Category: Blog

Evolution of Product Design Tools

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While pencil sketches of product concepts are still a necessity, the evolution of product design software has made a big difference in how we draft, model and present designs to clients. Design 1st uses a variety of leading edge computer-aided design (CAD) tools for engineering simulations, concept development and detailed design.

Last week, the folks at “Engineering.com” put together an excellent video demonstrating the evolution of product design tools that we would like to share. Check-it out below:

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Simplicity and Honesty in Innovative Product Design

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Everyone wants innovative product design, but what does innovative even mean? Design can make a product appear new and fresh, but in what ways?

Rather than write a long, dull treatise on the history of the word “innovative,” let’s work backwards and look at individual things that make design innovative.

Today we’ll talk about two key factors in design innovation: simplicity and honesty. It sounds as if they might mean the same thing, but as always, details are important and make the difference.

Simplicity

Simplicity means eliminating all the bells and whistles, and beyond that, stripping away even the structural aspects that aren’t necessary to a product’s function. If you’re undergoing extensive home renovations in your kitchen you strip away all old cupboards and start the scratch, the same principle applies to innovative product design.

Consider what Charles Harrison, the famous industrial product designer who worked for Sears Roebuck and Co. for over three decades, said about simplicity in design:

“If it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do or look like what it does, then I frown on it. I don’t think a nutcracker needs to look like an elephant.”

Simplification is innovative when it causes consumers to say “Of course — why didn’t I think of that?” For example, hanging fruit juice containers from a plastic “vine,” as if they were growing on the packaging, is simple and yet so unexpected that it’s innovative.

Honesty

Obviously products don’t lie to people, but they may conceal their function to some consumers, and the designer’s job is to innovate a better appearance that communicates function better than previous designs.

Dieter Rams, another famous industrial designer, had this to say about a product’s appearance:

“It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product talk. At best, it is self-explanatory.”

If you don’t know what something is the first moment you see it — whether it’s a table or a computer program — then it may not be honest. For example many innovative commercial security systems now use biometrics such as facial recognition to allow access. If you’re a first time user and have never account a system like this will you know how to use it? It’s difficult to strip a product down to pure function, which is why designing something that has a more “obvious” form is an act of innovation.

In general, you can assess the simplicity and honesty of your product’s design by asking the following questions:

Does absolutely everything need to be there?
What could we subtract?
Is this product’s function obvious?

These questions are a great starting point for innovating new forms of product design.

Feel free to contact us if you want to talk more about design. It’s what we do.

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Great Design is Sustainable Design

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“There are professions more harmful than design,” wrote Victor Papanek in the 1970s, “but only a few.”

Papanek – considered the modern father of responsible design – accused designers of “creating whole species of permanent garbage to clutter up the landscape, and by choosing materials and processes that pollute the air we breathe, designers have become a dangerous breed.”

If this is so, then why not consider social and environmental factors when designing future products? And having done this, why design unsustainable products at all?

100% Sustainability Begins with the Design

According to the article, “100% Sustainable: Product Design,” there are three primary considerations when designing products.

You should make:

Products that use fewer materials
Products that use fewer components
Fewer products

This may seem like a quick way to squelch the creative process, forcing designers to think beyond just their own product design. However, quite the opposite is true. It allows them to imagine a better design, a better way of making their creation effective and effectively making their creation.

After all, sustainable design focuses on reducing the environmental impact of a product during its lifetime: design, manufacture, use, and disposal/reuse. This includes choosing strategies that avoid using toxic substances, minimizes material and energy use, and creates plans for reuse, repair, or recycling.

Sustainable Design Good for Business

In the December 2011 article, “IDEO’s Steve Bishop on the Future of Sustainable Design Thinking,” Steve

Bishop suggests that too many people view sustainable design in a negative light.

Many people approach it from a glass half-empty point-of-view, which is not inspiring and not fun. It’s not an inspirational topic for a lot of people; it’s “we’ve got to save ourselves.”

Instead, Bishop suggests looking at sustainable design as an opportunity to make a positive impact and to grow business. For his team, it is about innovation and looking at the demand side – what people want and how to meet those needs. Rather than becoming clouded by ideas of “efficiency, supply chain optimization, or regulation,” he suggests figuring out how to find new markets, get new users, and be more sustainable.

That’s where Design 1^st comes in. We understand how product development and sustainability coincide along with meeting your needs. From choosing materials, manufacturing processes and packaging requirements we help guide clients make sustainable decisions throughout the product development lifecycle. Contact us to discuss how we can help bring your product to life.

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Canadian Dj Kid Koala’s Cardboard Record Player

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Kid Koala Flexi Player from See Creature on Vimeo.

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Designing for Visual Impact

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A critical component of product design that cannot be overlooked is the reflection of light off a products surface. For architects, light refraction is a major component of designs concepts for bridges, buildings or highway barriers. Varying the position of fold lines, edges, corners can make a seemingly thick and bulky wall look slim and sharp.

In similar respect but on a much smaller scale, reflection of light plays into the design of products as well. To get sense of how industrial designer use light to their advantage check-out “The Product Design Show” episode on Designing for Light below:

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Published on: February 24, 2023

How to Design Free HDTV

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When products are retired to make way for improved technology they are often cast aside to make room for newer, more efficient products. Examples include the horse buggy, VCR Players, Cassette players, pagers – the list can go on. As new innovative products enter consumer markets they offer more for less – making their predecessors obsolete – a phenomenon commonly referred to as disruptive technology.

A contradiction to this “disruptive technology” trend is the TV antenna and receiving free TV over the airwaves. Large outdoor towers, indoor wire trees were the visual cost of getting it free. Through the last few decades the TV antenna’s story appeared to follow the same script – the old fashioned “rabbit ears” antenna on television sets gave way to pay for service digital cable, satellite and internet television offering consumer’s more channels.

In 2009 this changed, and government mandated television signals to be switched over to broadcasting via a digital signal offering consumers free HD channels. The enabling technologies are the new HDTV antennas allowing homeowners to once again receive the free TV signals now digital and high definition. Various firms rushed to develop these new HD antennas, revealing a variety of challenges with respect to design, performance and cost.

North Vu Systems Inc. approached Design 1st with innovative new HDTV Antenna technology allowing for a small discrete antenna near the TV that would pick up signals 50 kilometers away. The goal was to revamp the old fashioned look of the TV Antenna and turn the necessary object into a discrete elegant piece of your home decor. This required finding a balance between form and function ensuring NorthVu’s HDTV antenna would blend with modern consumer’s tastes and the wide variety of home entertainment system layouts. To tackle this challenge, the Design 1st team worked with North Vu creating multiple design concepts and product iterations leading to the final design.

The final product called the “NV20 Pro” debuted this past month at CES 2012 in Las Vegas. Product features include a signal range of up to 35 Miles, 40% smaller size than comparable products and no assembly required, just plug it in and watch local digital HD broadcast TV for free (no additional monthly subscription fees).

This coming March 2012 the NV20 Pro will be released to consumers and offer them the opportunity to view free HDTV channels on their TV. With this antenna and a PVR what more can a person want.

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Published on: February 24, 2023

CES 2012: Client Product Innovations

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The Design 1st team arrived in Las Vegas last week for CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2012 – the largest annual trade show in the US featuring 2700 Exhibitors, 150k attendees and over 1.6 Millionsquare feet of floor space.

For gadget lovers, product designers and tech companies CES gives exclusive access to the hottest product debuts in consumer technology. While attendees at the CES come for many different reasons – they all have one thing in common a love for technology, innovation and gadgets.

