Having joined the Helen Hamlyn Research Associate Programme, B&Q soon discovered why its older customers shied away from buying power tools.
In order to develop a more inclusive approach to its product design, B&Q needed to develop an in-depth understanding of its customers and the way they interact (or not) with DIY equipment.
Having identified that older people, although enthusiastic about DIY, are often put off buying power tools because they are difficult to use, the centre began to research whether improving their design could lead to a new range of products that would benefit everyone.
The Royal College of Art Helen Hamlyn Centre employs a range of research techniques to unlock vital information about the way we use products in order to incorporate a more inclusive approach to future designs. Research associate Matthew White began by interviewing B&Q customers and staff, and undertaking an extensive product audit to identify the products most eligible for design improvement.
‘Power tools were an area that had been largely ignored in terms of user-centred design,’ explains White. ‘Compared with sectors such as gardening tools, which are designed for ease of use, power tools were very old fashioned.’
The next step was a far-reaching user research project, designed to identify the real-life problems that customers might have when using a range of power tools.
In order to get the most reliable data, the user research was carried out over three timescales: short term, medium term and long term.
- The long term research spanned eight months to allow for the detailed evaluation of existing tools and the introduction of new concepts.
- In the medium term, users were asked to perform specific DIY tasks with various tools and compare this experience with doing the same tasks using test concepts and prototypes.
- The short term research period was carried out during the most intense concept creation stage and involved straightforward product feedback and evaluation.
‘The key was researching the use of power tools among all types of users, not just those with limited abilities,’ explains White. ‘Some people were asked to keep diaries of their power tool use over a certain period, such as an 80 year old former cabinet maker, and a group of handymen. It was just as important to capture the experiences of professional users, as well as amateurs.’
The research identified problems that older users were having with some of the most popular DIY tools.
- Cordless screwdrivers were found to be too long, unwieldy, uncomfortable to grip and difficult to activate.
- Cordless drills were considered too heavy for many users
- The palm-sized sander was too uncomfortable for prolonged use
- And one of B&Q’s best selling products, the reciprocating jigsaw, was found to be difficult for some people to hold as apply - and maintain - the necessary force at the same time.
For White, product designs are not defined by the research that is carried out. Rather, he says, the research helps to shape his own creative process to develop better products. ‘The main benefit of the research was actually in helping to focus my own experience of using these tools. It helped to develop my understanding of the way people use tools and the problems to look for when I tried them out myself. I became far more critical and could identify areas for improvement much more easily.’
