SAFETY 1ST
Safety 1st® launched the ProGrade™ line of home safety products in order to address the changing needs of today’s families. Different types of appliances, décor and living arrangements pose new hazards for young children. And although the Safety 1st® brand is a trusted one in the world of home safety, the marketing team felt that they needed to complement their core product line with a differentiated and updated program that met these new needs.
The PI team engaged in a great deal of upfront research to form a solid foundation for the concept development phase and to identify key areas of need in the home. Observations of real families, their safety-proofing habits and home environments all yielded important background information.
Parents needed to be secure that their children were safe, but the devices had to be easy to defeat for adults; if it's too hard to use, people won't use it at all.
PI developed robust mechanical solutions for each product leveraging their knowledge of human factors so that actuation was easy for adults but extremely difficult for children. For an additional level of safety, each design includes a green/red "flag" that indicates when it is secure vs. unsafe. Because these devices essentially become part of the home decor when in use, they were designed to be seen using high-end finishes such as soft-touch and metallic accents.
