In order to widen their product range and increase store presence, Skil asked us to design a new line of garden tools. Before starting the actual design of the different products, we joined Skil in a search for consumer insights for possible added value.

 

Surprisingly it turned out to be not the use of the tools led to inspiration for new functionality, but the storage of the tools. Gardening tools are often stored inside a small garden shed, a garage or outdoors cupboard. More often than not, these don’t tend to be the most organized areas of one’s house.

 

Retrieving the tool you’re looking for is often hampered by a chaos of wires, hoses and what not. Because of this, we added a hanging detail to all the tools. By including a modular hanging rail with all the products the whole collection can be easily and orderly stored.

 

Besides the obvious functional added value, the hanging detail is an eye-catching element and a strong distinctive feature. It’s a perfect example of how consumer insights can be key in successful product development.