[speaker001:] Right w welcome to the the first meeting of uh Real Reaction's uh um development meetings for our our new television remote control. Uh this follows our very successful entry into the the consumer market over the last year or so um which we want to to build on, taking advantage of the uh the the latest developments in in technology and the uh the latest uh [vocalsound] uh feelings in in consumer design and and demand and uh we want to make this the the very best product th that's possible for everybody, uh one that everybody wants, uh at a good price for the consumer and at a good price for the company. Uh and to that end we need all to work together uh to do that. Um and uh b in no particular order because ev everybody is uh [vocalsound] just as vital to this project
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker001:] um [vocalsound] I'll just go round th the table, Andrew, marketing, um m Kendra with the uh um [disfmarker] designing the the the User Interface uh uh and Kate with the the industrial design. Um. [vocalsound] What's uh [disfmarker] the the th th project is is here to do, is is to to get this this project up and moving, ev everybody is is free to uh say wh whatever they want, uh everybody has a contribution to make and uh [vocalsound] everybody feel free to interrupt me at any time to to say what you want to say. Um in in terms of the immediate meeting the uh um [gap] everybody knows everybody else, everybody's worked for the the company for a while, if if an anybody feels that they need to say more about themselves please do, if if if anybody wants to b briefly give their their background so that everybody's quite clear what everybody uh [disfmarker] uh everybody's experience is please do so. Uh in fact I'd I'd I'd welcome anybody to uh say something briefly about themselves, in fact we will do that by by going round the table quickly and and saying what what contribution you [disfmarker] you're looking to make. So we'll start with Andrew.
[speaker004:] Oh my name's Andrew I'm a [disfmarker] I'm the Market Research person for this uh for this meeting and this uh project for creating this new remote control and uh yeah I'll be uh presenting information statistics on what people want to want to uh get from this new design, what people want to [gap] like [disfmarker] and from a fashion point of view and the practicality point of view.
[speaker001:] Right [vocalsound]
[speaker003:] [vocalsound] I'm Kendra
[speaker001:] Kendra.
[speaker003:] and I'm the Us User Interface Designer and um [vocalsound] I haven't had a whole lot of experience in this kind of thing before but I'm m so I'll be [vocalsound] working on the design.
[speaker001:] Right at least means you haven't got any preconceived ideas so.
[speaker003:] Right. Yep, I'm just open to being creative.
[speaker002:] [vocalsound] Uh I'm Katie,
[speaker001:] Yep, good.
[speaker002:] I'm the Industrial Designer and I'll just be I guess presenting about the the inter workings of our little remote control and uh [disfmarker] yeah.
[speaker001:] Okay, very very quickly, um [vocalsound] this [disfmarker] I don't want to make this meeting too structured because the the whole idea is that it's a um you know a think tank. Everybody says what they [gap] what they want to say, uh and we don't want to be constrained by uh kind of convention or uh uh slides on screens or or anything else um but um briefly um th th this is what we want to do. The the remote control needs to be original, there has to be something about it that uh other remote controls don't have so that as soon as people see it they think um yes that's different, uh I want one, um and that goes along with being trendy, uh uh you know the I want it uh scenario. User-friendly as as we all know, remote controls can be uh uh very user-unfriendly so we want to make ours one that people can pick up
[speaker004:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] and think oh yes that's [disfmarker] it's obvious how that works, uh and they also want to look at the price and think oh yeah that's something that [disfmarker] I may not need another remote control but uh it's such a nice one I'm gonna have one. And last but not least, or indeed first of all, it it must make the company money, and we make the company money by producing what the consumer wants. The uh the further work to be done is i the um the functional design, uh what it uh what it must actually do, the uh conceptual design, uh how we actually present that to the consumer and th the the detailed design i is uh how we get that into production. Uh now th the main design tool that we have available to us at the moment is is the white board and uh uh [vocalsound] let us very quickly do what i what it says in the in the in the prompt slide here, um [disfmarker] In fact I suggest to avoid everybody untangling themselves from the uh the the wires, that we don't do that, um So I I [disfmarker] everybody knows what whiteboard is so we'll um uh we'll do a virtual drawing on the on on the whiteboard of of your your own uh uh favourite animal, but le let's go round the table, your favourite animal.
[speaker004:] Um, badger. [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] Mm and why?
[speaker004:] Uh it's it's got nice contrast with black [vocalsound] and white and uh [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker004:] I feel they're [gap] underdog kind of status and they're, the
[speaker001:] Oh right uh my my wife says my beard looks like a badger's arse
[speaker004:] [vocalsound]
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] 'cause of the the white streaks in it. [vocalsound]
[speaker003:] [vocalsound] Um probably a duck
[speaker001:] Kendra.
[speaker003:] I just [disfmarker] I li I like the way they look and they're just nice animals and I like how they can fly or swim or walk around or whatever.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh. Right, okay.
[speaker002:] Uh 's horses, no particular reason why [vocalsound].
[speaker003:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] Uh-huh, [gap] fair enough yeah. I'm not sure that I've got any favourite animal to be quite honest,
[speaker002:] [vocalsound] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] I think homo sapien because of their [disfmarker] their uh overall ability to uh uh [disfmarker]
[speaker003:] [vocalsound]
[speaker004:] Make mobile phones and TV remotes [vocalsound] [disfmarker]
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] Sorry?
