“For every new innovation in our lives, there will be someone thinking about adapting it into a sex toy”
Toys are available in all shapes, colours, and sizes. Still, there are lots of design options that have not been tapped. New technologies, new materials, and most importantly, new ideas result in a steady stream of innovative, new design choices. But how does an idea become a sex toy? And what role does design play in the overall production process?
Chris Howam, the Director of Sated Design, is the right person to provide answers to these questions. His agency has specialised in the development of adult products, supporting their clients from the initial idea to the launch of the finished product. In our interview, Chris tells us about the processes that go on behind the scenes, and about the criteria for good toy design.
Sated Design is a design agency, specialising in erotic products. Before we take a closer look at your experience in this field, could you tell us what a design agency does exactly?
Chris Howsam: A product design agency is involved in the design and development of ideas for new products, and also the improvement of existing ones. Successful product designers turn those ideas into products that delight both the client and the end-user.
How is designing a sex toy different from designing other consumer products?
Chris Howsam: Sex toys are consumer products and have to meet all the same statutory requirements as any other product. However, a sex toy has an intimate and personal context that makes them unique to each user. The designer has to be tuned in to the unique ergonomic and psychological aspects of a sex toy and the way in which the user interacts with it. There aren’t many other types of product that require those same considerations, the main exception being the medical sector. Beyond that, designing a sex toy is the same as any other product. The same questions have to be answered, such as what materials should be used, how is it assembled, how does it seal, what safety criteria does it need to satisfy, etc.?
Sated Design has been responsible for some well-known designs. Could you name a design you are especially proud of and tell us, what makes it stand out?
Chris Howsam: There are many different reasons why we’re proud of our projects. Some allow for lots of innovation making the product truly unique upon its launch. Some have a complex mechanical design including moving parts which was challenging to resolve within the constraints imposed. And some projects we’re particularly proud of due to their styling. However, we have a policy of confidentiality regarding our clients and our relationships with them, so unfortunately, we wouldn’t be able to single out a particular project by name.
How would you define the design aspect of a product? Is it just the ”look and feel“ of a product, or also the technology on the inside?
Chris Howsam: A product’s design is made up of both of those factors. A well-designed product will look like it belongs in the context in which it is used and has the right technology to perform its function effectively.
Let’s say I have a great idea for a new vibrator and approach Sated Design with this idea. How would we go about creating this product? What would be the first steps?
Chris Howsam: The first step is to enter into a non-disclosure agreement and then tell us about the product idea, especially what makes it innovative. A video conference or a site meeting is usually the best way. An individual inventor must consider their business plan in-depth and be clear on what they want to achieve with their idea. Is it to develop and license the idea or is it to manufacture and sell a product themselves? There are many ways an inventor may proceed after this point and it may take some time to put things in place before they’re ready to start the design proper. For a client with an existing business, proceeding to the next stage after our detailed quotation can happen swiftly, as they will normally have the structure and funding in place to go forward.
All projects begin with a quotation detailing the design brief, the schedule of services, the deliverables, the timeline and costs. This sets out the contract between the designer and the client. Each project will be unique but they usually start with a discovery stage to answer questions which arise from the original briefing. This is likely to include ergonomics, relevant technology, and materials to be used. Moving on from there, concepts for mechanisms, layouts and forms are sketched out, and then developed into 3D computer models. The concept generation process is guided by regular feedback from the client and by using prototypes and testing until a favoured design is settled on. Physical prototypes are a vital part of our approach. As the design develops we are continually monitoring the manufacturing costs and talking to suppliers to keep on budget.
Prototypes can often raise questions which need the design team to loop back around, find solutions, update, and then re-prototype if necessary. It is not unusual to build several prototypes to refine and improve the design so that it is signed off as fully working and cosmetically correct, ready to go to the production stage. Many clients will have manufacturing expertise or support available and we can assist them during tooling, sampling etc. For those clients that need total support we can supervise the whole manufacturing process, including product approval.
