Weaving Innovation into Fabric

In the dynamic world of wearable technology, Concrete stands out as a leader in research and design, particularly within the innovative domain of smart apparel. Our proven track record, exemplified by our impactful work on projects like SwingIQ and Google's Jacquard, demonstrates our deep understanding of integrating technology seamlessly into everyday clothing to enhance user experiences.

Revolutionizing Athletic Training with SwingIQ Smart Apparel

Concrete partnered with Cooperstown/SwingIQ to develop their groundbreaking smart sports apparel – a long-sleeve, baselayer performance shirt embedded with three sensors. This innovative product aimed to provide biomechanical movement data of a batting swing via a mobile app, a first of its kind in the market.

SwingIQ faced significant challenges in bringing this novel technology to life:

• The absence of any existing market precedent for tracking biomechanical data in baseball necessitated detailed discovery research and usability testing to effectively capture and present technical information for coaches and players.

• Baseball coaches were not accustomed to articulating the nuances of swing mechanics, requiring Concrete to employ in-depth interviewing techniques to uncover their core needs for the app.

• Research was limited to on-site field studies, demanding meticulous planning and coordination for data collection from a relatively small sample size.

Concrete provided an experienced UX researcher who played a crucial role in feature prioritization and UI design recommendations through:

• Detailed field discovery research and iterative usability testing conducted with 127 participants across 15 different role types (including coaches, players, parents, and MLB analytics) in 9 locations during 7 field trips.

• Competitive product and companion app analysis of 7 likely competitors.

• A collaborative process that fostered user-centered design principles within the SwingIQ team, leading to a strong reliance on user data for key product decisions.

Enhancing Everyday Experiences with Google Jacquard

Concrete also collaborated with Google on their innovative Jacquard project, which integrates technology into everyday apparel. Our work focused on understanding user adoption and identifying key areas for improvement through rigorous user research.

Our involvement with Jacquard included:

• Usability tests aimed at enhancing potential new features related to music and location tracking. These tests revealed that users had different expectations for music settings compared to their phones and smart headphones and expected device tracking to be within the Jacquard app.

• A dscout diary study to gain deeper insights into the onboarding and initial use of a Levi’s jacket with Jacquard technology. This study uncovered significant frustrations related to easily lost setup materials and lengthy initial charging requirements. Participants noted that the setup "took more time than I thought".

• The discovery that the product’s home screen posed a major hurdle for users, as they found it difficult to access and change settings within the app. The team was surprised to learn that users had to tap the screen around 50 times to understand all options.

• Research emphasizing that users want to quickly understand features and then prefer minimal ongoing assistance.

These insights from Concrete’s research directly informed the Jacquard team, helping them understand critical user pain points and areas for design refinement to improve product adoption and usability.

Partner with Concrete for Your Smart Apparel Innovation

Concrete’s experience in navigating the unique challenges of smart apparel research and design, from understanding complex biomechanical data in sports to seamlessly integrating technology into everyday clothing, positions us as the ideal partner for your next venture. Our user-centered approach and proven methodologies ensure the development of compelling and user-friendly smart apparel products.

Ready to weave innovation into the fabric of your next product? Contact Concrete today to explore how our expertise can drive your smart apparel research and design initiatives.