was their goal. My husband loves his GTI - and it doesn't look like that! Why not release the Corrado in the US? This is a man's car!The Beetle is only a Beetle because of it's visual brand language. They seem to have dismantled that in a search for new market potential. If anything they should've moved back to classic lines, with solid metal body and details. They should've celebrated their heritage instead of throwing it away. Just looking at the new Beetle makes this designer sad.

Sodastream, now with more Fizz!

2011-04-15T21:35:00.005-04:00

The latest Sodastream model has some bells and whistles that'll hit the sweet spot for many consumers. The Fizz boasts the revolutionary "FizzChip" which tells you when you're running low on gas and lets you set your perfect customized gas level. If you like to set it and forget it, and don't want to be surprised when you run outta gas, this model is for you. The older models, still well worth the money, only provide for manual adjustment of the gas-i-ness, which takes a little practice. Watch and learn - the gas is gonna getcha!

The Flip is Over!

2011-04-12T17:03:00.007-04:00

I'm both surprised and not surprised that Cisco is shutting down Flip. The designer in me is frankly shocked - that they're willing to throw away the wealth of good brand faith that Flip has earned in such a short time. The strategist in me says, why on earth did Cisco buy Flip in the first place? It's a shame that the great PD that went into the original Flip will die with this company - although the ID work was outsourced, so maybe not so much. Smart Design was responsible for the ground breaking user interface, and for much of the population this technology is still relevant. Yes, smart phones abound, but much of the population can't afford those - the Flip brought simple video capture to those who couldn't afford more expensive products, or who had limited familiarity with computers. It was one of the first video cameras that almost all users could understand how to download.

Why's it going away then? Well, a product line (and a company for that matter) have to be loved to succeed - you have to fight for your brand these days, and have the vision to lead it. Cisco doesn't have that vision for consumer products and frankly they shouldn't have tried to buy it like a commodity. While it makes sense for their bottom line to drop Flip now, it's a waste of brand potential. Overall it's sad that the original Flip owners sold to a bidder worth $40B who would never really have much stake in a $40M company.

Beaba Next Gen Keeps it Rolling

2011-04-07T08:48:00.006-04:00

Williams Sonoma is promoting the new Beaba products that accompany their baby food cooker/processor. I love, love the new Stackable Formula & Snack containers! Practical, realistic, still fun - someone who's familiar with the daily process of schlepping small amounts of many things for babies designed this. After trying it, they could stand to improve the screw threads - a simple quarter turn to lock would've been more solid, but more expensive to manufacture.Now if only they'd re-visit their food portioning freezer trays. Yes, they're cute, and I get the whole flower thing, but they're completely impractical to fit into your freezer or fridge. Give us the right shape, Beaba!

Skip the Pots this Year

2011-03-30T15:52:00.003-04:00

Biodegradable plant pots abound! The Home Depot sells many of its veggie and herb varieties in peat pots, and also sells empties for those of you who start from seed. Local garden clubs tend to be even better about this. As the growing season gets underway, consider what you're buying when you choose your plants - who needs a bunch of cheap plastic plant pots?

Baby Needs Cool Kicks TOO!

2011-03-02T14:12:00.003-05:00

Are you kidding me? Trumpette has the absolute coolest baby socks I've yet to see. I wish my boys could revert just so that I could put these socks on them for a while! Great styles for girls and boys, check them out!

Apple Patents a Stylus for iPad

2011-02-06T20:57:00.004-05:00

For those of us who love a pen on paper, the iPad is going to get a little more attractive. Apple has filed a patent for a stylus that includes an accelerometer, to pick up all the nuances of putting pen to pad. Interestingly, while Jobs has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a stylus in the past, Gates has advocated for the idea for some time:

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, made this observation last year when he said students needed a pen to be able to interact with a tablet in a school setting. Mr. Gates said the iPad was good for reading, but not necessarily for creating.

I have to say I agree with him. Looking forward to trying it out one day!

AT&Who? Verizon Hits the Ground Running with iPhone

2011-02-04T23:42:00.004-05:00

What's the biggest reason most users report for not owning an iPhone? Having AT&T as their service provider. Well, that's all over. And for me, this is all happening in the family - my husband's responsible for the Verizon commercials currently barraging you with this info. My brother in law will be selling hundreds of the phones to you.

And already, yesterday the iPhone broke Verizon's 24hr sales record in 2 HOURS. That's just the presale folks!! There's nothing new about the phone - no new software, new hardware, in reality it's an 8 month old phone. There's nothing new about this iPhone - except the service. Just goes to show, it's not only what you make but how you sell it that counts! Strategic launch partners and distribution should be a page on your brainstorming wall from Day One.

ReUse? Yes, Please!

2011-02-03T19:19:00.003-05:00

For awhile I was a recycling zealot. I really gave people a hard time when I couldn't find a recycling bin at their home. But the more I learned about recycling and it's limitations - only certain materials, only in certain amounts, and often while expending more energy than it takes to create new materials - I opened my eyes to the greater picture.

All of your stuff matters. Not just the stuff in the recycling bin. Think about owning something forever before you buy it - think about your trash can disappearing forever. If there's no trash, you have a lot more stuff than you thought! So, buy less, and what you do buy, plan to keep in your life.

ReUse is the more efficient, overachieving cousin of ReCycle. Think about objects as transitional tools - what holds your flatware one day may organize your garage tools a few years down the road, and end up housing seedlings or sorting sand in the sandbox. Check out MadLab, featured in this article, a local-to-me shop that produces beautiful examples of ReUse in MontClair, NJ.

Xooming at CES

2011-01-06T17:48:00.002-05:00

Motorola premiered their answer to the iPad at CES this year - Xoom, featuring Google Android. Well, all the names associated with the product are way cooler. Seems like the man's version of the iPad, inherently female. Let me know if it's awesome.

The Critic makes Stuff too...

2010-11-26T11:23:00.003-05:00

If you need a little extra sparkle for your home this holiday season - check out my Etsy store at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/perrylyn

Delightful little ornaments made with clever materials - these flakes look delicate but they're made of shatterproof rubber. I love making products. Happy Holidays everyone!

10 Great Tools in Time for Christmas

2010-11-23T14:28:00.017-05:00

You can get a special tool for anything these days - every small task has it's own glorified gadget - but with a good set of basics on hand you won't need 'em. With the work I do we have a lot of tools around, and here are some of my favorite, multitasking right-hand tools that are worth the storage space:

When it comes to a drill, don't waste your time with a lightweight. This is a tool to invest in, with a model like the DeWalt pictured, as a good one will last years and a cheap one most likely won't have the muscle you need. To accompany the drill - skip the infinite socket sets and extend your reach with a chuck extender like this one from Lee Valley:A handy Husky hex wrench set is the best stocking stuffer - never worry about keeping or better yet finding the many allen wrenches that enter our lives, and treat yourself to a nice round handle to hold onto at the same time. Measure twice, cut once - a speed square is still one of the most useful tools to have around - and it does double duty for arts and crafts.Any all-in-one tool kit will come with a basic wrench. That's a guaranteed way to loose some skin when you try to pry out an offending piece of hardware. Invest in a Vise Grip (this one's under $10)- you'll never use your old pliers again.

Downsize old worn-out screwdrivers (yes they do wear out!) with a multi-bit ratcheting screwdriver like this one from Stanley, and get yourself a good old-fashioned level. Laser levels are pretty, but they often don't fit your application. A standard level is an excellent straightedge as well for cuts and routing. Chisels may also seem like an antiquated suggestion, but you'd be amazed how often you just need to knock a little bit off something to make it fit. Without a power sander, jigsaw, or sawzaw that may take an eternity - simple handheld chisels can take out most of the obstacles you'll encounter.Spare your fingers from a bashing with simple quick-release clamps. Any surface can become a worktop, but it's hard to hold what you're working on in place without a clamp or two. Clamps make your dining table roughly equivalent to a full-fledged workbench.Finally, for the handy person who has it all - give them a great way to store it. Tools are only helpful if you can find them! I prefer a mobile wheeled cart with plenty of shallow drawers for easy sighting of the tool you seek. Happy building!

Get Ready for Earthv2.0

2010-09-29T20:19:00.002-04:00

This is a little bit of a stretch for what I normally write about, but the news just too darn exciting! There's a "100%" chance that another planet out there can support life - no biggie, i know - but for the first time we know where it is! Now we just have to get there...maybe a minor in aerospace engineering is well warranted, ID students! "Design what people need" is a mantra I prescribe to - and the challenges of intersolar-system research and travel will be one of the most exciting and imperative challenges on the table for designers for centuries to come.

Read more here!

