Making of: Smart lock model C320 and C321 for Siemens
The Smart Locks we designed for Siemens has been probably the faster and most complex product development we have ever been through.
This project took an incredible short time of only 6 month of development counting all the design, the engineering and the manifacturing processes.
This means that the research and design phase started on February 2019 and the real finished product was ready to sale just on August of the same year.
As a design manager i was aware of the challenge in designing such an important product for such an important brand in such a short amount of time, that’s why i strictly planned every single phase of the design process from the first day being careful in choosing the right designers to join me in a team of 4 in total.
We where able to follow all the deadlines that the client asked and at the end we deliverd not only one but two model of Smartlocks to be launched, a basic version and a more high-end model with better finishes and specs.
This project took an incredible short time of only 6 month of development counting all the design, the engineering and the manifacturing processes.
This means that the research and design phase started on February 2019 and the real finished product was ready to sale just on August of the same year.
As a design manager i was aware of the challenge in designing such an important product for such an important brand in such a short amount of time, that’s why i strictly planned every single phase of the design process from the first day being careful in choosing the right designers to join me in a team of 4 in total.
We where able to follow all the deadlines that the client asked and at the end we deliverd not only one but two model of Smartlocks to be launched, a basic version and a more high-end model with better finishes and specs.
With the green lights of the stakeholders we decided to adapt a User- Centered approach in our design, this process involves users throughout the design and development process and it is iterative.
We made interviews with different users in order to understand the problems they may encountered with their smart locks and their expectations.
We made interviews with different users in order to understand the problems they may encountered with their smart locks and their expectations.
As expected many users are worried about safety but surprisingly many are also concerned about the way the product feels and it's "cosmetic" look.
Interesting to know many doors in China have a dark brass finish so the user are looking for a lock that match well the color of their doors.
Interesting to know many doors in China have a dark brass finish so the user are looking for a lock that match well the color of their doors.
Than we collected and analyzed all the data we had dividing the different insights by topics creating seven big groups such as "user experience", "functionality" and "safety" and so on.
I organized a collective brainstorming session trying to give solution to the problems we encountered.
We created then different stories (usage scenarios) in order to better identify the problem and show the solution.
Below a good example about how an insight from a user can be translate into a story with its solution.
In the image you can see how many users leave the rubber cover wrapped around the handle when using the smartlocks, that's because they don't like touching the cold metal handle with bare hands during the winter and they prefer to keep a warmer surface on the top.
We translated this insight into a story that translated after that into a design solution such as integrating a warmer material like wood or felt with the handle.
We translated this insight into a story that translated after that into a design solution such as integrating a warmer material like wood or felt with the handle.
Based on the insights discovered during the interviewing phase and the ideas of the brainstorming and by the feedback of the client we started the real design development phase trying to transform those inputs into real product ideas.
From a total of three design proposals we selected together with the client the concept witch to move on and we started the product implementation.
We started then the second phase of the development that consisted in a more accurate presentation of the concept going through a more detailed 3d modeling and rendering of the product.
Going back and forward to our engineering team in Beijing we are able to craft design solution ready for mass production in real time, this instant validation is the key to our smooth and quick design process.
Every design solution must be feasible and we work the best implementation from the very beginning until the end of the design process.
Going back and forward to our engineering team in Beijing we are able to craft design solution ready for mass production in real time, this instant validation is the key to our smooth and quick design process.
Every design solution must be feasible and we work the best implementation from the very beginning until the end of the design process.
As a part of the product development phase we started printing out different models of handles in order to check the interaction with the fingerprint sensor.
Real physical evaluation is key in order to understand the best ergonomics, in many cases the millimeter could make the difference (just think about the thickness of a smartphone) and testing with dimensional accurate model becomes mandatory.
Real physical evaluation is key in order to understand the best ergonomics, in many cases the millimeter could make the difference (just think about the thickness of a smartphone) and testing with dimensional accurate model becomes mandatory.
From the start of this project we already knew that CMF (colour-material and finishes) was key.
I worked together with the designer in order to collect hundreds of material swatches from different suppliers, together with the stakeholders we selected the finishes to use in 3 sku's for both the Online and Offline models (C321-C320).
I worked together with the designer in order to collect hundreds of material swatches from different suppliers, together with the stakeholders we selected the finishes to use in 3 sku's for both the Online and Offline models (C321-C320).
I was not completely satisfied by the rose-copper nuance of the swatches so i went to the factory and created the perfect shade myself by mixing different colors.
