Dept. of Energy

josephrueter — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:56:07 +0000

I got a new snowboard and bindings recently. In case your wondering, wow, yes it does make a huge difference. Sharp edges and higher performance materials make a massive impact on the responsiveness of the board and the experience of the rider! It leads me to wonder about how the metaphor relates to change in business. You?So, when snowboarding started the typical binding, and even most of them today, are designed so that the user has to engage the binding from the front. Think about it… do you put any of your shoes on heal first? I did not think so. Anyway, a company out there called FLOW re-imagined and reengineered bindings. You step in toe first! This has all kinds of advantages. First, it is easier. Second it is simpler, only one latch to work with. Third, it is faster, and boarders of all skill have a better chance at keeping up with skiers at the top. Fourth, it adjusts to the exact same each time. Now like with all things there are many opinions and various needs depending on what your trying to accomplish. I think Flow’s work is fantastic. I don’t know their process, Flow’s, in developing this product but to my mind it is a great example of user focused design. I love stepping in toe first!So, my new board not only has great bindings but it is also visually compelling! As a designer that is important to me on a cognitive and emotional level. I think it is important to all of us on an emotional level some how, even sub cognition. Regardless, I dug around a bit and found the designers. My Decade snowboard may have been manufactured by Ride but it was visually designed by the Dept. of Energy. Now their location is a bit nicer than mine, they are in Seattle, but they are after my heart in another way too. Not only do they do graphics they also make neat stuff via their company Utility, Inc. Check out their new Ping Pong table!Many people in my experience say that you have to be good at only one thing, you have to do only one thing… but I wonder… is that how change happens? Maybe on a micro level, that is where change happens but I submit to you that macro level change happens when divergent things collide and are seen in new ways, when many disciples are working together. Macro level change will likely hit you when your not looking for it (in the shower for instance) and it will be game changing but unpredictable. I wonder if Flow’s toe first idea and Dept. of Energy’s great graphic design came while they were driving a car. Where are you when you have good ideas?

Needs – User Focused

josephrueter — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:01:22 +0000

I like to research what is really needed because what is said or expressed is in my experience not what the real needs are. For instance, I went to Duluth last week, Spirit Mountain, for the sole purpose of going snowboarding. When I got there the process for buying a lift ticket left more to be desired. You have to park a long ways away then walk in all your gear up to the chalet and clumsy follow the weird signs pointing all over the place to find the one place that is open selling tickets. Remember, I am here to give you money! This should not be hard for me to do!So, I decided that I would go change in to my gear in my car and then drive up to the chalet to get my pass and I would be ready. Well, when I made the turn in the drive way near the chalet there was not parking to be had anywhere! That is when I heard my self say “I wish I was handicapped.”Instantly I began to laugh in my head. That is funny, I thought. Now, I am going snowboarding, No, I don’t wish I was handicapped! I don’t wish anyone to be handicapped! Rather I had a need that if I were handicapped it would have been a whole lot easier to deal with. Getting a close parking spot. Now I only wanted it short term.Spirit Mountain, and all places for that matter, should think about installing 10 min parking spots up close to the point of business. It is an obvious need customers have to make a quick stop and it would keep the fire lane parking to a minimum.What are the needs of your clients and customers. I don’t really care what they tell you. Watch them and think about it. What are your hidden needs?

Joseph Rueter » snowboarding

Dept. of Energy

Needs – User Focused