Armada Carpet Extractor
Situation
Product line was losing market share year-over-year (30% over 10 years)
15 year-old aging product line
Selected to lead project based on strong ability to find valuable insights, and successfully lead innovation efforts
Objectives
Maintain market leadership
Increase market share
Develop an innovative solution to clean carpets
Increase profit margin
Research
Facilitated and scheduled field observation and discussion with 32 different customers in two months time
Generated quantitative survey to prioritize needs and synthesized them into actionable insights
Pain Points
Walking backward while running the machine
Weight of the device is too heavy
Machine is difficult to maneuver
Handle height is not optimum, leading to bad posture
Cord management is challenging
Machines are poorly maintained
Carrying needed supplies requires extra trips to closet
Carpet drying time is too long
Positives
Cleaning power of the machine is excellent
Reliability of the machine is excellent
Relative size of the machine is good
Brush agitation is good
Additional upholstery tool is an asset
Thought Process
How can I increase maneuverability?
How can I make it less labor-intensive?
How can I enable users to walk forward while they clean?
Prototypes
Led team of engineers and model shop craftsmen to create prototypes
Conducted prototype reviews with customers and further prototype refinements
Make it stand out
We explored ways to make the exciting concept of steering while you clean relate to the existing product line but evolve the overall look of the product.
All aspect of interaction were improved for the customers. Such as easy access to fill ports, cord management and visual ques for service and functionality.
before
Armada Carpet Extractor
Results
Exceeded sales volume prediction by 55% in first year of production
Increased market share 10% in two years time
Decreased cleaning time by 33%
Increased maneuverability by adding a steering head
Decreased drying time by 40%
Improved cord-management by adding the cord pigtail
Decreased switches to improve training of user-interface
Decreased chemical/water usage by 30%
Good Design Award 2016 winner