As the CMF will be an important factor in buying this product we couldn't accept any compromise on this matter.
As the CMF will be an important factor in buying this product we couldn't accept any compromise on this matter.
We also took part in the sourcing of the right factory, i went three days in the Guandong province together with the Siemens team to visit five different specialized factories in the area that is considered the central HUB of lock manifacturing in China.
We made an overall evaluation based on the technologies and the quality that each supplier could provide.
This was also an important chance to discuss new possible solution together with real experts trying to understand the degree of feasibility of our design and evaluating the cost.
We made an overall evaluation based on the technologies and the quality that each supplier could provide.
This was also an important chance to discuss new possible solution together with real experts trying to understand the degree of feasibility of our design and evaluating the cost.
We received the first CNC milled metal prototypes from the selected suppliers for a dimensional and material check.
We opted to use stainless steel for its structural hardness and its capacity to resist to an impact in case of a robbery attempt
However stainless requires some particular attention because it's not dimensionally stable, due to this reason many manifacturers are now moving into alluminium alloys, however alluminium as a soft material doesn't offer the best impact resistence to robbers.
However stainless requires some particular attention because it's not dimensionally stable, due to this reason many manifacturers are now moving into alluminium alloys, however alluminium as a soft material doesn't offer the best impact resistence to robbers.
Checking the first real mockup prototype for the exterior finishing
Moving forward to a more detailed CMF colour proposition checking all the SKU proposals on the real products.
Working on the printed IML surfaces to apply to the plastic giving a metal finish while allowing to see the numbered keypad.
This is a design solution we adopted thanks for the interviews we made with the current smart lock users.
Some of them are worried about leaving their fingerprints on their smart locks when they pin the code to get in, usually the pin code surfaces are glossy and high reflective and they are a fingerprint magnet, it would be easy then for a thief to easily spot the numbers of the code.
Adopting IML printed plastics we can hide the pin code under a textured surface that doesn't leave any trace of fingerprints.
Also this kind of finish is highly cosmetic and gives a premium look and touch feeling to the product.
Working on the printed IML surfaces to apply to the plastic giving a metal finish while allowing to see the numbered keypad.
This is a design solution we adopted thanks for the interviews we made with the current smart lock users.
Some of them are worried about leaving their fingerprints on their smart locks when they pin the code to get in, usually the pin code surfaces are glossy and high reflective and they are a fingerprint magnet, it would be easy then for a thief to easily spot the numbers of the code.
Adopting IML printed plastics we can hide the pin code under a textured surface that doesn't leave any trace of fingerprints.
Also this kind of finish is highly cosmetic and gives a premium look and touch feeling to the product.
Verifying the electronics parts as well as the right functionality of all the mechanics.
The products had been tested in their functionality in the labs, we took part in some test and fortunally there weren't complications.
The products had been tested in their functionality in the labs, we took part in some test and fortunally there weren't complications.
OFFICIAL PRODUCT LAUNCH EVENT
The final satisfaction when we took part to the official product launch in Guangzhou.
In the photo from left to right: Cai Yuzhen (Senior Designer), Me (Design Director), Mr. Qi Zaiwei (general Siemens product manager China), Mr. Samson Sun (Per Design Founder), and last but not least Liu Qi (Senior Designer).
This project had been a striking example of the speed in product development here in China, that of course depends a lot from the infrastructures in a country that is incredibly rich in manufacturers, material resources and engineers.
However that's not about it, after 4 year living and working in China i must admit that a big part of the responsibility it's in it's people and their incredible attitude towards innovation and bringing real products to the market.
And as always the bigger merits comes from the ones that are in the front lines, in this case from the designer Cai Yunzhen and Liu Qi that spent weeks in Guandong factories following all the process.
In the photo from left to right: Cai Yuzhen (Senior Designer), Me (Design Director), Mr. Qi Zaiwei (general Siemens product manager China), Mr. Samson Sun (Per Design Founder), and last but not least Liu Qi (Senior Designer).
This project had been a striking example of the speed in product development here in China, that of course depends a lot from the infrastructures in a country that is incredibly rich in manufacturers, material resources and engineers.
However that's not about it, after 4 year living and working in China i must admit that a big part of the responsibility it's in it's people and their incredible attitude towards innovation and bringing real products to the market.
And as always the bigger merits comes from the ones that are in the front lines, in this case from the designer Cai Yunzhen and Liu Qi that spent weeks in Guandong factories following all the process.
