The Ribbon (A6)

Core Question: What Is the Real Problem of Target Users, and What Do They Truly Need?

The Oster Pro team conducted initial interviews with target users before the project began. Based on these early interviews, they defined the goal of the new clipper development as performance improvement—primarily focused on increasing motor speed. This was because they believed that professional pet groomers, their primary target users, were most concerned with productivity.

However, productivity can be improved in many ways, not just by increasing motor speed as initially suggested by the Oster Pro team. First and foremost, the team needed to understand what productivity truly means to professional pet groomers.

To explore this question, I visited more than 10 pet grooming shops around the Boston area and observed and interviewed over 20 professional pet groomers.

The interview results were very interesting. Most of the professional groomers said that comfort is the most important factor in improving their productivity. They typically use heavily vibrating clippers for 5–6 hours a day in various hand positions, which causes significant stress on their hands and wrists, ultimately reducing productivity.

They also noted that speed is not a priority for them. Despite many clippers offering different speed settings, they rarely use them. They mentioned that higher speeds often lead to stronger vibrations and louder noise, which not only increases physical strain but also causes stress for both the groomers and the pets.

The voices from the field provided a clear direction for design development.

Challenge: Persuading the Client to Redefine the Project Goal Based on Voices from the Field

It was a challenge to persuade the Oster Pro team to redefine the project goal—from performance improvement to comfort enhancement—especially since they had also conducted their own initial user interviews.

The Altitude team presented the field interview results, but it was difficult to convince the Oster Pro team to change the project direction based solely on interview data.

To validate the findings, both the Altitude and Oster Pro teams agreed to visit a pet grooming shop contracted by Oster Pro. The goal was to confirm whether the feedback I had gathered from other professional groomers truly reflected the broader user experience.

The results aligned closely with the previous field interviews, and as a result, the Oster Pro team made a flexible decision to shift the project goal toward comfort improvement. Since then, the design and development process prioritized enhancing comfort.

The design team continued to conduct interviews with target users using physical mock-ups throughout each phase of concept development and refinement. This iterative approach helped validate and integrate user preferences, significantly increasing the likelihood of market success by building deep empathy with the end users.

Naturally Adapts to the User’s Hand and Enhances Comfort-Driven Productivity

“The Ribbon” (A6) is designed with gently recessed surface detail in the main grip area, guiding the user’s hand to the optimal grip position. This allows for a comfortable hold across the various hand positions commonly used by professional pet groomers. The grip is also positioned near the product's center of gravity to provide a well-balanced feel during use.

The oval cross-section of “The Ribbon” (A6) follows the natural shape of the human hand, offering an even more ergonomic and comfortable grip.

Its over-molded elastomeric body reduces motor vibration and delivers a softer, more pleasant tactile feel. This design also enables easy SKU differentiation through various color and texture options — or can be left out entirely, depending on product strategy.

The 48-degree angled blade reduces strain on the user’s wrist during operation in a variety of hand positions, while also offering an easier, more efficient cutting experience across all areas of a pet’s body.

Designed in direct response to the voice of target users, “The Ribbon” (A6) now naturally conforms to the user’s hand and enhances productivity through comfort-focused design.

Ideal Comfort, Created Through Deep Empathy

“The Ribbon” (A6) was successfully launched in the market, with a sales rate exceeding Oster Pro’s expectations. Based on this success, Oster Pro decided to continue developing their own products, in addition to distributing OEM products.

This outcome demonstrates how deep empathy, embodied in the product itself, can create a success story for both the users and the company.