Problem
The brand required both new distinctive, innovative features that made urban driving feel premium, and for us to teach their engineers reliable ways to do human-centered design innovation.
Innovation / Urban driving
Urban Driving Innovation
I led a team to create distinctive urban-driving features for a premium automaker, and to teach its mechanical engineers human-centered innovation. Our exterior-lighting ideas have been in continuous production for 15+ years.
- Role
- Design Research & Strategy Lead
- Client
- Premium automaker
- Duration
- 21 weeks
- Deliverables
- Insights, Experience Design Frameworks, 1:1 rapid prototypes, feature design concepts
The brief
Challenge.
Goal
Build winning features based on insights, and a reusable playbook to generate future ideas.
Success metric
6 ideas reached production, 3 of which are still in production after 10+ years.
Process
01
Discovery
We combined in-context ethnography, physiological stress monitoring, immersion, and cognitive testing with 28 informants in Boston, Milano, New York, and München.
02
Strategy
We built two frameworks: a conceptual one for mastering the city's problems and celebrating its new experiences, and a tangible "build to think" approach.
03
Design
We tested many ideas quickly on a full-scale 1:1 rapid prototype, and used stress data to sell breakthrough ideas internally.
Discovery
Research across four cities
28 informants, 56+ hours of ethnography, and 80+ hours of footage across Boston, Milano, New York, and München.
Strategy
Two experience design frameworks
Seven concepts mapped between mastering the city and celebrating it, explored through full-scale prototypes.
The five most stressful moments
Stress monitors revealed the most stressful driving moments, even when drivers didn't name them, and helped prioritize ideas.
Design
Entry Exit Drama
Getting in and out of the car became a moment to celebrate, leading to exterior-lighting ideas that have been in continuous production for 15+ years.
28Informants
56+Hours of ethnography
4Cities
15+ yearsIllumination design in production
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