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Atlatl Design specializes in providing companies and individuals with an innovative stream of concepts related to products, graphics, spaces, services and organizations, as well as full service design capabilities to assist in these arenas. Brainstorming and network resources are an integral part of the Atlatl business model and fuel the creative side of the firm’s capabilities. Partnering with designers in all fields will ensure that the needed expertise is in place while preserving a unique “outside the box” perspective.

The list of product design services above are generally applied in the following three modes:

• Invention Engine Service™ - Creation of concepts or “Intellectual Property”
• Incremental Innovation- Development of a specific feature or function of a product in order to improve usability or create “shelf appeal” for retail markets
• Product Development- The overall process from conceptualization to commercialization of a product

Here is some further description of the above service modes.

Invention Engine:

This service brings together certain groups of designers and experts in a classic “virtual think-tank” environment. After specified levels of familiarization with given markets are achieved, mass generation of product concepts and features are recorded and analyzed for distinguishing characteristics. A secondary assessment process will condense the most promising ideas into a presentation that highlights specific new product offerings. These product concepts will be presented to fit current client product lines or can be developed to create a new family of products. This process is similar to Strategic Partnering (big company uses small firm for creativity and a unique perspective)

Incremental Innovation:

Sometimes referred to as value-added design, Incremental Innovation is achieved by assessing an existing product, defining a need, problem in function or manufacture, and creating a cost effective solution to that problem. Solutions range from a simple manufactured retrofit part to a rework of product aesthetics in order to create a competitive advantage, so that a product can be repositioned for increased sales. Adding an innovative feature to an existing product can be an extremely cost effective way for companies to differentiate themselves in the retail environment.

Product Development:

This service is the “heart and soul” of the Atlatl business model. Product Development is the overall process of strategy, organization of information, concept generation, concept implementation and evaluation of a new product. This service generally begins with a concept or identified problem, and ends with manufacturing specifications, production prototypes or product release to the market. Product Development is an extremely complex process that can involve several disciplines and many individuals. Our role is to be in the center of the field and control, direct, and accelerate the processes that lead to final deliverables.

More information on GRAPHICS services…

Graphic design is a powerful tool that you can use to bolster your position in the market place or to create a particular impression to a specific group. Whether you are a company with years of exposure or an individual looking to develop an identity, the visual impression you make is key to peoples’ awareness and understanding of your ability to perform within a given arena. From logos and print literature to product packaging, the visual message must be consistent, quickly digestible and eye-catching.

What about “Branding”?

Branding is a huge buzzword for designers and marketing folks lately, but has been around since the dawn of industrialization as a means to increase awareness of a company or manufacturers’ goods. To “brand” is to build a symbolic representation of a company, product or service. When done effectively market share can be gained due to the consumers’ identification of specific goods or services with a single company.

In the end, quality graphic design builds a certain level of branding into itself anyway. What you really need to know is that Atlatl can develop symbols, color pallets, and fonts to create logos and visual works that will help you project the appropriate image to the market place.

Atlatl specializes in delivering clients vector graphics (images that can be scaled indefinitely without degradation, and are therefore suitable for use in signs, banners, print or web).

Please visit the Graphics page to see some examples of Atlatl logo projects. Remember, a logo is just the beginning of the process…

More information on CONSULTING services…

Atlatl Design is the perfect choice for a creative voice that can “fill the gaps” and draw correlations that will help shape your project. Think of Atlatl as an ingredient in a recipe. It’s there to bind and enhance the mixture.

It has always amazed me how well suited Industrial Designers are for consulting scenarios. The reason for this success has to do with formal training and the working relationship we have in the business world.

A designer must always be able to step outside of their own thoughts, feelings and egos to truly see solutions and opportunities in any given project. We must see the world in other peoples’ eyes and bring back to the table that knowledge as evidence of why things must be. It is not enough to create images and forms that are pleasing to our colleges or ourselves, instead we must consider everyone involved in the lifecycle from manufacture laborers to the end user.

The second factor has to do with the way in which designers tend to work. Being a creative field and one where outside opinion is more important than personal belief, we have a tendency to talk with everyone in a company or field so as to gain full understanding of how a product or service needs to be designed. Every discipline within a company has their own set of concerns about how things look, work, and will be promoted. In some cases the Industrial Designer is only person given the freedom to balance the wants and needs of all the stakeholders in the process. On an average project it would not be uncommon for a designer to work with and gather knowledge from upper management, manufacturers, engineers, marketing persons, sales people, vendors, other designers and end consumers throughout the design process.

It should be noted that even though I frequently explain things with reference to “products and companies”, Atlatl capabilities and methodology can be applied to almost any project or organization. Design isn’t just a set of skills; it’s a way of thinking and understanding the world around you. In fact, I’d venture to guess that as a tool, it is perhaps more powerful when applied to situations where designers are not usually consulted.

Here are some examples of projects that I’ve been involved in that fall outside the scope of what is covered in this web site:

• Business plan writing
• Creation of Non-profit organization
• Company formation
• Creation of public events
• Event planning & literature
• Environmental writing review
• Interior space design
• Landscape planning
• Professional network formation (think-tank forum)