Stand Up Paddleboard accessory concept for ME 549 Product Design course.
Stand Up Paddleboard accessory concept for ME 549 Product Design course.
This was the culminatation of a semester long group project for a product design class taught by Design Concepts Inc. through the ME 549 Product Design course at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The project was a theoretical design consulting project for the company BOARDWORKS.
In the past few years, SUP has become an increasingly popular activity for leisure and fitness. Although the sport enjoys a large number of first-time participants, preliminary market research indicates that there is a smaller number of repeat users. BOARDWORKS believes this drop-off is due, at least in part, to the frustration that some beginners have with maintaining their balance when going from a seated to a standing posture.
SUPs are offered in a wide variety of sizes and geometries, so that experienced paddlers can tailor their board to their body size, water conditions, and desired performance characteristics. BOARDWORKS believes that many novice paddlers are frustrated with their first SUP experience because they select a board that is ill-fitted to them.
Due to the relatively high price point of our boards (~$1000), too many novice consumers skip over the entry-level boards that they should learn on, opting for the more streamlined boards that look cooler, smaller, and lighter.
BOARDWORKS would like to introduce an accessory, similar to training wheels for a bicycle, that can be attached to any board in our current product line. These “SUP training wheels”will provide more stability and give novice paddlers confidence during the critical early period where they are learning how to balance on and maneuver their board.
From the preliminary market research conducted internally to date, BOARDWORKS believes that the consumer segment that could best be served by SUP training wheels would be male and female adults aged 40-60. However, since SUPs are gaining popularity across all demographics, we would like to understand whether the SUP training wheels would have appeal in other age segments.
BOARDWORKS will rely on your research to help finalize marketing requirements for the product.
BOARDWORKS currently anticipates that a successful accessory should:
In addition to the above requirements, BOARDWORKS has the following open questions which we are looking for user research to inform:
Our final product is a mat that attaches to the paddleboard using a VHB adhesive. It features a slim design and a mechanism that allows the user to prop themselves up with their paddle. It is compatible with all paddleboards and is removable. The construction of the product is EVA foam over injection molded plastic.
”Benign Concepts” is a parody of the design consulting firm “Design Concepts” from Madison, WI
Team Members:
Peer Voting Results:
