THRIVE

THRIVE partnered up with Mirion Technologies, a global leader in radiation measurement, to help create a next generation personal radiation detector (PRD) developed with first responders’ needs in mind. We started by analyzing current devices on the market and talking to emergency responders to learn about their on-duty routines and critical needs from a PRD. It became clear that there was a myriad of challenges, from form issues (buttons too small to press when users are wearing gloves) to function (devices showed the source of radiation without directionality). Our research and analysis led to three main insights—existing products as a whole were too conspicuous, too easily broken, and too complicated to use—and helped us narrow our next-gen PRD’s value proposition to three key features: durability, simplicity, and discreteness. The final award-winning PRD design includes upgraded features like big buttons, ballistic covering, and more optimizations for emergency responders.

Mirion Technologies, a leading manufacturer of radiological instruments, had a disparate portfolio of products with no common family look and feel. THRIVE was tasked with helping Mirion scale design and build brand equity with a harmonized experience. In response, THRIVE developed a Design Language System (DLS) to determine how the brand should look, feel, sound, and behave. Rigorous assessment of Mirion's portfolio revealed that despite its size and perceived complexity, all of Mirion's products and applications were based on three specific use cases: alert, search, and analysis. The application of these three use cases, coupled with systems thinking, simplified the complexity found in Mirion's portfolio. The result: consistent application of the brand through the creation of an identity composed of the Brands DNA, Visual Tone, and a set of Design Principles and 16 Signature Elements. The DLS launched internationally across the organization, providing teams an understanding of the brand.

Butler’s revolutionary in-home healthcare HIV test kits offered users important answers; however, the kits’ confusing medical device design and instructions for use (IFU) led to fear and user error. Unwilling to let the kits’ reduced accuracy level go unchecked, Butler turned to THRIVE for a more user-friendly solution. We found that the experience for users was uncomfortable and terrifying based on potential for error. Users were anxious about their ability to use the test correctly, so it simply wasn’t selling well. THRIVE started by addressing user error and avoidance head-on and rethought the test’s comfort, clarity, and ease-of-use. The result: a toothbrush-like swab that stimulated saliva production and a box that stood the vial upright for one-handed usage. Users ended up with more accurate outcomes and greater confidence. Most importantly, the test’s trustworthy results and user-friendly design put sales on the rise.

Wolf had no stake in the countertop appliance market. With THRIVE and Wolf’s combined efforts they were a top seller by the end of 2015. Serious home cooks and celebrity chefs know Wolf because their ranges and cooktops are the best of the best. But the company knew that to grow, they needed to expand their reach. We started by asking customers a basic question: “What makes an appliance brand high-end?” THRIVE found luxury buyers wanted an experience, since cooking was entertainment for them. They expected intuitive features and brag-worthy, high-style hardware. Leveraging the insights, we created five concept families that balanced performance, technology, warmth, simplicity, and intuitiveness. With our help, Wolf’s final appliances included a thoughtful reduction of each product’s silhouette, handles and knobs, and a stylish melding of digital and analog technology. They are a market success, embraced by trade partners from Sur La Table to Williams-Sonoma to Bloomingdale’s.

THRIVE worked with Omnipod, a leader in diabetes management, to modernize the design of their digitally connected insulin pump, the Omnipod DASH. This tubeless pump that connects with a handheld Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) delivers insulin. However, the challenge was about increasing visibility into the individual’s life for the caregivers and families who were also affected. We started with the end-users so we could understand their motivations and needs during each step of the user journey to create an intuitive design solution for both user and caregiver. THRIVE designed the DISPLAY and VIEW apps to address the user’s need for a discreet app they could access on their phone while out in public that would also provide direct information from the Omnipod DASH. Through iterative rounds of UX design and usability, THRIVE carved out an entire ecosystem in which families, caregivers, and users can access critical information instantly.