Mobi-Mats Take You There

2010-08-10T20:46:00.005-04:00

Who isn't familiar with the hot-as-hell sand shuffle? Trying to walk quickly while your flops fling sand and fly off your feet, with the ten bags you're carrying cutting into your shoulders and your common sense screaming Get Off This Sand NOW!!!! Mobi-mats change this entire experience. Now you can stroll or roll(handicap friendly!) down to the cooler parts of the sand, with no damage to the beaches....LOVE IT!!For more on the beach mats in particular, check out their parks&recs site. The mats can also be found on mobile airstrips and anywhere else you need a walkway in a heartbeat. Check out the construction detail - how often have you thought about using woven solutions?

Brabantia Continues to Reinvigorate Basics

2010-07-13T13:33:00.002-04:00

Some of you may be familiar with Brabantia trashcans, commonly found at BB&B. Williams Sonoma is now promoting a new ironing board by Brabantia, and I like what I see. They continue to reinvigorate products that many companies write off as low-margin or commodities. The design features on this ironing board make it a product worth owning.

After China, Where to?

2010-07-11T14:59:00.003-04:00

This may not be news to companies already migrating out of China, but the momentum of change seems to be picking up...

Where once low-tech factories and scant wages were welcomed in a China eager to escape isolation and poverty, workers are now demanding a bigger share of the profits. The government, meanwhile, is pushing foreign companies to make investments in areas it believes will create greater wealth for China, like high technology.

Many companies are striving to stay profitable by shifting factories to cheaper areas farther inland or to other developing countries, and a few are even resuming production in the West.

"China is going to go through a very dramatic period. The big companies are starting to exit. We all see the writing on the wall," said Rick Goodwin, a China trade veteran of 22 years, whose company links foreign buyers with Chinese suppliers.

"I have 15 major clients. My job is to give the best advice I can give. I tell it like it is. I tell them, put your helmet on, it's going to get ugly," said Goodwin, who says dissatisfied workers and hard-to-predict exchange rates are his top worries.

Read the full article here, and consider that if the mainstream media is talking about the end of cheap China, the time was yesterday to look for newly affordable options Stateside.

Cardboard: not Just for Boxes Anymore

2010-07-07T16:28:00.007-04:00

Designer greats have been making cool mod furniture out of cardboard for decades. Usually, it's a little pricey for cardboard - you're buying the design philosophy more than the item. But there are some cool things being made out of cardboard these days that are fun and affordable:
Studio David Grass produces some affordable and attractive furniture like this sweet stool Cardboard Design makes all manner of products, but my favorite are their kid's playhouses. My own little rocketeer has enjoyed his for years :)
You can also find lots of affordable kids items, like these adorable chairs & table on Orange Onions.

And then again, you can quite easily make your own stuff! Sites like TreeHugger and Instructables give you great links and step by step directions to put your pile of cardboard to good use - give it a second life as toys and furniture good for guilt-free wear and tear.

[Pictured above, Foldaway Bookshop featured on Fubiz]

Part Two: Tools that Help You ENJOY Cooking!

2010-06-24T20:46:00.000-04:00

I hear you! You need an excuse to buy more stuff for your kitchen! I'm ready and able to enable...
Cookie scoops, like these classic stainless steel beauties from Norpro, will change your feelings about baking cookies. We all love cookies, but making 24-48 little balls is not the most gratifying task. The scoops keep your hands free, fill the sheet pan in 2 minutes, and perfectly portion the dough for even, round cookies.
Keeping with the stainless theme, shallow metal prep bowls like these by WINCO have more uses than you can imagine. They aren't deep like mixing bowls, but generously sized and shallow to make mixing pasta, salad, meatloaf, and everything else a breeze. Plus, they're a bargain from restaurant supply stores.If you've never tried keeping your spices in a drawer, it'll change your world. You can read all the labels at once and quickly find and replace what you're looking for. I'm still waiting for more stylish options to emerge, but for now these by Dial provide the best fit for existing drawers and bottles.
This is the best can opener I've ever used. And I've tested, cut up, and redesigned dozens of them over the years. This one locks in place for secure use and compact storage and it NEVER slips. Yet again, OXO transforms a frustrating task into a pleasurable one.Treat your self to an attractive oil cruet like this one from Mario Batali's line. Too often our counters are crowded with bulky oil bottles for cooking. Grab a couple of cruets, color coded or labeled, and transform your countertop into a sleek cook's station.

Catch up on Part One here!

Verdict: Water Bottle Buddies are...

2010-06-21T20:27:00.009-04:00

If your dog craves crunching water bottles, these toys are for you. Water Bottle Buddies like those sold by Kyjen provide an adorable sleeve for your water bottle, protecting your dog from bottle shards. When the bottle's shot, toss it in the recycling bin.

The Good: I love anything that reuses the things we discard. Plus, you're eliminating stuffing from hitting the trash bin. Cuteness, economically priced under $10.

The Bad: These aren't as durable as they should be. Westminster Pet Products makes the sleeves you see below, which are extremely durable but could stand an infusion of cuteness.
The Verdict: Can someone please marry the two? Nylon sleeves should be able to achieve both cuteness and durability. Then this product would be truly excellent.

Shameful Marketing Ploy or Fashion Genius?

2010-05-25T20:52:00.004-04:00

Yep. Denim Diapers. You really are seeing that. My gut reaction is to sink this product, but I'm trying to take a step back into the target's mindset. There are lots of people who let their kids run around in just a diaper all day - I may not be one of them, but this product doesn't appeal to me. Maybe it will appeal to them?

The Price of "Made in the USA"

2010-05-18T11:15:00.005-04:00

I know most people wonder if buying "Made in the USA" really matters. It can seem like it's just another marketing ploy. It's also really hard to walk away from a similar item that costs hundreds of dollars less, just to buy a homegrown product.

Viking, the makers of those gigantic shiny ranges, has been hard-hit by the economic slowdown and the slow migration away from domestic products. They're diversifying their business to try to survive - offering matching cabinets and cooking classes to try to stay in your lives. The one thing they can't do is explain to consumers that there really is a difference between imported and domestic products. You can't see it, but I can, and here are some things you should question before you buy a cheaper model:

Is that really metal? Cheaper models use plastic coated with metal, much less durable
How thick is that metal? If you don't like dents, you might want to ask how thick the sheet metal is - in other words, what gauge is this metal? Thicker is better for safety and durability. Similarly, you want thicker gauge wire for the racks inside a range.
Are those buttons for real? Thin shiny plastic panels won't look so hot in a few years, physical switches are always a plus.
How serious is the hardware? Look at the door hinge. Big thick metal parts are better than thin or even plastic parts. The oven door is a common failure point for ranges.

If you take the time to become familiar with some of these terms and materials, the differences between high and low-end will become apparent. Often a cheaper model will save money upfront, but the pricier model will last significantly longer. Hopefully, there will always be a place for Made in the USA, and Viking for one says they're going to "build in America no matter what."

Snobject: SodaStream brings the Power of the Bubbly to you

2010-05-12T15:39:00.003-04:00

My husband had a serious habit - he drank in the morning, throughout the day and the evening - he was and remains a seltzer fanatic. Then we brought the Sodastream into his life and now he's a changed man - he can make his own seltzer for a fraction of the cost and without tearing through seemingly millions of plastic bottles to get his fix. I highly, highly recommend it!

Also, for those of you wondering, the CO2 cartridges are exchanged at any store carrying the products - for $14.99 you get a recycled cylinder and yours is sent back to the company. That's $14.99 for ~65 bottles of whatever carbonated treat tickles your fancy. Again, highly recommended.

Kenmore follows Chevy

2010-04-17T19:07:00.004-04:00

Remember when Chevy said they'd launch 10 new cars in 20 months and everyone was amazed when they did it? They reaped the rewards too with double the web traffic, 98% dealer participation and a huge jump in sales. Kenmore is hoping to achieve the same thing - only they're launching 450 new products in 2010.

Granted, most corporations of their size can and do launch hundreds of new products each year, but Kenmore isn't just branching into new markets. They seem to be launching a top-to-bottom rebrand, with every product tweaked at least a little. Some products even seem to be new thinking - I'm super excited to start seeing some reviews on the Dishwashers, Clothes Washers and Dryers. They seem to offer some new features that required some new tools and assembly lines - a huge commitment on Kenmore's production scale.

Marketwatch covers the story in lots of detail, and though it does mentions "clean modern style" about a hundred times, there seems to be some good thinking here. Hopefully there are a bunch of American designers who finally got their hands on these products that have such a huge impact on day to day life - maybe they'll snatch the ball out everyone else's hands, much like Chevy did with the American Revolution, the 7th most recalled car campaign ever.

Wow. Trash as FUEL!

2010-04-13T22:20:00.004-04:00

I may be waaaaay behind the times, but I really didn't know about this yet: European countries, Denmark in particular, are building trash incinerators to generate electricity and heat (we did too 15yrs ago but have not embraced newer cleaner technology). And it's completely clean. Cleaner than burning wood in your own fireplace! It's one of those fascinating, frustrating articles for those with common sense. I may have lived in NYC but I don't understand Bloomberg's negative reaction to the technology when the city produces 10,500 tons of waste A DAY!!! Read the NY Times article to learn how trash can solve it's own problems.

Snobject: Yummy Fiskars Mower just in time for SPRING!

2010-04-01T13:50:00.002-04:00

A push mower to desire from Fiskars - The Momentum Reel Mower. Another great application of the basic fly wheel - I haven't gotten a taste yet but I'm eager to see if it delivers that effortless sense of power. Also, are those mainly plastic housings? Could be a concern for long-term durability, which is a mainstay of the classic push mowers.

This week's Winner for Ugliest Packaging

2010-03-23T14:47:00.002-04:00

Skintimate shave gel - if the brand name doesn't make you feel icky the packaging probably will. It's exhausting to see so many companies try to make "cool, different" packaging. I can just imagine the Marketing VP exclaiming that they need something New, Fresh!!!! And what they end up with is this hot mess. Offers nothing to the user and may even confuse them or turn them off. Try solving people's problems with your packaging next time and skip the New, Fresh! You'll actually end up with that which you seek.

-- Post From My iPhone

Snobject: TAGA, and yes, I want one.

2010-03-22T15:47:00.001-04:00

This is obviously created by and for mommies and daddies who hate looking like tools with the 5 million things they have to cart around for the kiddies. Thank you for simplifying the mess!

Dominos Fesses Up...

2010-01-11T19:28:00.002-05:00

...and I LOVE it! They're admitting their old pizza was crap so that you'll give the new stuff a chance.

Check out the full article here, but this quote pretty much sums it all up:

"The old days of trying to spin things simply doesn't work anymore," President Patrick Doyle, who will become CEO in March, told The Associated Press in an interview. "Great brands going forward are going to have a level of honesty and transparency that hasn't been seen before."

Please, let this succeed and educate the other American companies who are still looking to squeeze margins and pull fast ones on customers in order to save their bottom lines.

What is TRASH, really?

2010-01-07T10:32:00.005-05:00

My son put two and two together the other day and asked me, "Mommy, where does the trash GO?" Good question. I explained what I do know about the modern trash system, and he seemed fine with that. Later on he asked me who lives at the "landfill." My earlier explanation must have conjured up images of a town on top of a giant mountain of landfill, in an awful country called Trashland, where people don't throw anything away because they live with it all.

Well, the sad truth is that place does exist, here and there hidden in areas people don't visit on purpose. There are some people who have to live with the refuse the rest of us create, often in poorer parts of the world. That's such a depressing thought that it really motivates me on a daily basis to do the right thing. After a decade in product development, privileged to the dirty secrets behind making, selling and trashing the things we use, this is the bottom line:

Don't bring it into your home: buy less, avoid packaging and bags, use refillable systems and concentrates, make your own when possible (cleaning products for example), provide restaurants with your own containers for leftovers or takeout (recycling is imperfect, do it but don't rely on it - reducing is the best policy!)

Don't let it leave your home: reuse anything durable (get creative, list things you need and things you have and see what matches!), compost, garbage disposal, use as many glass, metal, ceramic, and wood products as you can (especially food storage containers like my favorite Pyrex shown below)

"Momtrepreneurs" a Sign of the Times

2010-01-02T18:35:00.005-05:00

Cottage industries are popping up all around us as the unemployment rate continues to increase. Many, many people are asking themselves that question we all face at one point or another, "what do I really want to do?"

The answer for many of us involves bringing something new into the world, rather than answering to someone else's beck and call. Putting something new into the world takes guts, determination, some financial risk and a lot of faith. But don't let that discourage you, because lots of people are doing it right now and finding tremendous success. Remember, if you have a need chances are many other people share it with you....and they're just waiting for you to solve their problems for them.

A great example, from a self-described "momtrepreneur" is the Bath Luve line of baby bath products - specifically the original Luve washcloths designed to cover and warm a baby while in the bath. A simple, intuitive and easy to produce item that connects with parents in an instant at retail - a great strategy for a startup. This mom took advantage of her experience as a consumer and it will most likely translate into success, unlike companies who enter markets with which they have no real connection. A lesson for the future of business = be true to your passions, for only then will you offer consumers a product that connects with theirs!

Christmas Time is Here Again!

2009-11-24T08:59:00.003-05:00

Analysts are on the fence about predictions for this year's Christmas season. I'm going to hang with the optimists here and predict a small to moderate amount of growth over last year's numbers. We may even read the terms "surprisingly strong" in reference to Black Friday's numbers. Waiting with baited breath!!

What's hot this year? Check out Zhu Zhu pets, a toy line specifically designed for today's economic climate with every item under $20! Frankly, it's a great line. It's personal, economical, modifiable, and creates a self-contained play universe. Very well done. I apologize for the music, but check them out here:

Can you Guess What This is??

2009-11-16T22:53:00.005-05:00

No, it's not a toilet. No, it's not a dishwasher. A very very over the top potato scrubber? Nope, it's a head massager. Specifically, the Headtime scalp massager, produced by Kinatech.

"Global warming isn't just bad for the planet; it's bad for BUSINESS."

2009-11-10T14:18:00.004-05:00

The Financial Page of the October 19 New Yorker has an interesting piece about several big-name companies exiting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Exiting" is a bit of an understatement; really they're quitting. The Chamber is opposed to global-warming legislation, and Apple, Exelon, and Nike have all defected because they don't agree with the stance.

Historically, this is a new thing. Companies don't come and go from the Chamber, because they want to present a united front. They make statements and have varied opinions, but generally they stay in the Chamber.

Until now. It seems that the impending financial and housing crisis wasn't enough to make companies leave 5 years ago, but the price of ignoring global warming is too high. The resignations may just be a matter of self-preservation, but then again we can always hope that maybe there are some lines that shouldn't be crossed.

Verdict: Adcraft Nonstick Pans are...

2009-10-06T11:08:00.004-04:00

Adcraft is one of those brands you won't find on the shelf at Williams Sonoma or Crate & Barrel. In business since 1952, Adcraft (short for Admiral Craft Equipment) is one of the leading equipment suppliers to the restaurant industry. They know how to make pans.

I've tortured one of their tiny non-stick omelet pans for over a year, and the water still beads up on the "Excalibur" coating. Plus, it cost me less than $50. Plus, the big cushy silicone handle never heats up. If you cook eggs, ever, you need this pan. You can find them at your local restaurant supply store - just google it.

The Adcraft nonstick omelet pan gets a GOOD verdict - in fact, I should make a new AWESOME category for this one.

Lesson 03: Sorting Ideas

2009-09-08T10:41:00.006-04:00

You've done your research, and now you have a big pile of photos and notes to sort through. You've had a thousand ideas and done a good job documenting them - taking digital pics and jotting down notes as you went...now what?

Step 1: Physically represent each and every little idea INDIVIDUALLY. transfer notes to individual notecards or post-its. Print out all of your images, setting your printer to print 4-6 images to a page.Step 2: Put like with like. Group notecards and images that seem to go together. Staple duplicates into little bunches to consolidate. Use your sharpie like crazy, circling, noting and X-ing out anything you think of as you go.

Step 3: Use a labeling system as you go. My favorite way to do this is to circle my icons. A question mark in a circle is an item that needs to be answered or addressed. An exclamation point in a circle is a point of interest, or a consumer insight. A lightbulb in a circle is an idea for a solution. Create your hierarchy of easily spotted icons to help you visually organize your grouped findings.Step 4: Consolidate your groups as much as possible and organize them into columns of ideas. I like to put the most promising ideas at the top. Put these columns into a logical order, a sequence that it's easy to describe to someone conversationally. This order will most likely relate to the order of questions in your design brief, resulting in a roadmap to the perfect presentation of solutions for your client.

Snobject: Folding Bike, Brand TBD

2009-08-26T13:55:00.003-04:00

RCA student Dominic Hargreaves' design for a folding bike:

According to Treehugger,

The Guardian reports that three companies have already shown interest in making a production model, which would make the Contortionist "one of those extremely rare items that move directly from design student project into the shops."

via treehugger

Snobject: Fruitscapes

2009-08-12T16:22:00.001-04:00

Stefano Giovanonni's Fruitscape for Alessi. Shiny, swoopy and seductive. I can't resist the high polish and ambiguous form which incidentally holds fruit in place quite well.

WS Now Selling Compelling Narratives

2009-08-10T14:14:00.006-04:00

Check out the August 2009 Williams-Sonoma catalog. It features "New American Chefs," pairing each chef's cuisine with the tools you need to make each dish. Less catalog and more magazine, these pages are nice to look at. They stop short of offering the recipes, instead teasing you to their ecommerce site to get them.

I would've preferred the full monty in the catalog, but still it's great to see cross-promotion among their departments. Too often great product stories are lost when items are broken up across different buyers - they don't like to work together to promote a story. But great narratives like these will sell product and hopefully Williams-Sonoma is translating this to retail as well.

