Research projects are the ultimate opportunity to build insights and knowledge that can be transferred into many different product applications.

By engaging with scientific projects early on, the insights gained can inform your current product development process. The beauty of embarking on a research project is that the insights gained will always help to improve the product. Developing insights in this manner means that positive and negative results for the product being tested result in the ability to improve the product.

Research projects can be a great way to target your unique technical selling point. Research insights lead into your product development, which in turn ensure a positive outcome from the validation of the product. We recommend that this is the best way to work with us so you can guarantee a positive product outcome. Research projects are how Nike and Puma choose to work with us to gain the most value early on in their innovation projects.

CLIENTS
– Nike
– Clarks
– Speedo
– Spalding
– Umbro
– Moving Comfort
– M&S

Nike approached us with a problem of rugby shirts that were ripping in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Progressive scoped out a series of research projects that were focused on:

– Understanding of the failure type
– Understanding of the failure method
– Development and design of a test rig to simulate this failure
– Repeat testing using the rig to inform product development

These activities were undertaken in partnership with Nike and Loughborough University. Nike set up focus groups with their sponsored athletes and Progressive assisted in the data collection. Progressive developed the knowledge of grip strength and pull velocity/forces of elite rugby players.

Loughborough University implemented the mechatronics design for the test kit. Progressive ran the repeated tests and advised on the development process of the shirts.