For Design 1st making the trek to CES provided us the opportunity to check out new trends in product design and catch up with clients. In particular three clients that we ran into at the show spanned the range of car-technology, audio speakers and consumer gadgets. Here’s a breakdown of the technology each of our clients was debuting:

QNX

Car technology is changing at the speed of light as auto manufacturers race to adapt the next wave of innovation in consoles and “infotainment” systems. At CES 2012 QNX proved they were leading the pack, winning the Best of Show Award in Auto Tech with their fully tricked out 2011 Porsche Carrera S 2011. As the video illustrates below – the Porsche was outfitted with customized instrument panel, console display, tachometer display and rear seat displays running QNX’s CAR (Connected Automotive Reference) platform. The Design 1st team completed the physical design and integration, prototyping the parts, finishing and the module installations. Working closely with the QNX team the result was a well received integration of exciting new QNX’s technology with the Porsche interior design – maintaining the high end look and feel.

GoldenEar Technology

Audio speakers have continued to innovate and improve each year, 2011 was no different – GoldenEar Technology was born and hit the industry by storm picking up 7 awards for their new line-up of loudspeakers. At CES 2012 GoldenEar Technology continued on their pace revealing the new Triton Three Tower, SuperCinema 3D Array sound bar and Invisa in-wall speakers setting themselves up for another successful year. In the video below GoldenEar Technology founder Sandy Gross explains the innovative technology in their new speakers:

Vinci Genius

As far as consumer products go, the Vinci genius found its niche in the “toddler market” – creating a Tablet computer exclusively designed for preschoolers. For CES 2012, Vinci set up a large booth to reveal their new “dBlock” learning system featuring a 7” touch screen that allows for individual or interconnected group use.

Overall, CES 2012 had 100 hundreds of products the Design 1st team wanted to take home – but instead we snapped a few photos, and committed others to memory to help set the pace for innovative design in 2012. For our clients CES proved to be a huge opportunity to reach a larger audience, go head-to-head with competitors and debut new products for 2012.

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Deckster iPod Nano Time Pierce: First Class Design Balancing User Experience + Manufacturability

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Love watches, music and fashion? And have an iPod® Nano?

Check out the Deckster™ – it’s a new, funky, fashionable and sustainable unisex watch strap custom built for Apple’s iPod Nano. The patent-pending Pop+Lock™ System models the functionality of a retro cassette tape deck allowing the Nano to be smoothly inserted into the protective enclosure in one easy, fluid motion to become a stylish multi-functional watch. This iWatch is fashion for the forward set and convenient carrying of the Nano for work, sports and leisure.

Design 1st also likes to fast forward clients’ innovative concepts into useful, aesthetically beautiful and marketable products.

When N-Product, the creators of the Deckster, approached Design 1st they had a vision of the slick functionality and timeless quality their timepiece would embody. The Design 1st team built upon the concept to develop a design that combined the simple elegance of the Nano with the creators’ creativity and required features. The Deckster design would prove to push the traditional boundaries of design as well as demand maximum innovation from the tooling and manufacturing efforts.

Various design challenges were encountered that required Design 1st’s highly innovative problem-solving and depth of technical expertise. In particular, the patent-pending Pop+Lock system needed to combine the action of the tape deck concept with the functional mechanical precision yet maintain the aesthetics of the Nano. The system replicates a cassette tape deck’s functionality requiring over 20 custom watch sized components in this simple to use hinge and latch design that enables a smooth “pop” opening of the watch, allowing the user to insert the Nano and “lock it” in place with a distinctive click. Making the mechanism work smoothly and consistently despite normal manufacturing variability was the real challenge. The project depended on numerous areas of the teams’ expertise in this fast 8-week turnaround product design and development project. From rendered CAD images you see on the website to drawings to precision prototyping Design 1st overcame the design and tooling challenges and the in-house machined production prototype proved the “Pop+Lock” concept worked which brought the Deckster to life.

The founders of the Deckster needed to balance quality materials with cost, availability, usability and sustainable thinking. The Deckster includes high-grade aircraft aluminum, hand-crafted premium vegetable tanned leather straps, industrial-grade protection with Cerakote™ coating and sustainable packaging. The”Made in North America” product uses North American manufacturers, cost effective processes and small product runs to consistently produce a high quality product while the use of recycled paper materials for sustainable packaging and recyclable aluminum for the housings reduces the carbon footprint.