It is not enough to simply design a toy and hope for the best. How important are testing, focus groups etc.? Which steps do I have to take as your customer?
Chris Howsam: Nothing is left to chance. A product must delight the customer and still be safe and legal to sell.
Our experience is that most of our clients are the expert on what their customers want and they usually have panels of trusted testers available. Where a client doesn’t have this facility, we can arrange user testing, and report their findings back to the development team.
All products should adhere to minimum legal requirements for safety and quality before they’re released onto the market and this will usually mean some degree of testing and certification. We can carry out some of these tasks, but some can only be carried out by officially accredited assessment bureaus.
How long does it take on average to get from the first idea to the finished design and then the final product on the shelves?
Chris Howsam: This can vary greatly depending on the complexity of a product, the availability of funding, intellectual property searches, compliance testing, toolmaking and deadlines for trade shows and exhibitions. We generally say that launching a new electronic product would take nine months. However, simple single material products such as a dildo could take as little as a few weeks, or a complex product requiring extensive intellectual property searches and patent applications could take eighteen months.
Could you give us an estimation of the expenses that should be expected when designing and creating a sex toy from scratch?
Chris Howsam: Much like length of time, cost can vary greatly depending on the complexity of the product. However, one of the rules we often quote to clients is that whatever they spend on design and manufacture it will often be a lot less than what they will spend on marketing that product. Design is usually one of the smaller costs involved with developing and launching a product. Intellectual property searches, certification, distribution, and marketing can all add tens of thousands to the cost of a project. Clients are now taking advantage of different ways of funding a project and we are seeing more projects funded by crowd sourcing. It is vital that anyone considering developing a new product considers how the momentum of the project can be maintained and that finances are available at key points to support that momentum.
When looking at the market today, a lot of products look similar. Why is that in your opinion? Is there simply a limited amount of shapes that make sense for a sex toy?
Chris Howsam: Obviously, the human body has a limited number of target zones for sex toys but there are an endless number of ways of stimulating each zone. History shows us that sex toy designers are early adopters of any new technology and we will see this trend continue forever. For every new innovation in our lives there will be someone thinking about adapting it into a sex toy!
The issue of why a lot of products look similar is probably more to do with the reluctance of many to take a risk of their own and rethink stimulation, aesthetics or interaction. When a company takes a risk and it yields fantastic results then the marketplace has similar versions of it within months. I expect that the increase in crowd funding, 3D printing and new inventors will drive change in the industry and challenge it greatly over the coming years so we’ll see more differentiation and specialisms appearing.
How did sex toy design develop over the past years? What are the current trends?
Chris Howsam: Whether they were ceremonial or for pleasure, stone phalluses have been found that date back 28000 years. Butt plugs have been in existence since the late 1800s. Innovation has been driven by the invention of new materials — stone to natural rubber, to vinyl, to TPR and skin-like elastomers — and now the integration of electronics. Looking forward, we have already seen that augmented reality can be successful integrated into products to immerse the user. As the technology matures and the channels for creating and sharing content improve, early adopters will be joined by a wider user-base. As 3D printing matures we are seeing great potential for custom fit or custom build sex toys that go from screen to door in twenty-four hours.
What have been the most outstanding innovations with respect to sex toy design in the past years?
Chris Howsam: I think something which has driven a whole new approach to product design and at the same time improved sex toys is the technique of completely encapsulating a product core in a soft outer skin. Products are now more stylish, safer, cleaner, and easier to care for than ever before.
If you could give a piece of advice to an aspiring young designer who is only just starting in the world of sex toy design, what would you tell?
Chris Howsam: Keep an eye on the latest advances in manufacturing, electronics, materials, and trends because all of these can be the catalyst for great ideas for sex toys. Don’t be shy and don’t be afraid to try things because if you want to improve people’s well-being and enjoyment of life through sex toys you design then you might learn a few things for yourself along the way.
R. Heil in association with thespotlive.com
Originally published in ean-magazine.com on May, 2017.
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