Snobject: Trunki

2009-08-08T16:08:00.001-04:00

Trunki brings great fun along on your child's trip. The UK company developed this fun rolling suitcase and has now rolled it out into a line of travel products. Yondi, a comfy padding pillow, finally puts an end to "broken neck position" on long car rides.

Ecommerce Hits Back to School

2009-08-03T21:20:00.002-04:00

Very interesting reads here from the International Advertising Bureau. Topline summary: Ecommerce continues to be ahead of the game during this recession, while store sales remain stagnant. Interestingly, parents are also using online research moreso than ever to try to save money on Back to School purchases. The most popular/successful/$$$ ecommerce sites provide video, hi-res images, blog tie-ins and a real depth of info.

Add these two articles together and I wonder when someone will swoop in and offer head-to-toe online shopping for Back to School, and capitalize on the late-summer spending surge while saving parents time and money. Stuck on You has done this for label-making; someone will become a one-stop shop for BTS while the competition (Fiskars, Its Academic, Mead, Crayola) struggles to maintain an updated web presence, much less a comprehensive one.

Tools that Help You ENJOY Cooking!

2009-08-01T13:37:00.000-04:00

Since when did cooking become purely about convenience? Cooking is more than just preparing food but it's hard to find the time to enjoy the process. I think the best kitchen gadgets these days help you cook quickly, but also with more satisfaction. As always, the best products surprise and delight consumers. You just might love to cook if you let yourself enjoy it. Here are some of my favorite kitchen helpers:

IKEA's Charm Cheese Grater, $5.99, with lid, fine & coarse graters, and compact storage. The perfect cheese grater, bar none.

Global Sanroku fluted knife, $99.95, your best friend that slices through anything like butter. Kuhn Rikon nonstick paring knives, $10, with a safety sheath that keeps blades perfectly sharpened. Sharp knives are joy.

OXO Salad Spinner, $29.99, drying lettuce in one quick spin is magical. Dry anything you can fit inside and save yourself from boring bagged lettuce.

Wilton Pastry Blender, $6.99, this is shameless self promotion because I designed this, and it's the best. Trust me.

Panasonic Rice Cooker, $29.95, yes rice is easy to cook, but never having to check on it is priceless. Think of it as a rice-crock-pot, which can make meals out of perfectly cooked rice all by itself.

Alessi Diabolix bottle opener, $15, an absolute pleasure every time I use it to open a bottle. Not only is it devilishly cute, it fits your hand beautifully.

The Magic of Smaland

2009-07-31T09:32:00.005-04:00

As a parent, you have to love IKEA. Drop off your kids to play while you find your way through the maze of goodies relatively unencumbered. As a retailer, you have to wonder if this could work for you. In the spirit of McDonald's classic PlayPlaces, IKEA has found that the investment pays off. Parents buy more because they're happier and free to shop. They even feel obligated to buy more in return for the childcare service. On the way out you can also grab lunch for 2 for under $10. Every time you leave the house with kids in tow, it's an adventure. By serving every part of the adventure, IKEA gets more of my dollars.

Snobject: Nutcracker by Bruno Christensen for Menu

2009-07-30T09:49:00.004-04:00

Falling soundly into the category of desirable objects, this nutcracker by Bruno Christensen for Menu may also work well!

"makes cracking even the hardest nut fun and easy. made by bruno christensen, the unique design makes it equally easy to use. just place the nut on the metal plate and cover it with the rubber dome. give the dome a light tap and the nut will be ready to eat, with the shell cleanly removed and ready to be thrown in the bin. the solid stainless steel base, domed top in black rubber and non-slip rubber bottom to protect against scratched table tops, all bear witness to attention-to-detail for appearance, quality and practicality. the real genius of this nutcracker is the ribbed metal fitting on the underside of the dome that ensures that only a light tap is needed to split the shell."

Storespy: BTS is coming!!

2009-07-29T14:17:00.004-04:00

This year stores started getting ready for the Back To School promotional period in January! Retailers are desperate for this period of promotional-goldmines. I for one love the approach to retail at this time of year: get customers in and out as quickly as possible. Just look at how easy the temporary supply bins make it to find what you're looking for! If only this level of effort were put into retailing year-round, we'd have happier consumers and happier retailers.

Lesson 02: How to Think of New Ideas

2009-07-27T13:04:00.019-04:00

I know I'm promising an awful lot with that title, but idea creation is what I do. Even when I'm not working, my mind keeping chugging away, randomly spitting out ideas every time I bump into an opportunity. Friends and family don't love shopping with me. After a decade or so of training your brain leaps happen spontaneously, even when you're just trying to pick out a toothbrush. Here are some basic techniques that can help you make a few leaps right now:

Focus: No need to re-invent the wheel if it's not broken! Write down your problem. Draw it. Break it down into steps, parts, and sequences. Think about the minute details and elements creating the experience with the product. Pick the most important element of the problem. Now we're ready to attack it without the distraction of all the other parts.

Example: My toothbrush isn't comfortable. Toothbrush = bristles, head, neck, handle, rubber pads, cover/case, stand, batteries, switch....The toothbrush feels OK in my hand, it's my mouth that's most uncomfortable. The bristles are scratchy.

Shift Your Viewpoint: If you just stare straight at the wall you'll never see the path that goes around it. You have to look at it from another angle. Take out the dictionary. Flip to a random page and point at a word. Take that word and ask yourself, how could my solution be like this word?

Example: Scratchy toothbrush bristles + egg = eggs have layers, yolk inside white, maybe the bristle can be layered, a hard core with a softer outside, firm for pressure yet gentle on the gums!

Pair your Problems: Trying to kill two birds with one stone requires you to find a new kind of stone. Take two elements of your problem and see if one solution will fix them both.

Example: Scratchy toothbrush bristles + inflexible head = if the head were made out of a softer material it could flex more, the bristles could be part of the softer head, maybe the entire toothbrush is a hard core with a soft covering!

Think Backwards: It's often easier to find your way home than to go somewhere new. You know what your problem is. So imagine the ideal experience and trace a path back to the problem.

Example: If my toothbrush is comfortable then it fits my mouth, my gum line, my teeth...a piece of gum fits my mouth and teeth...maybe my toothbrush head can squish and conform to fit my mouth just like a piece of gum!

There are many other techniques for thinking "laterally," as opposed to linear thought, which tends to take us down existing paths. To find a great idea you need to jump off the side. Check out Edward DeBono's classic books for detailed info on lateral thinking techniques.

OXO + Staples = $?

2009-07-25T07:14:00.001-04:00

It's been a few months since OXO and Staples announced their collaboration. Now products are on the shelf. Gotta say, "office" was a good choice for expansion into a new product category. It's a close periphery to kitchen...everyone knows what to expect in the junk drawer, and half of it belongs in the office. Very easy to switch loyal kitchenwares customers over to purchasing OXO office gadgets.

The question I have is, will they go to Staples to get them? Target would've been a no-brainer, but luckily many Staples are right next door to a Target, right?

Article in Business Week's Innovation section

StoreSpy: WS Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan

2009-07-24T08:00:00.001-04:00

On the shelves now at Williams-Sonoma, the next in a long line of super-sized treats. The Goldtouch Sandwich Cookie Cake Pan reflects the trend of giant baked desserts, which I helped launch a few years back with the design of Wilton's Giant Cupcake Pan. Can we guess which cake-sized dessert will come next?

Polaroid Lives On, Sort of...

2009-07-22T09:10:00.001-04:00

You still can't beat a Polaroid for pure nostalgic emotional appeal. I last owned a Polaroid when they made the Joycam, which came out about the same time as the I-zone - remember that?
Not long ago, Polaroid discontinued their iconic instant print camera, presumably due to the fact it was old-fashioned and not making them enough money. They shut down the film factories, too, and we creatives freaked out. Polaroid film has never been more expensive!

Then, in a misguided attempt to redirect the company, they developed a new digital camera that prints photos instantly on sticky-backed paper, the PoGo. The prints are crystal clear and hi-res - everything a Polaroid shouldn't be. They left their brand's core value behind. Sure, we all love that the print is instantaneous but that trick would get old soon. What made people fans of Polaroid was its intrinsic emo quality, the look of a captured moment.

They should've asked themselves, how can we offer the core value of our product in new formats? They needed to take a big step into an entirely new arena. The answer most likely would've been something like Poladroid software, or any of the other vintage-effect apps that make your too-crisp, too-clear, too-real digital snaps into something more warm and fuzzy...a Polaroid. Could they have reinvented themselves as a software company? Maybe, maybe not.

Read more in this well-written Article in Newsweek

Snobject: Blik Surface Graphics

2009-07-21T10:07:00.005-04:00

I love vinyl wall decals. We have them in our son's room, and they were much much easier to put up than the pattern I painstakingly stenciled on our walls in Chicago years ago...check them out at Blik. This is Bunny Family Anomalies:

And, you can vote for new patterns based on Threadless original T-shirt designs, which for almost 10 years has offered a social venue for designers to submit their original shirt designs with the potential for a real pay-off.

