Dyson DC15
Role: Product Design Engineer
Requirement: Integrate into the Dyson team work on various areas of DC15 development and user trials.
Service
Design / Prototype / Testing
Client
Dyson
Year
2002 - 2003
Insight: My first job interview after university was with the Design Director at Dyson. I’d observed my grandma struggling to manoeuvre her Dyson and prepared some sketches of a light weight vacuum cleaner concept with ‘Ball Barrow’ wheels. As my first project was the DC15 ball vac, I believe these sketches helped Dyson to choose me.
Insight: In a relatively large company, many different departments vie for feature priority. It’s vital to maintain the original design vision (in the case of the DC15, manoeuvrability) to avoid specification creep and a dilution of the unique selling point and user benefits.
Challenge: Deliver a vacuum cleaner offering improved manoeuvrability without compromising cleaning effectiveness.
Solution: Through regular brainstorming and rigorous development and testing (mechanical and usability) we delivered a very successful paradigm shifting product: The World’s first ball vacuum cleaner. This fundamental design change is now used on every corded upright Dyson vacuum cleaner.
