RECON SYSTEM
Revitalizing the premium
cooler segment
YEAR:
2023
BRAND / CLIENT:
DOMETIC
ROLE:
CO-LEAD DESIGNER
STATUS:
SOLD GLOBALLY
"Hey! We need a new range of performance coolers"
// PM
Because these ones didn't make the cut.
Working with another Senior Industrial Designer, we were tasked with designing a “performance cooler” range for Dometic.
We took it a step further….
Dometic hadn't seen the expected growth in the performance cooler segment with its previous range "Patrol". Our task was to define the future for Dometic in this category with to goal to take market share from our main competitors.
We knew we couldn't do more of the same.
My responsibilities in this Co-led project involved:
Research
Strategical ideation and direction
System design
Art & design direction
Leading the design and development for the soft sides.
Project Objectives:
Create a family of performance coolers
Make it competitive in a saturated market
Define what performance coolers for Dometic should be
Project Actions:
Review previous user studies
Complement with secondary research
Understand contextual limitations
Define performance metrics
Go develop it together with the engineers
Research & Define
Data points used and collected during the project
200+ Person
Panelista Panel
32h
in depth interviews with super users
x2
Global Studies
by OKRP & NEPA
40+
EV and ICE car trunks measured and collected
Countless Hours
Secondary Research
validating interview findings
The Macro Steps of a User's & Cooler's Journey
Pains:
Gear takes up a lot of space
Finding gear & disorganization
Get outside effortlessly
Hard to access
Every cm² counts
Restocking on the road
Moving gear
Finding the right gear
Things get lost
Horizontal surfaces are scarce
Remote
Uneven terrain
Performance Metrics
Vehicles are a volumetric bottle neck
Minimize
protruding
geometry
Waterproof zippers are a pain in the a**
Make it easy to acces.
Performance for everyone
Rummage Behavior
Add standardization for organization
LET'S BREAK IT DOWN!
The system is built on "thirds".
Locked height and width.
It enables stacking and organization in storage.
While also maximizing packout space in vehicles
It also works internally. With carry over of accessories between sizes.
It's vehicle optimized which allows easy access on the road
with single hand opening
Its easy to restock during the trips by using the leak proof tote
Once at camp you have a setup that is:
- easy to access
- easy to keep tidy
- providing flat usable surfaces
And when you are ready,
pack your Recon ZL
with your favorite drinks and snacks
and head to that nearby viewpoint.
The Recon ZLs is a remarkable piece of engineering, requiring a lot of collaboration together with the awesome engineers over at Igloo!
Testing of handles and attachment methods
What's next?
The Recon system continues to grow with more accessories,
more coolers and other adjacent products to complete the system.
Pictures from the Wild