Has it Really Come to this?

2009-07-19T18:56:00.003-04:00

I almost can't believe I just read this. According to the article:

"After U.S. retailers posted 10 straight months of sales declines, some chains are trying to bring holiday spirit — and revenue — to the summer with "Christmas in July" promotions.
Both Sears Holdings Corp and privately held Toys R Us are holding wintry holiday-themed events this summer ahead of their back-to-school promotions, which usually start around the end of July."

While some marketers who aren't worth their salt are saying "everyone could use a little Christmas right now," I agree with this guy:

"It's very odd," he{35-year-old Todd Smith of Chicago} said. "It makes me think they're desperate."

The Death of Crocs?

2009-07-16T09:16:00.005-04:00

According to this article on MSNBC, the much loved and equally derided Croc may be on its way out. The company swung from a profit of $168.2 million in fiscal year 2007 to a loss of $185.1 million last year. In its annual report, Crocs said that an independent auditor expressed concerns about "conditions that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue." Its stock price has plummeted 76 percent.

Why? The market is saturated due to the product's longevity, footwear is trending in new directions, the company was ramping up when its product's potential was flattening...all good points that logically add up to the decline. But why hasn't this company re-applied itself? You can't tell me there are no more good ideas for this material. It's nearly indestructible, anti-microbial and infinitely moldable. Here are three good categories to explore off the top of my head:

personal accessories: belts, bags, bookbags (builds on existing category)
bath and water products: storage, toys, yard (utilizes brand's capital as a kids product)
eating on-the-go: transitional products for car, stroller, school and office to manage, cool and protect foods (explores an entirely new category with the same primary purchaser, moms)

Snobject: CB Herb Keeper

2009-07-14T10:40:00.000-04:00

Ok, this doesn't really qualify as a Snobject but I had to post it due to the sheer number of times I've tried to sell this idea. Now someone finally made it for Crate & Barrel - an herb keeper. Simple compact storage that keeps you from throwing away 75% of the fresh herbs you buy. Bravo!

-- Post From My iPhone

Verdict: Ziploc Evolve Baggies are...

2009-07-09T08:59:00.006-04:00

Lately we're barraged by commercials preaching about "green" products. Companies like Clorox and Proctor & Gamble are really stepping up their efforts to offer green products. Unfortunately, it's all just a marketing angle. The sick thing is, they're pioneering new and better materials and techniques, yet only applying them to NEW offerings at higher price points!

Ziploc Evolve Sandwich and Storage Bags are made with 25% less plastic, manufactured using 50% renewable wind energy, and sold in 100%recycled boxes. That's great. And Ziploc didn't make these changes to all of their products because.....why? They can charge you more for a new product because "green" is one of your "core consumer needs." Sigh. The Verdict on Evolve Baggies:
To get an Excellent rating, Ziploc needs to step up to the plate and offer the kind of products that only they can produce at a reasonable cost. They need to solve these problems:

make disposable baggies easy to recycle - get away from #4 plastics! It'll be a long time before everyone migrates away from disposables, so why not apply everything you're doing in the Evolve line to ALL your products?
make baggies easy to reuse - as with semi-disposable plastic containers, consumers will pay more for something with a longer life span. why not invent the washable, reusable, semi-disposable baggie? This could easily expand into a product line addressing storage, cleaning, labeling...
explore new materials - why can't our baggies biodegrade? Can we keep the lifecycle of each baggie contained to the household and eliminate the need for recycling altogether? This still supports a consumable product platform, cause people will always buy more, but wouldn't it be lovely if they turned into flushable waste when nuked?

At least there are companies out there doing it the right way all the time like Method, and now 100% reusable, recyclable Innate SS food containers (the lid pops into a bowl for nuking):

"Anything they buy at regular price must stand out."

2009-07-08T19:02:00.003-04:00

In a related article on MSNBC, specifically about the clothing industry, retailers must go big or go home - your product MUST have the right attributes to sell in this economic climate:

modesty: build on what the consumer already owns, helping them to feel frugal and responsible about spending money on their purchase
value: consumers are expecting discounts...or at least to get a steal! make the value/cost ratio of your product undeniable. boldly point it out on packaging to encourage the sale.
quality: encourage consumers by providing products that will last a lifetime, or at least have the quality of materials and manufacture to justify expense over it's lifetime. make this plain as day, especially if your item displaces a disposable item, which is an endless cash drain...

Time to Get Back in the Game!

2009-07-08T18:26:00.005-04:00

If you're wondering whether it's time to start getting your ducks in a row again, maybe spending a little money to develop something new for 2010....well, it's time! If you're waffling, be reassured by the quote below from AdNews:

If you identify an opportunity today, you'll be lucky to have it ready to place with retailers in fall or winter markets, which means on the shelf by next April/May at the earliest. I expect there will be a flurry of frantic calls for development towards the end of the 2009 year, but that will really be too late to avoid rush tooling, airfreight, and not to mention Chinese New Year...get moving!

Quirky: Social Product Development

2009-07-07T10:13:00.004-04:00

Here's a guy who managed to answer the big question: I have a great product idea, how the heck do I get it made? His original company, Mophie, made a bunch of Ipod accessories and launched at MacWorld, thanks to his parent's re-mortgaging their home. Now, he has a company called Quirky that will maybe, possibly produce your idea if you submit it with a $99/fee.

Gotta say, I hate to see a guy who took a big risk and had some success turn around and try to rip off other people's ideas. His company will make way more money from your idea than you ever will. But then again, he is assuming your risk....but still, this rubs me the wrong way. Great ideas are valuable and marketable, salable, profitable ones are rare creatures that you shouldn't just give away. True social product development would streamline the development process for the benefit of society, not to make money.

What is interesting is the idea of garnering commitments from consumers before producing a product (see the homepage). This likens product development to on-demand printing, which could be very neat if it actually works. Producing low volumes will make it challenging to hit price points, but if everyone in a country were given the chance to "commit" - it's a whole new way to raise capital.

Everyone Needs a Design Office

2009-07-01T10:01:00.000-04:00

When people pop by the office to meet me they always have the same response: wow, this is where you work? Yup. Design offices are different. We have desks and computers, but we also have open spaces, communal tables and walls covered in a stream of consciousness that is ever-changing. There's *room* to think. There's music playing and the windows are open. You can almost always catch us jumping around, dancing, singing, and working on our feet, at the wall, making it happen.

I really think everyone should work this way. I'm reading a book called Brain Rules by John Medina that leads me to believe that everyone would work this way if given the chance. Medina is a brain scientist, and his book crisply outlines the rules governing how our brains work and how to make them work better. He's absorbed more information about brains than the rest of us could hope to know, and this is what he's found:

"What do these studies show, viewed as a whole? Mostly this: If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a classroom. If you wanted to create a business environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a cubicle. And if you wanted to change things, you might have to tear down both and start over. In many ways, starting over is what this book is all about."

Read more and see videos with the delightfully nerdy John Medina on the Brain Rules Website. Read the book and you'll be ready to go tear it down and start over yourself, creating the environment you require and deserve to get the best out of your brain.

Snobject: Knoll Children's Womb Chair

2009-06-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

Yes, please! In much the same way that dollhouse designer furniture is irresistible, the Knoll kids line offers much to covet.

Created for the ones we love, knoll kids™ is a collection of spirited, modern furniture scaled for a younger generation. Each piece reflects our belief in the utility of modern design and commitment to quality.

It's like crack for those of us who love modern design. Luckily, I have the sense to realize if I can't afford my *own* Knoll furniture, I can't afford it for my kids either. They'll have to settle for IKEA.

The Verdict: IKEA's Solig lantern is...

2009-06-24T14:27:00.000-04:00

For only $2.99, this LED lamp from IKEA offers just enough soft light to wipe poop in the dark. That's awesome. Plus, it's $2.99. It takes 2 AAA batteries which install easily through a hatch in the bottom. The switch is a standard component, with no extra window dressing - just a tiny black nub on the underside...which isn't so easy to find by feel in the dark.

The lamp is a quick, cheap fix for mobile low-lighting. However, we've found the battery life to be much less than the advertised 60 hours. Any product that seems to eat batteries gets knocked down a bit in the rating - granted, a more energy efficient LED bulb would've resulted in a more expensive product.

Oh, yeah, and I guess you can use them as they're originally intended, for outdoor lantern lighting. The Verdict:
To get an Excellent Verdict, IKEA's Solig needs longer battery life and more intuitive interface balanced with the low cost.

Three Ideas that are Better Than this One

2009-06-23T10:14:00.000-04:00

New Babyglow garments change color with your baby's temperature, and they've snagged an $18.5M contract for the inventor. At $33/pack of two they'll also snag quite the profit margin if parents buy into this latest paranoia product. This is the Babyglow story:

Mr Ebejer, who had his idea while watching a documentary about babies, began the search for an ink pigment with heat-sensitive molecules.
He spent six years and £700,000 working with scientists to develop-the pigments to embed into cotton babygrows.
The Babyglows come in pink, blue and pastel green, all of which turn white as soon as the baby's temperature rises above 37c/98.6F.

