Overview
Known in the marketplace as car wraps, tints, and paint-protective films, 3M automotive films offer both protection and personality. As the technology has evolved, 3M has seen an increasing desire from consumers for more personalization – and with that, a pathway to grow the business and capture more market share.
3M’s existing personalization platform, the Pattern and Solutions Center (PSC), had known limitations: a difficult to use experience spanning multiple digital interfaces, targeting different user types across the buyer/installer spectrum. The Commercial Solutions Division enlisted Method for help validating an ambitious future product vision, followed by a complete reimagining of the PSC platform itself.
3M’s existing personalization platform, the Pattern and Solutions Center (PSC), had known limitations: a difficult to use experience spanning multiple digital interfaces, targeting different user types across the buyer/installer spectrum. The Commercial Solutions Division enlisted Method for help validating an ambitious future product vision, followed by a complete reimagining of the PSC platform itself.
Offerings
Digital Strategy
Experience Design
Product Design
Prototyping
Software Engineering
On a mission to make over the marketplace
The Challenge
Method collaborated with 3M’s Commercial Solutions Division (CSD) to define a scalable, modern Patterns and Solutions Center (PSC) platform to support film services, products, partners, and customers, as well as identify a path for taking new products and functionality to market within the PSC itself.
For wrap designers and installers alike, a legacy CAD system presented major barriers: we sought to eliminate the constraints of this system, and enable functionality to save patterns and designs in the cloud.
For wrap designers and installers alike, a legacy CAD system presented major barriers: we sought to eliminate the constraints of this system, and enable functionality to save patterns and designs in the cloud.
An innovative, new concept benefits users and the business
The Solution - Phase 1
To ensure product-market fit, Method’s exploration considered short- and long-term benefits to the business, including speed to market now and for future upgrades, as well as flexibility to continue adapting the customer experience to meet market demand.
Through this analysis, user testing, and validation, one strong concept surfaced to the top: a single, intuitive portal that allows users to subscribe to the PSC/Marketplace for design search, editing, and cutting. By reducing the amount of effort and tools required to get from pattern sourcing to pattern cutting, the new solution would be a win-win that delights users and drives sales for the business.
Through this analysis, user testing, and validation, one strong concept surfaced to the top: a single, intuitive portal that allows users to subscribe to the PSC/Marketplace for design search, editing, and cutting. By reducing the amount of effort and tools required to get from pattern sourcing to pattern cutting, the new solution would be a win-win that delights users and drives sales for the business.
Moving from concept to MVP
The Solution - Phase 2
With desirability and feasibility confirmed, Method’s second phase of work has focused on moving from a large, complex offer to a series of executable steps that will bring the vision to life. This has included creating detailed requirements, prioritizing features and stories for the MVP, and producing design assets.
These steps will help our teams make progress as we work together to rebuild the Patterns & Solutions Center. The enhanced platform will provide greater ability to scale and support future functionality, eliminate dependencies, and add new features such as the Patterns Marketplace, which will enable community-driven pattern validation.
These steps will help our teams make progress as we work together to rebuild the Patterns & Solutions Center. The enhanced platform will provide greater ability to scale and support future functionality, eliminate dependencies, and add new features such as the Patterns Marketplace, which will enable community-driven pattern validation.