- March 28, 2017
Hardware Startup A to Z
In 2014, I started a data-centric 📊 hardware startup “ZIKTO” as one of the founding partners, handling strategy and design side of business. Starting out small with a few like-minded people, ZIKTO develops healthcare wearables and an IoT device integration platform, raising over 160K funding 🏆 through Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Over the years, we have managed to raise $4 million in total funding 🏆 from VCs and angels, along with 25-30 staff and a range of products we have launched globally. ZIKTO is now listed in ‘Forbes Top 10 Korean Startups’ as of 2017 for its overall excellence in healthcare.
- More information about the startup and the role I played can be found 👉 *here.
Media / Partnerships / Collaborations / Funding (Series A) / Distribution Channels / Exhibitions / Design Awards / International Patents and Intellectual Properties (Design and Technology)
Product Strategy
“Product strategy at every phase of product life cycle and organizational maturity, e.g. seed-stage, early-stage, series A, etc can significantly vary.”
Founding – Prototypes & Promotion Video – Crowdfunding Campaign (PR & Marketability Test Bed) – Series A Funding (VC) – Global Launch – Mass Production (MP) – Shipping – Customer Support (CS)
Agile Hardware Project
‘ZIKTO Walk: Your Posture Activity Coach’ is our first hardware (healthcare wearable) that helps correct your walking posture with its unique interaction features such as ‘Bad Walking Alarm’, ‘Body Balance Analysis’, and ‘Biometric Authentication’.
(Featured in Wall Street Journal, Forbes, VentureBeat, TechinAsia, Cnet, and others.)
Rapid Prototyping (RP)
In a multidisciplinary and cross-functional team of product managers, designers, engineers and data scientists, we have tested out literally tons of prototypes (low-fidelity) to quickly sort out the hierarchy of what’s important and what’s not in its product architecture and usability.
UX Flowchart
My responsibility included designing interface architecture of the hardware. It contains three major interaction categories: alert (notification), general input (open-loop system), and charging. I have prototyped, tested, and eventually validated every bit of the interaction on a weekly/monthly basis for regular firmware updates.
*Click the image to expand. 🔎
Iterative Non-Linear Process
We have also iterated PCB artworks (prototypes) with 3D printed and injection molded mechanical parts for our in-house usability tests. With these demo prototypes we were able to conduct qualitative research, interviewing stake holders and end users through open-ended questions. The process has required excellent agility in culture.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
Our approach to design for manufacturing (DFM) has not been driven by some predetermined price point. Our goal has always been primarily to keep and optimize the original design intent to achieve desirable product experience for end users.
Packaging & Branding
Partnering up with an outside brand consultancy has allowed us to have an opportunity to collaborate with creative directors during design sprints. Our primary goal was to design unique unpacking experience that is aligned with our brand identity. Handling the overall design side of business at Zikto, I was able to lead the entire collaboration alongside with DFM.
Design Awards
Winning a couple of design awards: iF Design Award 2016 and DFA Awards 2015, ZIKTO Walk has been displayed and promoted at MCBW 2017, SXSW 2015, BODW 2015 and others.
Strategic Brand Collaboration
A partnership based on parallel thinking and singular vision with Samsung C&T and many other designer brands has allowed us to co-create additional accessory bands with classic design (currently embargoed).
