BLACK+DECKER required a uniquie design fo ra Mini Circular Saw to compete with established competitors.
To separate the product from the rest of the market, a focus was put on making the ergonomics more suited to entry level DIY users.
RESEARCH
Through user analysis it was found the the established products had comprimised ergonomics the product the most compact product possible.
The grip zone contained the motor and trigger, making the diameter for to thick for some users. The angle of the handle would also be uncomfortable when set to shallow cuts with tention going through the users wrist.
Another issue was that because the motor was essentially in the middle of users hand, the torque kick from strating the saw meant the user couldn't align the blade witth their cutting line. Some users resorted to placing there hand on the blade guard, millimeters from the blade.
DESIGN
The final product moves the primary grip away from the motor with a more egonomic handle for both longer cuts and shallow cuts, as well as adding a secondary grip zone on the front to give the user more options when using the product.
