Product Design, a Look From Inside
Where shall we start, how to begin a design and development project of a medical product which is also a pleasure device that at the same time assist in the act of creating life?
The first step, before we start to hand sketch and 3D design any model, is to research and deepen our understanding of the field of operation. We begin by getting to know what we don't know in each of the aspects. At the medical perspective, the differences between the types of optional insemination: IVI, ICI, and IUI - which stands for Intra-Vaginal, Intra-C, and Intra-Uteral, correspondingly. To understand the bureaucracy and regulation of sperm donation, costs, and even shipment, that's how we found out that DHL has Cryogenic shipment delivery, which means the procedure can take place at home.
At the same time, we took a look at the user personas, and more in details into the usage scenarios. We broke them into single actions in an attempt to distillate new insights. Our user can be in general under the definition of new modern families, a term which address a wide range of options; From choice mothers to gay couples, co-parenting. But also couples who need assistance along the way. A very heterogenic group when it comes to fertility issues, but with one thing in common they all typically been tagged as 'fertility patients' once they encounter the medical institutes. Usually, directed to the clinic for insemination procedure although most of the time they are perfectly healthy, they need the sperm and get it in. And where is a need there is a solution, digging in google, we've found the popular yet bizarre usage of a turkey baster for the mission.
Another important aspect of the research phase included the world of sex toys. This field had transformed dramatically in the past 15 years, with the rise of design-oriented sex toy. Companies such as Jimmyjane set a gold standard by recruiting star designer Yves Béhar. Creating an iconic sex toy which no longer lives in the drawer but one with an updated form, ergonomics, and material - a premium product.
Summarizing these three channels, the medical, user persona, and scenario with the desired look and feel for the product we get the picture of the future to be the product. This phase of product definition ends up in a detailed design plan, product schematics, hardware characterization, interface position and way of use. Now we can start designing.
