‘Special Projects’ is a London based design and invention consultancy.
It was founded by Industrial Designer, Clara Gaggero Westaway.
And Experience Designer (and magician) Adrian Westaway.
I met Clara at TEDx Newcastle this month.
Unboxing.
Clara showcased a 9 year old project.
(The age of the project is significant).
And how she and her team tackled a problem that older Samsung customers had.
With the unboxing of Samsung phones.
Backstory.
The backstory with the unboxing.
Specifically in the context off the customer’s age.
Is this.
Younger.
Younger customers tear open boxes.
Throw packaging to their right.
Throw instruction manuals to their left.
Frantically press buttons.
Slide fingers over screens.
And away they go.
Their ‘unboxing experience’ manifests as a slight dip in happiness.
But they get there in the end.
Older.
Older customers unbox slowly.
They lay things out.
They begin to thumb through the manual.
From page 1.
To page whatever.
And their ‘unboxing experience’ plummets.
They hate it!
And this is the issue that the Special Projects team were asked to address.
Oldschool.
The proposed ‘concept solution’ to this problem was really lovely.
And there are three lessons for businesses.
Firstly, know your customers.
And more specifically, know your different kinds of customers.
And be special for all of them.
Secondly, sometimes.
To achieve more.
You must do less.
Or to move forwards.
You must think backwards.
And thirdly, here is a great quote from Clara:
In every moment of frustration there is a fuzzy moment waiting to be freed.
Clara is right.
This 150 seconds explains all: https://www.50odd.co.uk/oldschool/.