[speaker004:] to make TV remotes [vocalsound].
[speaker001:] Indeed absolutely yes,
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] tha that's um [disfmarker] Okay and uh w we need to keep in mind here that the uh [disfmarker] we want to sell this for for twenty five Euro um, we want to m make an overall profit for the the company of fifty million Euros so we're we're looking at selling a lot of these um ag across the the entire planet and and we're looking at a gross profit of fifty percent. [vocalsound] It needs to cost twelve Euros fifty to make. Um so we're not only looking at a a very trendy original product, we're looking at making it at a very good price. Um, okay, um [vocalsound] would anybody like t like to to start by giving their o um sort of quick views of of current remote controls.
[speaker003:] Well I think [disfmarker] I find a lot of them really complicated to use with all the different buttons and uh it's handiest when you have one that works both the DVD player or whatever and the TV as well. Um, but that [disfmarker] it's easy to [gap] if you can switch back and forth instead of having to [vocalsound] press a bunch of different buttons
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker003:] and [disfmarker] so I think it's is best when they're clearly labelled and you can see which buttons you're supposed to use, you know.
[speaker001:] Any any thoughts about buttons or any oth other way of approaching the p the uh the problem? Or anybody else, strong feelings about remote controls? Are there you know, bad ones they've used or good ones they've used or ones that they've lost and never found again?
[speaker002:] Um [disfmarker] [vocalsound] I think it's important that you should be able to [disfmarker] when you when you press the buttons it'll actually pick up the signals from kind of anywhere and you shouldn't have to like contort yourself and twist your remote control to get it [disfmarker] the TV to actually pick up the signal.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] Think a lot of the time, remotes that come with TV players and [gap] TVs and DV players, like they aren't
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] like an area that's put a lot of effort into, they're very boring, very plain. Like it's very [disfmarker] a very [disfmarker]
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] like um making a a stylish remote control would be a very like [disfmarker] Easily put us one step ahead of the current competition.
[speaker001:] Um what so wh what's in in [disfmarker] what particular style features are you thinking about?
[speaker004:] [vocalsound] Um. Something that looks looks [disfmarker] doesn't look like remote control.
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker004:] So if you want, [vocalsound] something that looks like uh [disfmarker] something that makes you think oh what's this? Like this pen doesn't really look like a pen, but it makes you think oh.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker004:] So,
[speaker001:] [gap]. Yeah
[speaker004:] sorry that's a bit vague [vocalsound].
[speaker001:] d no I mean do you think there's a risk if it doesn't look like remote control, [vocalsound] people won't see it as a remote control um and uh [disfmarker]
[speaker004:] Uh I suppose suppose that's up to the marketing to to make make people aware of the product.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh. Any other thoughts about um th the physical appearance of a [disfmarker] of remote controls?
[speaker003:] I think something that's comfortable to hold because sometimes you get the remote controls that are just those big, rectangular things
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker003:] and uh they're kind of awkward to hold onto,
[speaker004:] [vocalsound]
[speaker003:] so something that's more comfortable that fits in a person's hand better.
[speaker001:] I mean th the thing that i immediately comes to mind is computer mouses which um I mean y you get all sorts of shapes in the shops
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker001:] and s you know some quite fancy ones
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] um than the [vocalsound] [disfmarker] some from personal experience which look nice
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] but [vocalsound] aren't particularly comfortable.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Um [vocalsound] any thoughts about buttons or flat screens or uh uh [disfmarker]
[speaker004:] Well from the mouse idea you could, [gap] remote is a piece of plastic with the big rubber buttons sticking out of it which you press, whereas if you want [gap] [disfmarker] could all be flat and the buttons are very kind of almost subtle that instead of being raised out of the device uh you push into device you see, like a mouse button.
[speaker001:] Yes, I mean [vocalsound] the only thing is if if you're watching television in a in a a darkened room um you need to be able to uh
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] I suppose.
[speaker001:] fi find the button buttons easily.
[speaker004:] Easily, yeah yeah.
[speaker003:] But maybe they could be concave instead of sticking up to have them [disfmarker] be kind of down so you could feel them
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker003:] better.
[speaker001:] Yeah, that's uh [disfmarker] must admit I don't think I've ever seen one with concave buttons, that's uh [disfmarker] certainly be different. Um do we need it to uh [disfmarker] I can't think of any re remote controls that I know of that actually light up at all.
[speaker003:] [vocalsound] Oh yeah.
[speaker001:] Do we do we want uh [disfmarker]
[speaker002:] Mm that would be good.
[speaker003:] Like a like a mobile phone?
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] Mm, yeah that would be good.
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker001:] Okay. So, Andrew have you had any thoughts yet about how we might market something which there are already millions out there and that we want to uh uh uh t take over the entire um [disfmarker] the planet with?
[speaker003:] [vocalsound]
[speaker004:] Mm-hmm, um [vocalsound] especially if we try to sell, what two million of them.
