REFRAMES Mission
The new Design DNA set the course for Wetrok's future design language.
We helped communicate their vision through a unique design language. The Bolero replaces two existing products and merges them into one. Therefore, it needs to be recognizable to the Wetrok customer and take the brand into a new era.
Design DNA | Design Strategy | Industrial Design | Engineering | Design Files
Challenge
The development of a unique design language recognizable to the Wetrok customer takes the brand into a new era.
Outcome
Our Design solution propelled the design language of Wetrok to a more contemporary look and feel and a solid foundation for upcoming machines, as well as a recognizable appearance for the brand. What also resulted in being featured in an architecture and design magazine. The design of the Bolero helped the sales of the machine and was better than forecasted.
Client
Wetrok is the Swiss market leader for modern cleaning technology. A company that is rooted in Switzerland and internationally present. The agile, highly specialized, and innovative Swiss company for modern cleaning technology plays a leading role in the R&D of professional cleaning machines and cleaning chemicals. Brands need more than "just some design." They must have a recognizable message and overall impression of their touchpoints that translate their vision to their customer and the marketplace.
Development Steps
Step 1
Setting up the groundwork for a successful design solution.
Creating and exploring feasible solutions for the end-user and client.
Step 3
Testing, refining, implementing, and developing the design solution.
Mark Meng, Head BU Machines, Wetrok AG
"REFRAME delivered excellent design, which we brought to market and are celebrating great success."
Step 1 // Developing the Strategy
Strategy & Approach
In a facilitated session, we defined the challenges and developed a brief with the client. Then, through the workshop, we were able to address the most critical issues and challenges. In doing so, we prioritized the needs and goals of the business and its end users. Therefore, this workshop is always essential for a solid design and development project.
Brand Definition
Through a series of exercises in the workshop, we filtered out essential points and refined the brand's main pillars.That helped us understand the brand's personality: what does it look like, sound like, and how do they act.
Understanding End Users
To understand the needs of these customers, we created user profiles that described the range of users, which made a clear picture of their demographics, needs, and wants.
Positioning
Understanding who the WETROK AG brand is and what it stands for helped define Wetrok AG's positioning statement: "Clean, Professional and Intuitive."
Step 2 // Ideate
Discovery & Inspiration
Ideate is the method in the design process of focusing on idea generation. It provides both the fuel and the source material for building prototypes and putting innovative solutions into the hands of your users. After a series of sketches and scale mockups, we could identify the design direction needed.
Prototyping Building
One of the best ways to gain insight into a design thinking process is to conduct some form of prototyping. This process involves making an early, low-cost, scaled-down version of the product to uncover challenges with the current design. Prototyping provides an opportunity to bring ideas to life, test the handling of the current design, and test its potential. By testing with real users, essential insights are acquired to improve the outcome.
Validation & Refinement
Testing can be done throughout the project, although it is mainly done with a prototype. Testing in design thinking involves generating user feedback related to the prototypes you develop and a deeper understanding of your users and if the designed outcome matches their needs.
Step 3 // Validation & Refinement
Implementation & Refinement
We refined the designs we showed the client and went into building it on CAD. Then, the engineers of Wetrok were able to work on those files and add the needed components to make the idea feasible before sending them to the toolmaker. For the body of the machine been rotomolded.
The Design Guide
As the last step of the project, we created a design guide that helps ensure a continuous brand experience on the product's design. It documents the design language, materials, message, and relevant details to gain brand recognition and has recommendations on applying design principles to provide a positive user experience.
August 2019 Design - Putzig - Hochparterre
«Mit der ‹Bolero› haben wir einen deutlichen Sprung nach vorne gemacht»
