Here's a nuts-and-bolts ID case study from The Metcalfe Group. The Ohio-based consultancy was called on by a consumer products company after the first ID firm they hired didn't meet muster.

Ironing Out the Kinks

A market-leading plastic manufacturer was looking to expand their offering of self-branded products. After a false start with another industrial design firm, they approached us to design a new iron organizer for consumer and commercial markets. They asked for a creative product design that would stand out in its field and offer new value, and we delivered.

After assessing the current market of iron organizers, we began the industrial design phase by exploring a variety of functional and aesthetic concepts, all represented by 2D sketches and physical models to ensure legitimacy. Exploration with rough, functional prototypes allowed us to devise novel ways of retaining a clothes iron, giving us insights that would have been unlikely to surface from merely sitting at a desk.

Even in the conceptual stage, physical mockups were created to validate each idea presented. Once a concept was chosen, a fixture was created to determine the ideal angles, dimensions and other geometry to refine its mechanics and ensure safety. We also created a test fixture which simulated real world scenarios and compared the new design to competitors. Through multiple iterations, we were able to create a design that matched or beat the competition in all tests, leading to a safer product.

After aesthetic and feature refinements, we modeled the product in CAD, working with the client's manufacturing and engineering departments. This ensured that the final product design, despite challenging geometry, would be optimized for molding upon delivery to the client. After delivery, we remained available for production support. In addition, we provided illustrations and graphic design for the commercial box, and our high-fidelity prototypes were used for the product photography and pre-selling.

In the end, The Metcalfe Group was able to fulfill the client's objectives for a stand-out product, not a "me too". This gave them a compelling safety story as well as a patent-pending design. Operationally, we remained within their cost target and produced a fresh new design that was well-received by their market channel and end customers.

You can see more of The Metcalfe Group's work here.