Observe target users behavior and listen their voices to identify “Real Problem”.

Which part of a shear must be improved for better comfortability? How can we improve hair stylists productivity through a shear? To answer these questions, team visited over 10 beauty salons around the Boston area and interviewed more than 30 professional hair stylists to listen their voices regarding pain points of existing shears. Also, team observed professional hair stylists while they cutting their customer’s hair with shears to define improvement required parts of the existing shears through users behaviors.

An interesting fact from the observation research and interview was that hair stylist are maintaining four fingered side of shear with horizontal position and cutting hair with a thumb part of shear. This behavior is creating high stress to their thumb with a pain since most of professional hair stylists are using shears 5 hours per day. Based on this, most of professional hair stylists whom team met with were claimed thumb hole of shear as the most improvement-required part.

Define primary design goal: Focus on ergonomic improvements.

The thumb hole was defined as the most improvement-required part based on observation research and user interview.

Design development was proceeded focusing on how to improve the thumb hole.

Team was explored variety possibilities to make the thumb hole more comfortably and fabricated Zcorp 3D models to evaluate each possibilities. Team was also tested Zcorp 3D models with hair stylists to listen their opinions and proceeded design refinements based on their feedbacks.

Deliver ideal ergonomic experience for daily work to improve productivity.

The Fit Wheel was designed with soft elastomeric rotatable part on the thumb hole that is naturally rotating along your thumb movements.

This additional support part is dramatically reducing stress on your thumb through universal fitting, soft material and natural support of thumb movement.

Organic shaped finger rest area is also providing ideal comfortability for rest of fingers through its shape, material and surface finish.

The Fit Wheel’s all design elements were designed focusing on improvement of ergonomics. All design elements were nicely mixed together and providing superior hair cutting experience to improve your productivity.