Through versatile design, use of quality materials, precision engineering, innovative tooling and manufacturing, Design 1st has succeed in achieving the creators’ dream of making the Deckster a unique and premier timepiece for conveniently carrying and using the Nano.

To learn more, view the Deckster here.

Design 1st is proud of its collaboration with N-Product, visit www.deckster.ca to pre-order your limited edition Deckster time piece. The Deckster First:Class will be shipping in early July (retails at approx $150 CAD).

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Published on: February 24, 2023

2011 Napkin Sketch Inventions

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Many new inventions are brought to life each year, some are successful and hit the marketplace while others end up on a shelf in someones basement. Looking back on 2011, we came across dozens of creative inventions from all over the world. Here are a few of our favorites:

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Published on: February 24, 2023

Client GoldenEar Technology – Mass Market Success

27 Years Experience

75+ Design Awards

1,000+ Manufactured Products

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Ready to Start?

GoldenEar Technologies has concluded their one year anniversary on a high note, picking up two more awards at the 2011 CEDIA EXPO in Indianapolis including the CEPro Best Electronic Technology award and the Residential Systems prestigious RESI award. Both awards recognized GoldenEar’s physical design, with the CEPro focusing on functionality and ease of installation while the RESI award concentrated on industrial design factors including products’ design aesthetics, user-friendliness and originality. These awards add to the 4 previous awards GoldenEar won in 2011 recognizing their high-performance Loudspeaker product line, providing further evidence that challenging economic times have not stifled creativity and innovation in manufacturing.

The GoldenEar product line has taken the Loudspeaker industry by storm since its launch at last year’s 2010 CEDIA EXPO in Atlanta. Catching the attention of the audio industry GoldenEar Technology received consistent praise from audiophile press having their loudspeaker products recognized by various industry awards – including 2 separate award wins at the 2011 CES (Consumer Electronic Show).

The success of GoldenEar’s product line has been built off the combined experience of founders Sandy & Gross & Don Givogue, who co-founded loudspeaker firm’s Polk Audio in the 1970’s and Definitive Technology in the 1990’s. GoldenEar’s goal when designing their new line of speakers was “to deliver more sonic superiority, with performance that is unequalled in competitors’ speakers selling for three, four or five times as much” – said Gross. This was accomplished through the audio engineering experience of their founder’s and the industrial design expertise of Design 1st’ product development team.

As one audiophile reviewer put it, “GoldenEar’s speakers aren’t just more branded boxes with drivers built in. These are audiophile speakers with uniquely engineered technology. They’re different than anything else on the market, and that alone makes them worth checking out.”

To get an up close look at GoldenEar’s speaker lineup and reviews visit: www.goldenear.com

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Published on: February 24, 2023

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Category: Blog

Evolution of Product Design Tools

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Simplicity and Honesty in Innovative Product Design

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Simplicity

Honesty

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Great Design is Sustainable Design

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

100% Sustainability Begins with the Design

Sustainable Design Good for Business

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Canadian Dj Kid Koala’s Cardboard Record Player

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Designing for Visual Impact

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

How to Design Free HDTV

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

CES 2012: Client Product Innovations

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

The Design 1st team arrived in Las Vegas last week for CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2012 – the largest annual trade show in the US featuring 2700 Exhibitors, 150k attendees and over 1.6 Millionsquare feet of floor space.

Vinci Genius

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Deckster iPod Nano Time Pierce: First Class Design Balancing User Experience + Manufacturability

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

2011 Napkin Sketch Inventions

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!

Have a new product idea?

More Related Resources

Crowdfunding Graveyard - What Killed 41 HW Projects?

Design 1st 2025: Year in Review

Hardware Product Development Trends for 2026

Client GoldenEar Technology – Mass Market Success

From Idea to Prototype in as Little as Six Weeks!