Understanding benchmarks

Popular markers among artists and designers are smaller and less bulky than the current Expo marker. Additionally many of them are double-sided and refillable.

Ideation

With this in mind, we generated ideas for refillable body shapes that fit Expo's brand identity. We found that an ovular shape with two flat sides provides enough grip to write vertically while remaining comfortable in the hand.

Prototyping

A series of three prototypes were used to develop a center snap fit for refill and to finalize the size and shape of the marker body.

Reflection

Through this project, I learned that successful design requires a deep understanding of what makes existing tools popular and how to build upon those features.