In this case study we are going to show how Paolo Lorini and UtLab assisted Vimar with implementing human-centred approach in a new product design.

Our participation and objectives

Vimar entrusted Paolo Lorini and UtLab with the research on the product design preferences. With the purpose of designing the products that would appeal to the aesthetic taste of the final customers, Utlab carried out an explorative research aimed at mapping the customer journey of the people who were about to move house as well as at assessing their design preferences in relation to the products on sale and those yet to be launched.

The key aspects of the project UtLab provided assistance with, are as follows:

• setting research layout by dividing the research into two independent stages, in the course of which two different approaches were used: qualitative research and quantitative research
• the qualitative research was aimed at mapping the customer journey, the understanding of the role of the main touch points, by means of which the final clients engage with each other, as well as the assessment of the products and of the prototypes in order to understand the design preferences and rationale underlying the clients’ choices
• the purpose of the quantitative research was the confirmation of the customer journey mapping along with the assessment of the products carried out during the qualitative research
• selecting a sample for the workshop with the internal representatives of Vimar
• identification of the participants selection criteria as well as finding the participants
• making up research questions in order to structure the discussion thread for the qualitative research, creating the qualitative research questionnaire and the products evaluation sheets targeted at two different research stages
• carrying out the sessions in different cities, including the presentation of the products and prototypes to the participants
• handing out the questionnaire to a representative sample of the Italian nation
• results analysis for the qualitative research, data analysis for the quantitative research, reports and posters related to the personas and customer journeys.

The insights deriving from the qualitative and quantitative research conducted by UtLab were used by Paolo Lorini for the design strategy activities at Vimar.

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Engaging people in order to create new product design: Vimar study case

About Paolo Lorini

Paolo Lorini is an independent consultant and advisor in design strategy, management, communication. His activity is focused on structuring, developing and delivering projects of business design, service design, identity strategy and branding, design for experience, industrial design, envisioning and innovation.

About Vimar

Vimar is an Italian company set up in 1945 in Marostica, now one of the global leaders in the field of electrical systems and home automation.