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Design Edge Wins a Gold IDEA Award for a Dog ToyDesign Edge wins the 2005 Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) bestowed by the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA) for a dog toy developed for their in-house company, Wetnoz International LLC.
If the secret to great design is serving the customer, then how do you determine what the customer wants?
The most effective route to customer insight is to walk a mile in their shoes (like Nike), or clean a house with their brooms (like Proctor & Gamble).
But how do you design when your customers do not even wear shoes, much less talk?
Design Edge, a strategic branding and product development consultancy, met the challenges of their pet demographic through research, interviews, and the easiest part -- being attentive pet owners.
'Experiential research' was at their fingertips, and playing fetch paid off.
They made discoveries such as 'whisker stress,' which inspired elongated bowls to accommodate and relieve cat whiskers.
They created 'booster stands' to elevate feeding bowls and alleviate back strain for a more ergonomic experience.
These products, along with others, create the Wetnoz line of pet products.
The recent award focuses on Wetnoz's 'Spring Roll,' an 'Interactive Fetch Toy,' whose very name suggests that owners should play more with their dogs, rather than hand them a chew toy.
more: Design Edge Wins a Gold IDEA Award for a Dog Toy
6/7/2005 | Viewed 18,945 time(s)
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