Planning & Research

Design

Engineering

Electronics

Prototypes

Production

Questions?

Compass Collection

Click here for the Compass Facts Sheet.

Questions?

Who, what, why, when, where & how?

No two projects, or for that matter, clients are alike. We've worked with one person, entrepreneurial start-ups and huge, multi-national corporations. Some just want a few sketches to get going while most ask for a complete development program - soup to nuts. The following are some of the more common questions we get asked about us and our services.

What do you mean "Designs That Work, Brands That Sell?

We think that phrase captures our philosophy perfectly. We create designs that work. They work in the market by being innovative, creative and unique. They work for the customer by being easy to use, friendly and a positive experience. And finally, they work on the manufacturing floor by being cost effective, timely and using appropriate materials and technology.

And we create brands that sell. It's not enough to simply create a manufacturable design. the design must be compelling to the customer and entice them to choose one product over the other. The competition in any market is tough, amek sure you choose a firm that can help you win the battle.

What if I only need a few services?

That's not a problem. We can tailor our services to just what you and your company needs. We understand that not every client needs a complete development program and we're happy to help those that just need a little help.

How are projects structured?

Our typical, full service project is broken into four phases; research, design, prototypes and finally, production. The research/design phase is when we learn about your particular idea, research the market/users and develop the basic functional foundation for the product. In the design phase, we build on the foundation with industrial design, mechanical and electronic engineering. We build prototypes next, test them and refine the design as needed. Finally we prep the product for production, manage the tooling process, conduct first article inspections and get the production line moving.

What software do you use?

For the 2D design side, we use: Illustrator, Photoshop, Alias Sketchbook Pro and Vellum Graphite. For the 3D engineering side, we use SolidWorks as our primary platform. We also use PDMWorks for document control.

Do you work with entrepreneurs?

Yes, many of the projects we have on this site were brought to us by entrepreneurs. Some projects are not a good fit for us but we'd be happy to talk with you. We'll give you straightforward advice.

How do programs get started?

We start with a conversation about your goals and how we may help you reach those goals. It's important that we feel comfortable with each other and our philosophies are in sync. If everything is working out, we'll prepare a proposal showing the plan for your project, deliverables, dependencies and schedule.

Sounds good, what's next?

The first step is to get in touch with us. By clicking here, you can send an email and get the ball rolling or you can give Ellen Blair a call, her direct line is 925/485-1075.