I don't buy it. My boys turn to molten lava when they sleep, at least the part of them sandwiched against the mattress, so they'd be white every night. These outfits basically guarantee you'll be taking your baby's temperature all the time. I'm not thrilled to see yet another product trying to make parents dependent rather than empowering them to trust their instincts. There are products that help, and products that hobble. This is the latter.

Three ideas that could use this functional concept but are much better than this one, because they save you time rather than freak you out:

Bath Water Buddy - help parents know if the bath water is in the right temperature range
Perfect Sip Bottle - confirm that milk you've heated separately is the right temp before baby takes a sip
Safety Spoons - some of these exist, and can warn you if you've nuked the baby food a tad too long

Another Reason Homemade is Best

2009-06-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

Today Nestle recalled cookie dough products - apparently quite a few people have fallen ill from eating the cookie dough raw - it's contaminated with E coli. There's poop in the cookies, folks. One more reason to bake it yourself. One more reason for me to make products that help you do it, and avoid as much manufactured food product as possible!

Read more about it here

Social Networking Illustrated

2009-06-15T21:47:00.000-04:00

I had to pass this on from Core77. It's the perfect illustration of how social networking infrastructures mushroom suddenly, overnight:

And, the music's Santigold, to which I do not object.

Snobject: Williams Sonoma Grill Pan

2009-06-12T17:25:00.000-04:00

Got a promo for Williams Sonoma's new Mesh Grill-Top Fry Pan 29.95 and sent one to my brother-in-law to try out on his grill.

The mesh may turn out to be a challenge to clean, but I like the premise. Usually my lucky relatives with grill space, or a yard for that matter, use aluminum foil to create plateaus for grilling smaller items. But that tends to be a pain when you try to scoop them up off of the heated and fragile aluminum surface, especially if you didn't use enough oil. This pan's a pretty neat summer promo idea, let's hope it works!

Click here for more on the WS Mesh Pan Series

Snobject: Zibra Open-it!

2009-06-11T08:18:00.000-04:00

Universal openers are treacherous territory. The have a tendency to become Frankensteins - ridiculous, awkward amalgams of too many functions and parts. The Zibra Open-it keeps its focus and provides a neat bundle of functionality.

The product is right in line with Zibra's product development philosophy - a user centric and solution based process. Discover the experience, Build the experience, Grow the experience, and Enjoy the experience....that's the Zibra mantra. They're not too preachy about it and they've followed through with excellent ID to realize their mission in the marketplace.

I'm curious to find out if they've had success with placement and sell-through. The Open-it! is very Black & Decker in its function and styling, and I wonder if you need that type of brand behind the product to communicate that it's "A Problem Solver." If this were a Black and Decker product every guy would own one.

Snobject: A Father's Day Gift...

2009-06-10T16:09:00.000-04:00

Humor meets truth for Father's Day. These days the promotions calendar is one endless annual cycle. Well-designed and marketed promotions can improve consumers' lives if they highlight unmet needs when the user is most likely to notice them and seek a solution. I'd rather see well timed and priced promos than kitschy useless throw-aways, but usually its the same old fare with a seasonal image/message stamped on top.

Marketing usually throws promo concepts together independent of design influence - maybe that should change. I'd love to see promotions studied, explored, and created by the real problem solvers in product development. The promo challenge is unique, but that's what makes it fun to solve.

The Difference Between Marketing and Branding...

2009-06-10T15:49:00.000-04:00

In case you can't read this, here's the difference between marketing, advertising, PR and branding...

MARKETING: "I'm a great lover."
ADVERTISING: "I'm a great lover." "I'm a great lover." "I'm a great lover."
PR: "Trust me. He's a great lover."
BRANDING: "I understand you're a great lover."

A simply cheeky illustration of these related disciplines.

What Kind of Research Should You do?

2009-06-03T14:04:00.001-04:00

Most designers believe in the validity of research. They seriously intend to plan and execute said research every time they start a new program, but the effort is often derailed by money, timing, and follow-through.

I came across an excellent summary of research initiatives and applications on Core77 that could help you select the right research effort, so that you at least have a good chance it'll get done. Often you're aiming too high when research programs fall apart. What you need to do depends on the hypothesis you're testing - and less is often more. Overshooting won't really get you better actionable results, just more work and more money down the tubes.

Summary table of research initiatives and app's (though I'm less fond of focus groups for ANY application than this author):

Design of the Year

2009-05-12T16:58:00.000-04:00

I found a perfect design last week. Alexander Gray Conklin was born 3:33am on May 02, 2009. I'll be back to pick on other people's designs again soon...;)

Google Honors Eric Carle

2009-04-20T10:44:00.000-04:00

This happened a couple of weeks ago, but I must belatedly post it! Eric Carle's work has had immeasurable impact on many, many, many parent's lives...and I think the logo mark looks pretty great.

FTC to Censor Product Reviews?

2009-04-13T14:13:00.000-04:00

Consumers post a wealth of personal feedback on all kinds of products online. Most companies view this as a goldmine, often offering free samples or compensation for prominently (and hopefully positive) reviews.

According to this article on ABC's website, bloggers receiving this kind of compensation may become liable for their web content. The underlying issue is that bloggers have tremendous influence on consumer purchasing habits, but consumers have no idea if their opinions have been purchased...which makes them a form of advertising.

There are sure to be more sticky areas concerning online product reviews as communication tools become more and more sophisticated. I hope that smart companies get out there and take advantage of the feedback rather than trying to control it. It's the same gossip passed around at your Grandma's Tupperware party, just proliferated at light speed and with little forgiveness.

Article link here

QuickFix: Where oh where has the Handle gone?

2009-03-30T18:18:00.001-04:00

What's Right: The NEW Chill salad bowl with servers in Crate's Spring 2009 catalog has utensils, bright fresh colors, and a removable ice pack that pops into the bottom!

What's Wrong: You never have a hand free when you're "travel[ing] to the picnic table or beach."

QuickFix Solution: Incorporate a simple and secure locking handle. This might be a challenge in PP, but it's a necessity.

Economics 101

2009-03-30T09:18:00.001-04:00

I actually suffered through section 4 of Economics 101 in college with about 250 other bored souls...but I did learn a few basics despite the uninspiring material. These days, retailers are re-learning the lessons of Supply and Demand and they're finding out that survival and/or profitability in 2009 will require taking responsibility. No more early orders, over-ordering or blatant speculation allowed - they need products that are winners, and in the right amounts.

Suppliers will have to sweat their way through the year as small or portioned orders trickle in, and the smart ones have already anticipated this. Usually, a goods maker is looking for that one big order or launch partner to make the year a success. That would be helpful this year too, but it's less likely to happen, and there's a higher chance of buy-backs and losses from heavy discounting of overstock.

Instead, I'd have my sales team courting every small retail commitment out there. Usually these smaller orders are regarded with some disdain but this year they could add up to success.

Read more in the Times

IHA 2009 Video Faves

2009-03-27T15:06:00.000-04:00

While I couldn't fly to Chicago this year for IHA, I've been following the highlights from a distance. Some of my favorite items are posted on YouTube, of course - some ingenious, some ridiculous, and all very entertaining. I embrace creativity in all it's forms.

CaliBowl
Why is it named such? I have no idea. I wonder how they're creating the lip, can't tell in the video. Pricing and cleaning concerns will be their biggest hurdle.

PlateToppers
Quick, easy...the inventor seems a little lost about the business side of the concept - i'd take it Semi-disposable before the big boys get there first.

Cornpatibles
Corn tools. mom-ventors are adorable. The name says it all!

Microplane's Resounding Endorsement for Design
Not sure if it sounds like they're going to spend much on design, although they sure do like the nifty award, thanks!

OXO Pop Containers get their Due
Everyone's DUH moment last year for food storage.

(My son would love playing with this)
Too much learning curve for their target market.

The Lure of Cottage Industries

2009-03-25T10:43:00.001-04:00

Almost every designer I know has something going on the side. Sometimes you're trying to make ends meet with a little extra income. But often, designers and crafty people at large are looking for an outlet that's not so burdened by business complications. Etsy.com has built an amazing large business by taking advantage of this unmet need - add a bunch of small businesses together and you get a big one.

I have friends selling soft goods, painted and paper items, and even vinyl small-productions through Etsy. I haven't done it first hand but I sure understand the appeal. While my son and I enjoy making our own thank-you cards, I'm not driven to devote time and energy to create my own products for resale. It requires a good dose of traditional craftsmanship and I always outsource my model-making.

