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Sophie Birkin
Enamel Pins
In December 2020, I joined ZimsPins as a product designer. I was involved in the design, manufacture and marketing of over 30 products and assisted in the data analysis, negotiating and project management of the company. I was involved in 3 successful Kickstarter campaigns; an experience which led me to gain an understanding of leading a team and conducting appropriate user research.
Kickstarter Campaigns
May 2021
June 2021
October 2021
ZimsPins specialises in the design and manufacture of unique collectable products. I conducted research via google analytics and kickstarter analytics to identify popular trends and the ways in which buyers found the company online. Product descriptions were adjusted to target the intended markets, and new design sizes were released to accomodate different consumer budgets. The third kickstarter project was the first to include "mini" pins, which proved to be popular among pin collectors.
Case Study: Floral Skulls
The initial concepts were used to explore the artistic direction of the 'Floral Skulls' project. These designs were adjusted to a cartoon style after conducting polls online.
The adjusted designs were refined to ensure each element conformed to the manufacturing constraints. Due to the size selected for the pins (1.5 inch), simplifying the designs and selecting a consistent line thickness ensured manufacturing defects would be minimal.
Connecting customers
Research was conducted to connect target customers with meaningful designs. A popular design trend recognised within the initial research stage was designs that customers can relate to and can identify personal connections with.
Examples of design meanings used with the kickstarter campaign.
Final Product
As a designer for ZimsPins, I oversaw the design process from the research stages to manufacture. Communicating with team members, manufacturers and customers allowed me to develop my leadership, research and negotiation skills. My work with ZimsPins has allowed me to expedite my learning as a designer and has given me the confidence to continue expanding my design skills.
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