Work/Description
Abstract/
Provide unbiased consumer, ergonomic, and engineering research on behalf of Sears to evaluate the applicability of extending "Dead Blow" technology to Sears' Craftsman claw hammers.
Challenge/
Many new hammers coming onto the market were boasting low-vibration characteristics. Sears was considering the acquisition of a low-vibration technology from a company to apply to their own line of claw hammers. Design Concepts was hired to verify the claims of the "Dead Blow" manufacturer.
Solution/
Conducted Competitive Product Analysis and Ergonomic Analysis on the hammers. Also performed Physics & Engineering Characterization. Constructed computer-aided models to predict the dead blow phenomena. Held user focus groups and conducted conjoint analysis to research customer perception on the new technology.
Results/
Through research and testing, Design Concepts concluded that the claims of the "Dead Blow" manufacturer could not be substantiated. Ergonomic and power claims from the manufacturer proved to be false. Design Concepts' work saved Sears from making a very expensive investment in a technology which would not have yielded the promised performance and would not have been successful in the marketplace.