That said, businesses like Etsy and self-publisher Lulu.com represent something important in the evolution of business. We now have the timing and technology to allow anyone to have their own small business with little to no risk attached. That's incredible! What a relief! But why can't a designer find this feeling of freedom and accomplishment at "work?" What's wrong with all of the other businesses, the traditional jobs that we're always supposed to have? Most of them are just stuck in routines that are completely archaic...but some of the good ones have started figuring this out.

Small business means empowerment. Etsy and Lulu show us that empowerment doesn't even require the creator to have complete control over the finicky details - we can accept rules and limitations and still feel a giddy sense of ownership. A good creative environment should be a living Etsy - a bunch of small businesses, run under set parameters, but with the same level of empowerment. Who doesn't want their designers to come to work every day with energy and passion? When's the last time you stayed late to finish something because you just couldn't stop working? Etsy producers often do - they create their goods in their own personal time, evenings and weekends, and there's a reason. People create because they want to, not because they have to. Smart managers and owners know this...and I'm betting on their businesses to make it to 2010.

Etsy: Lead testing enforcement delayed for now

StoreSpy: Does BB&B's Verdi Market make sense?

2009-03-11T11:36:00.000-04:00

BB&B is sporting a new nook called the Verdi Market (subtle use of Italian to otherwise say Green Market). At the store I visited, it's centrally located and complete with wood, cardboard and other natural materials for staging. The message is clear: these are fresh, green, organic, ecologically responsible products.

It gets a little more confusing when you look closer. This is an assortment of pre-packaged, often processed foods. It doesn't include a fresh foods/produce section which would normally be the heart of any organic foods endeavor. It's like a cleaned up version of your grocery store's dry goods aisles. I noticed consumers floating through the section, picking up things and looking around but not staying for long.

Is BB&B sticking one tentative toe into the grocery market? I doubt it'll prove to be worth the real estate devoted to it, but it's something to watch.

Snobject: Ankle Brace Air Cast

2009-03-03T14:28:00.000-05:00

I've been a little too busy to blog this weekend. Hubby broke his ankle, but the good news is his air cast is pretty cool! Ages ago when I broke my own ankle, I got sealed inside a burgundy fiberglass monstrosity, which was only marginally improved by hand-painting the entire surface.

Luckily, today's soft tissue damage and stable fractures can be secured in these great air casts, which have been evolving over the last decade to be durable, practical, and not too shabby overall. Early versions didn't have the underlying skeletal structure and could be difficult to position - these are no-brainers and make showering a breeze. Next, I'll be eager to see casts that provide pockets for freezer packs so that you can reduce swelling while stabilizing the joint. Seems like that feature would be practical and affordable to integrate.
Hubby looks good, although Rose McGowan does dress it up a little better.

More info here

QUICKFIX!! Farberware Nut Cracker

2009-02-26T19:04:00.000-05:00

What's Wrong:

Unbalanced packaging makes the product hang haphazardly
Harsh rectangular cross-section makes me scared to touch it
Low-texture finish makes it slippery to hold
Awkwardly placed zip ties add to the low-quality, low-cost perception
Functionality is basic at best, with no pleasing or enjoyable "bonus" features

QuickFix Solution:

Rounded handle sections and highly textured or grip areas make the product pleasant to hold.
Bold color grabs the consumer's attention and provides connotation to cooked shellfish.
Potentially add an inexpensive secondary "spring" shown in yellow, that keeps the handles together but encourages them to open easily - making it easy to operate in one hand....a surprising and delightful experience for the consumer.
Re-position product name and zip ties to reinforce symmetry, increasing perception of quality.
Shortening the packaging allows consumers to hold the handles and imagine using and owning the product.

Twitter: "The Ultimate Focus Group?"

2009-02-23T16:28:00.000-05:00

First of all, no I do not endorse spending money on focus groups. I believe your money should be spent up front, identifying the right strategic and development opportunities...and focus groups can't do that. Some people still peddle focus groups for validation research to confirm hypotheses prior to market-wide launch, but this too is shaky ground.

Today the NYT ran a piece about Tropicana's decision to axe their new packaging design. Coincidentally, I was just writing about this packaging this weekend. The article is very positive about the effect of instantaneous consumer feedback on marketing and business decisions. It includes several quotes from a PR exec, including this:

“Twitter is the ultimate focus group,” Mr. Shankman said. “I can post something and in a minute get feedback from 700 people around the world, giving me their real opinions.”

While it's great to hear that businesses are listening to the average consumer, there's an underlying threat beneath this progressive mindset. It's easy to imagine how tempted companies will be to "test run" virtual concepts using Twitter-like informational goldmines. It'll be so easy to solicit feedback that many will bypass costly front-end development, sacrificing any opportunity for true user insights based on contextual experience.

Remember, Tropicana consumers had the opportunity to shop for, purchase, open, use, and contemplate the new packaging - that is the only reason they responded with enough passion and conviction to overturn the company's decisions. Smart companies will learn how to take advantage of articulated feedback without letting it overwhelm the unique insights you gain only from ethnographic research and observation.

I Feel Violated by Tropicana's Packaging

2009-02-21T10:06:00.000-05:00

Tropicana recently launched new juice cartons, which seemed curious because the old ones were nicer. These just look.....generic. Even my babysitter thought I'd accidentally purchased store-brand juice when I brought it home. This morning when my husband came home with a carton, Tropicana had taken it a step further - just look at the cap! Who wants to touch that every morning?

UPDATE, Feb 23rd: Tropicana has apparently seen the light. I just wish I could have saved them the time and money--maybe next time.

Snobject: New Metro Design's Beater Blade

2009-02-19T14:29:00.001-05:00

Anyone who's every used a stand mixer has had this idea - it's a blade wrapped in a thin silicone flange that wipes the bowl sides while beating. There are even a couple of competitors on the market to boot. The BeaterBlade is interesting because it serves an obvious need that KitchenAid and others have for some reason forsaken. However, you won't find a clip-strip of these things anywhere near KitchenAid or Cuisinart stand mixers at retail. They're relegated to infomercial and internet promotions, although SLT is now promoting this SKU as a fan favorite.

Every designer I've ever known has a bank of these kind of ideas on the shelf. Clever, simple little products that would obviously make some amount of money, but without direct backing and distribution by the market leaders.....well, it's an uphill battle. Only so many of us have 500K to sink into our own little product venture, much less a good relationship with the buyers at BB&B (who'll ditch you in a heartbeat for a partner with hundreds of SKUs on the shelf).

Maybe, one day there will be an initiative that gathers up all of these orphan design ideas, centralizing them so that when companies realize they need a creative injection, they can browse and buy what applies to them. I'll try to get to that little project next week!

SLT link here
More about New Metro Design

StoreSpy: The Action is in the Aisles

2009-02-18T14:13:00.000-05:00

At the turn of the century stores displayed the majority of their goods behind a counter, requiring customers to request what they wanted from the clerk. These days that kind of merchandising would put a store out of business in no time. Modern retail outlets across mass, department, and specialty channels are evolving to more closely resemble casino floor plans than traditional aisle formats.

The challenge retailers are trying to surmount is an over-abundance of goods and a shortage of attention span. Faced with an expansive wall of similarly packaged items with little or no interruption, most consumers turn away, seeking smaller more digestible pockets of visual stimulation. Break that wall down into islands, shelves, and staggered nooks and you've created an entertaining and engaging environment. Consumers will extend the retail experience and hunt and gather items in a comfortably natural pattern.

IKEA is the master of this casino-retail-philosophy, but BB&B and Walmart also offer great examples of the techniques. BB&B offers consumers lifestyle-oriented islands in the middle of vast aisles, essentially eliminating the aisle itself. The islands promote thematic groupings of products that tie into seasonal activities, prompting consumers to "remember that they needed that." A single item often inspires a multi-item purchase in order to support a seasonal activity.

Walmart takes the philosophy a step further. The stores utilize their warehouse format to offer palettes of goods throughout the wide aisles. These palettes can be switched out overnight, and require little to no set-up by employees. Walmart promotions are item-specific, and they rarely bother to cater to themes of lifestyle. Price drives the promotion, and switching promotions and endcaps in and out quickly maximizes efficiency and profits.

Visit any retailer and you'll notice that people pause and hover around smaller clusters of goods. They've been trained to expect bargains in these areas, but they will still buy more in these areas regardless of discounting. It's basic human nature. Shopping has become so overwhelming that consumers are trusting you to tell them what to look at and where to focus. Smart retail buyers promote the right items at the right time, and fortunes are made. Get it wrong and your aisles may be full but the carts will be empty.

So next time you're out shopping, remember that there's a reason you can't get down the aisle with a cart anymore! They don't want you to.

FORD = Fix Or Repair Daily

2009-02-17T10:11:00.001-05:00

As a school kid growing up in the South, this is the taunt I heard echoed on the playground if friends found out you owned a Ford. Fords were reserved for farming families, and generally represented by ancient rusting hulks that could only be trusted to croak on the day that you needed them most. As an adult, I can't say my impression of Ford products has improved dramatically, but I do find the recent article in AutoWeek profiling the new Ford Taurus curious.

The article is a bit of a PR piece, obviously, but it also reveals some surprising facts about Ford's development process. I have a lot of respect for Alan Mulally, the ex-Boeing exec now running the show at Ford. He's up against it. American automakers are so hampered by tradition, long-term contracts, and union obligations that even if they know what needs to be done, it may take a decade to get there. So it was nice to read that:

"The computer let us take a year out of the normal development of this car. Taurus was created in nearly 24 months from start to finish...Many months of effort and many thousands of man-hours have been taken out of the process, and that translates to tens of millions of dollars in savings" - Peter Horbury, Ford design VP/NA

That's great. Just one question - what took Ford so long to get computers? Even the average consumer wouldn't be wowed by "combined...design and engineering staff" and "check[ing] the trueness of a surface with the click of a mouse." Mainstream advertising has been selling this concept to every consumer demographic for well over a decade. The mere admission that digital development is new and exciting at Ford is dangerous PR territory. It's so far from a new idea that it's almost embarrassing to admit they are this late to the game.

Nevertheless, Ford now has a new Taurus with a clean, sporty look. The bar-of-soap aesthetic has been tightened up with some crisp lines at the corners and speed creases running down the flanks. Those are good choices. Even older consumers don't want to look like they're driving an old-people-car these days. But the fact that it took 24 months to achieve despite the use of the existing Volvo-derived D3 platform is ominous. By their own admission, this new car is a "top hat" design that includes only body and interior. This timing is still much too slow to keep up wth market trends regardless of digital design integration.

Competitors like KIA spit out a new design every few months by relying on a bank of existing components that can be mixed and matched to create new models with little ground-up development. Conversely, American car producers tend to approach each car as a work of art birthed from years of dedicated development. This mindset was relevant for much of the 20th century because cars were valued as precious objects on-par with the value of homes. Now cars are commodity items - they have much more in common with toothbrushes than homes these days. The American automakers must take advantage of the same streamlined development processes that get a new toothbrush on the shelf every 3 months if they are to survive.

They must go beyond the use of digital tools and apply true ground-up modularity, in-line customization techniques, and smart materials to offer consumers better choices in less time. Changing a production line should take hours, not weeks. Consumers aren't just looking for the flavor-of-the-month anymore - they're quickly getting used to the flavor of the minute. Luckily, with American cars, they'll probably settle for a few more flavors a year.

The article isn't online in it's entirety, but a summary is here

Snobject: Beaba Babycook Line

2009-02-15T19:40:00.000-05:00

This baby product line recently launched at Williams-Sonoma, and it's a hit out of the ballpark. Parent blogs are lighting up about the mini-cooker-processor and the line is expanding quickly to offer storage items and utensils. Haven't checked to see which baby outlets are carrying it, but parents are already seeking to buy lightly used ones--always a good sign that your product has made a real connection with consumer parents. Resale value is tracking at 50-75% MSRP.Find them here

Snobject: iSi Basics Flex-it Measuring Cup

2009-02-12T20:16:00.000-05:00

I first spotted these cups on a BB&B endcap last fall. Amidst the sea of silicone garbage on the market, this product is a simple, useful, and appropriate use of the material's inherent qualities. It definitely deserves a "why didn't anyone get this on the shelf before?"

Find them here

So We're Having a Baby

2009-02-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

The truth is that I lead two lives. On one hand, I'm a product developer--I spot the trends, find the answers, and get products on the shelf at the right price. I enjoy my work immensely. It's challenging, risky and often very rewarding. But outside of the bubble of product development I'm a parent. And when I tell other parents what I do, I'm often riddled with questions--not about the joys of the creative process, or how cool it is to get free samples, but the alarming and ever-growing list of safety concerns about the products surrounding our families.

Parents have been barraged with exposes in the past year, leading to a new level of awareness among consumers about product safety. Slowly, they are coming to realize what most people in the industry have known for decades: very little is done to monitor, test, and protect against the sale of harmful goods in the US. The truth seems outrageous, and the shocking examples keep piling up:

On August 2, 2007, Fisher-Price recalled approximately 967,000 toys, including Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and other licensed characters. In addition, on August 14, 2007, Mattel recalled approximately 253,000 toy "Sarge" cars. On June 13, 2007, RC2 Corporation recalled approximately 1.5 million "Thomas and Friends" wooden railway toys. There also have been a number of smaller recalls for a variety of children's products this year.

Dozens of environmental health organizations in the United States and Canada are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of a chemical, bisphenol A - or BPA - in food and beverage containers, including baby bottles. They say a new study found that, when exposed to heat, baby bottles release a chemical that, researchers say, has been linked to obesity, diabetes and developmental problems in lab animals. This is still under debate.

During the past decade, phthalates have come under fire for their threat to the developing human reproductive system, particularly in young boys. Phthalates can slowly leach from products, and children typically ingest them by hand-to-mouth contact, or by chewing on a toy. California has passed a law banning the sale of these products ahead of nation-wide rulings by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and most large retailers pledged last year to cease selling products with phthalates by Jan. 1; some phased them out in advance. Major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Toys "R" Us and Target last year began removing children's products with phthalates from their shelves nationwide.

The first question most parents ask is, "Why are they allowed to sell this stuff?" The presumption among consumers has been that products are inherently safe, and that there must be some oversight already in place. What they are now learning is that product safety in the US is reactionary. Once a problem manifests, and the source is found, we have tools in place to recall or remove harmful products from the shelves. This is the status quo. Outraged parents say that's ridiculous, unbelievable and completely unacceptable! Why is this allowed to happen?

The simple answer is that the market is driven by consumers and their values in regard to product purchases. The market has been heavily focused on cost-cutting and marginalization to achieve the pricing values that consumers have come to expect. Our eyes have been on the bottom line. The type of structure that would need to be in place to guarantee the safety of products before they hit the shelves is simply cost-prohibitive. Currently, we reserve this special treatment only for the things that can kill us rather than just harm us--medical equipment, electronics, pharmaceuticals, etc. The extra attention is reflected by the relatively high cost of these items.

As consumer values change, the market will change to reflect them. If we're willing to accept higher prices, then there will be more accountability. How that accountability is enforced will take time to evolve, but individual businesses will respond if they want to stay ahead of the curve. Americans have always valued honesty and integrity. Proactive brands will benefit from that perception during a time when consumers aren't sure who to trust. And in the end, the proof will be in the pudding, or rather, the prices.

As a product developer, I'll guide my clients to make the most responsible choices the market will bear. As a mom, I hope I'm happy with the results.

For a list of Lead-Recalls from the CDC click here
For a guide to BPA-free baby bottles click here
For environmental, health and safety info about BPA click here

Lesson 01: The AEIOU's of Observation

2009-02-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

Observation is the key to understanding. Users will often tell you what they want or dislike, known as articulated feedback, but observing their unarticulated needs in context will provide the unique breakthrough insights you need to make a new product great. I'll address the best methods for seeking, compiling and analysing articulated needs in a future post. For now, it's time to learn your AEIOU's.

Imagine a scenario in which you are trying to understand how to improve upon a standard wire paperclip. You touch and use the paperclip yourself. You spin around in your chair and try to catch your office mate using one, until he notices you staring and freezes in his tracks. Maybe you even ask your parents, neighbors or friends to demonstrate using a paperclip for you. Afterwards, you have a few ideas. You noticed several things that could improve a paperclip, but when you sit down to write or sketch suddenly it seems like you're just thinking in circles. You may end up with one or two hard-won concepts that, while they are improvements, don't seem to be a broad enough base upon which to build. For most companies, this means going back to the drawing board, asking for "more to go on," or often abandoning the platform entirely.

This fruitless scenario can easily evolve into a powerful tool if you add a little technique to the recipe. Committing to the concept of observation in context (AKA not in a focus group setting) is a good step towards success. Utilizing the AEIOU method to catalog your results will help you reap the full benefit of the time you invest in observation.

What to pay attention to during an observation:

ACTIVITIES: What are people doing? Describe tasks, paying attention to the sequence of steps (ie: task analysis).

ENVIRONMENT: What are the details of the setting? Pay attention to the lighting, furniture, noise levels, and other influencers to the user experience.

INTERACTIONS: What exchanges are taking place? Between people, objects, and space?

OBJECTS: What objects do you observe? Doodle and list what they are, their uses, and abstract meanings that people give to them.

USERS: Who's using it? What's their demographic profile? How do their unique perspectives change the experience?

Using AEIOU, you have given yourself 5 categories across which to interpret a single observation session. Each category is like a lens through which you see the product in all its deficiencies and possibilities. Assuming that you have 2 items of note for each category, 5 simple observation sessions now results in 50 line items of findings. Suddenly you have generated a pool of information that can be further analysed to reveal patterns, trends, and ranked action items. Of course, how to do that requires other techniques, but utilizing AEIOU will get you started on the path to an abundance of ideas that have the potential for much more than just one breakthrough paperclip.