[speaker002:] [vocalsound]
[speaker004:] Oh sorry, four million of 'em, but uh [disfmarker] I think if w if we market it as as not as not [disfmarker] well this [disfmarker] you c you could either market it as the point of view [disfmarker] we could have the two [disfmarker] we could have parallel marketing s schemes where you've got one where it appeals to people that want to have the new device that looks cool, is fashionable
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] and like you just [disfmarker] it's it's like uh it's one that rather than ra I wan I want rather than a kind of a need relationship with the device,
[speaker001:] Mm-hmm.
[speaker004:] but that might [disfmarker] considering the act what the device is for and the nature of some people might not like respond to having a device that they just looks nice, therefore they want it so [disfmarker] make it practical at the same time. I think it's [disfmarker] this is gonna have to appeal to people that want device that can enhance their living room uh but also a device that uh
[speaker001:] Mm-hmm.
[speaker004:] is practically sound.
[speaker001:] Mm-hmm. Okay, yeah, yeah, well
[speaker004:] So um, I dunno we'll have to decide which which angle we're gonna go to or both. If you [gap].
[speaker001:] I d I think an any uh any facets that we identify w we aim [disfmarker] need to aim for for all of.
[speaker004:] Mm. [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] Um okay well first thoughts on um the the industrial design side.
[speaker002:] [vocalsound] Oh I think it's it's [disfmarker] remote controls are kind of a unique object 'cause it's [disfmarker] you depend on them so much, but you don't [disfmarker] i i it's [disfmarker] you sort of just assume they're always gonna work, you don't think of them as a comp like a computer can break down and you're kinda like oh well fair enough there's all these complex things going on, it's gonna [disfmarker] something's gonna get messed up eventually. They they just need to be very very dependable because people sort of take them for granted and then if your remote control breaks it's [gap] [disfmarker] God forbid you actually get up and manually change the channel [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] [vocalsound] Indeed.
[speaker003:] [vocalsound]
[speaker004:] [vocalsound]
[speaker002:] it just [disfmarker] it needs to be very effective, very [disfmarker] always dependable. Uh I don't think we should make it too small I [disfmarker] 'cause I think it needs to [gap] it can't be too big like you were saying big an and huge and um awkward, but also if you make it too small kinda like you know how mobile phones are getting smaller and smaller um, it's just gonna end up under a couch cushion somewhere and um yeah.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] But [disfmarker] so yes dependable, and have a [gap] good medium range size.
[speaker001:] Okay, and um colours, materials? Kendra, anyone?
[speaker003:] [vocalsound] Well, most [disfmarker] I think most of the remote controls now are either just black or grey,
[speaker001:] [vocalsound] [gap].
[speaker003:] so maybe we should go with something different or be able to [disfmarker] I was just thinking of um [vocalsound] what they're doing with mobile phones now how you can get the different um [disfmarker] what are they called? Like the face-plates
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Mm, mm-hmm.
[speaker003:] that you change so we could have maybe [disfmarker] I don't know if it would be feasible to do something with that, where you can change the face-plates or have kind of a variety
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker003:] so people can get different different things. Have it kind of look how they want to, different colours, things like that,
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker003:] probably just plastic because that's always the lightest.
[speaker001:] Yeah. Okay that's uh [disfmarker] Again I don't think that's ever been done before,
[speaker003:] [vocalsound]
[speaker001:] it's uh the sort of [gap] the sort of thing that would get people uh thinking yes that's something that I haven't got and uh might need so. Uh Andrew, any thoughts about uh how we might market interchangeable fronts on on the remote control?
[speaker004:] Um, well we could either market it together by getting control in a set colour or with [disfmarker] like you buy it with several uh like you ge you get the f uh the face-plates with it when you buy or as a separate thing, but uh [vocalsound] maybe thinking of that, it's [disfmarker] considering the nature of the device, maybe a second thing [disfmarker] like a second campaign to market new facials for your [disfmarker] to your [disfmarker] might go a bit astray
[speaker002:] Mm.
[speaker004:] since it is the kind of thing where y you generally get one
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] and then forget about it. Unless you were trying to [disfmarker]
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Well you could come up with like novelty ones,
[speaker001:] I think [disfmarker]
[speaker002:] like they've done with the the mobile phones, you can get like different you know scenes from different movies and stuff on the remote control
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker004:] [vocalsound] Oh it's [disfmarker]
[speaker002:] and sorta stagger the release of them
[speaker004:] that's a that's a good idea.
[speaker002:] and get people like oh I want that cover on it now and that'll keep them spending money.
[speaker003:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] Mm-mm.
[speaker004:] Mm.
[speaker001:] Right, okay
[speaker004:] Yeah true.
[speaker001:] I think we've got um a good idea now. We uh [disfmarker] meeting is uh [disfmarker] Needs to be k uh wrapped up fairly quickly. So uh um we've got thirty minutes to start looking at the um at the design in more detail. Um then we'll we will reconvene in in thirty minutes and try to get some of these ideas uh uh more formalised. Uh thank you very much indeed.
[speaker004:] [vocalsound] [gap].
[speaker003:] Okay.
[speaker002:] Thank you.