Sylver Consulting | Function Task Interaction

Function Task Interaction is ...

A user-centered approach to automate potentially unsafe and tedious tasks that would otherwise be handled by users. It is used in the engineering and new product development process of complex, technology products. The four-step approach combines task analysis and functional modeling, thereby establishing a common language between designers and engineers to generate and prioritize product functions.

How it works

Function Task Interaction™ supports transformative decision-making around how to fill your innovation pipeline.

How FTI strengthens your brand (or product, company, internal culture, etc.)

Understand the contextual environment in which your technology product is used.
Know the hierarchy and sequence of tasks that define users’ experience of the product and how, where, and in what ways your product supports -- or fails to support -- their needs.
Identify specific opportunities for improving an existing or planned product – or for developing a whole new offering.

Step 1:

User and Product Studies

Task analysis studies are done related to the product and/or product category in which you’re looking to innovate. The purpose of this step is to understand users’ mental models of interaction they have around your product.

Step 2:

Affordance Investigation

Next, we utilize a variety of interaction models, exercises and tools to ideate and define the guardrails/criteria for solutions that have meaning, value and relevance to each stakeholder group.

Step 3:

Interaction and Exploration

At this step, the outputs of the user task analysis and affordance investigation are mashed together in the form of the Function-Task Interaction Matrix. Doing this, illustrates where focus should be placed for new product development

Step 4:

Simulation and Evaluation

At this step, product affordances are ranked and new affordance options for the product that align to user value are explored. Outputs of this step, result in a smooth transition into the “product architecture” phases of the new product development process.

Featured Case Study

How Function Task Interaction™ helped LiftMaster to fill its innovation pipeline.

Challenge

LiftMaster is a maker of commercial grade automatic garage doors. The company wanted to explore new verticals for its product and needed to understand the feasibility and desirability of a new “advanced model” prototype, which was intended to be used in commercial spaces, such as warehouses, car dealers, and car shops.

Method

The FTI method utilized data from on-site interviews with two user segments of commercial garage doors, from a series of ethnographic observations, and from a human-factors assessment inside a major food warehouse.

Solution

The research supported the discovery phase of a new product development journey for LiftMaster, starting from product visioning, to prototype assessment, to market sizing. As a result, LiftMaster developed a strategy for product development and sales that aligned customer needs to the product functionality and resulting value proposition over a 5-year development timeline.

Our Methods & Tools

Function Task Interaction

A replacement for unsafe and tedious tasks

Function Task Interaction is ...

How it works

How FTI strengthens your brand (or product, company, internal culture, etc.)

Step 1:

User and Product Studies

Step 2:

Affordance Investigation

Step 3:

Interaction and Exploration

Step 4:

Simulation and Evaluation

Featured Case Study

How Function Task Interaction™ helped LiftMaster to fill its innovation pipeline.

Challenge

Method

Solution

Explore All of Our Services:

Services

Symbolics

Innovation
Mapping

Co-Creation Visioning Workshops

Innovation Immersions

2x2 Product
Mapping

Function-Task Interaction™

Inside-Out Team Brand Transformation™

Our Work

Let’s talk!

Need to transform your brand, product, service, company or team? We can bring clarity and focus to that process.

Function Task Interaction is ...

How it works

How FTI strengthens your brand (or product, company, internal culture, etc.)

Step 1:

User and Product Studies

Step 2:

Affordance Investigation

Step 3:

Interaction and Exploration

Step 4:

Simulation and Evaluation

Featured Case Study

How Function Task Interaction™ helped LiftMaster to fill its innovation pipeline.

Challenge

Method

Solution

Explore All of Our Services:

Services

Symbolics

Innovation Mapping

Co-Creation Visioning Workshops

Innovation Immersions

2x2 Product Mapping

Function-Task Interaction™

Inside-Out Team Brand Transformation™

Our Work

Let’s talk!

Need to transform your brand, product, service, company or team? We can bring clarity and focus to that process.

Innovation
Mapping

2x2 Product
Mapping