PRODUCT DESIGN, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, PROTOTYPING
Helping Hand Company’s hugely successful Litter Picker developed by The Product Group.
Over 16 million units sold worldwide.
The dream:
To develop a quality litter picker which puts comfort of the user first.
One size to fit most hands.
New design to be distinctive and appealing.
It should look (and be) comfortable, rugged and light, tailored to fit the hand for extended use.
Assembly should be simple and robust with snap together details.
Materials and construction should promote recyclability.
Working closely with the client the product design team identified the key requirements in developing this innovative new product.
How:
The product design team began with a roundup of the best litter pickers and a critique of their features, good and bad. This resulted in a hit list of must have features and new ideas to integrate in the developing design.Questioning everything, the product design team explored all opportunities to better the competition; adaptable ergonomics, functional improvements, weight, cleaning, strength, maintenance and visual quality.
Putting it all together:
For optimum comfort in small and large hands, prototypes were made by CNC, adjusted and refined until we were confident of its fit in almost any hand.
From first concepts, thought was given to making this a standout product in every aspect.The success of this product is down to the skill of the product design team in optimising fit, feel, function, weight, materials and manufacture.
18 years on and with worldwide sales approaching 20 million, the product’s design still feels contemporary and appropriate.
Skills:
Market understanding
Concept generation
Computer modelling and visualisation
Material selection
CNC prototyping
Functional testing
Detailing for manufacture
Specification for manufacture