A wearable manufacturer, caught in between design goals and engineering realities, needed to identify the maximum acceptable thickness of its wearable – thinner designs couldn’t encompass all the features users wanted, but designers worried that users wouldn’t want to purchase a bulky device.

We decided the only way to find the sweet spot is to have users test the devices out for themselves. Armed with prototypes, we headed out to conduct usability tests in cities across the US. In a central location test, users tried on wearables, and used tablets to showcase, rate, and review their product experience. Select users then participated in small-group discussions about the wearables, and became co-creators in designing v2.