Swift
I led the design and development of Elevate's groundbreaking product, Swift, from initial concept through manufacturing and launch. As lead product designer, I managed the project through all phases, including early discovery work, product definition, engineering execution and production.
Beginning with in-person research at clinics, I identified key pain points for clinicians and patients using custom ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs).
We set out to design a carbon-fiber brace that could be fabricated in-clinic in under an hour— a dramatic improvement over competing products that required 3 week lead times and had a 15% remake rate.
The innovation lies in both the fabrication process— requiring only a heat gun and shears— and the product itself: a dynamic, durable, premium carbon-fiber brace.
www.elevatemovement.com/product-single/swift
Key features:
Carbon fiber strut for durability and natural gait
Heat-moldable plastic components for custom fitting
BOA dial calf strap for micro-adjustments
Premium, comfortable straps
Intuitive packaging that guides clinicians through fabrication
One of our biggest challenges was developing a brace that could be molded and trimmed using only a heat gun and shears while still achieving a premium fit and finish.
We tested more than 50 materials before finding one that struck the right balance between formability, durability, and performance. Every detail was carefully considered to elevate both the fabrication process and the final product. We designed straps that could be secured without Velcro, developed silicone plugs to prevent the brace slots from deforming during heating, and included a sanding block so clinicians could create a clean, finished edge.
When user testing revealed that three similar-looking straps caused confusion, we introduced an embossed dot system on both the brace and straps to create an intuitive assembly process.
We designed the packaging to intuitively instruct the clinician in the fabrication process:
We built a local user base of ‘Elevate ambassadors’ who I brought in for ongoing user testing from early prototypes to final product.
After months of verification and validation testing, lots of cracked carbon fiber, melted plastic, and painful straps, we brought Swift to market.
I presented the product to one of the country's largest orthopedic clinics and began gathering feedback from clinicians and patients to inform continuous improvements and future iterations.
I developed an internal wear-testing program in which every employee wore a prototype brace for 10,000 steps per day and completed a series of real-world movement tests, including bending, lunging, and squatting. To streamline data collection, I integrated a daily feedback survey into Slack.
This is me wearing an early prototype through the airport while also field-testing a packaging prototype.