The Pillar Product Design has teamed up with some very innovative clients with creative products this summer. We are working directly with a local client on developing a new and improved disposable bio-degradable cutlery meal kit utensils system. There are so many important factors when developing and improving an existing product such as this. It is like trying to reinvent the close pin. Everyday products that have with stood the test of time have evolved for a reason. That said it always to good to take a fresh approach to designs that have withstood the test of time, especially when new materials, technology and process are continuing to evolve and change.  Price points and material and resource usage being the biggest driver as well the avenue of distribution and the ability to sell as individual and or as a meal kit. The ergonomics versus form, strength, durability and function has some very interesting challenges. The product development of a well thought out meal kit system has been a highly focused process. We at Pillar use a concept mapping technique to filter down the essence of an idea or concept. tons of post a notes with attached brain storming ideas to a wall is truly a magical process. We use hot pink for what we think the really hot ideas are and blue for the warm ideas. But it is good to see all ideas in a some what organized fashion in one location. It allows us to navigate the complex waters of product development and design definition.
  

Pillar Product Design recently completed industrial design concepts and product designs for the the next generation of Livespeakr product. This fantastic product allows for high quality portable sound. It also allows the user to rotate landscape and portrait pending the application.  It has been a blast to evolve this product to the next release. DGA is a young vibrant and growing company with lots of amazing ideas for producing high-end quality audio products. Working with this team is always inspiring and a lot of fun.

Back in 2006 before I started Pillar Product Design, I was working for Hasbro Toys and Wizards of the Coast, I had the opportunity to project manage and develop 1/10 scale Star Wars AT-AT walker with two very talented individuals Mark Goetz and Blake Beasley. This was my first product development project that I worked directly with Lucas Film. The product development and design was an intense process of information gathering scaling and 3D Solid Works model and clay sculpting work. This was a limited release of 1000 total replicas built.

There is a super viral video out there by Patrick Boivin called AT-AT day afternoon. It is a brilliant piece of work which would bring happiness to anyone’s day. I love the creativity and level quality put into this short clip. Inspiring indeed.    

The Pillar Team is finally close to finishing up some work on a new integrated booster bottle system. This system allows you to store your booster in a dry environment and simply push a button and it distributes the dry booster into the 16oz water container. Simply shake the bottle and an internal mixing system allows for a perfect mix. You can mix up to 1 to 3 unique boosters at a time. This system keeps mess to a minimum and allows the user to focus on exercising and not messy bottles tipping over and the complications of mixing water with powder and scoops.