THRIVE Wins 1st Place at the dmi: Design Value Awards for its Transformative Human-Centered Approach to Innovation with the AccuRad Personal Radiation Detector (PRD).
Atlanta, GA – September 25, 2024 – THRIVE, a strategic design consultancy, is honored to announce it has won 1st Place at the prestigious dmi: Design Value Awards for its leadership in the product design of the AccuRad Personal Radiation Detector (PRD) for Mirion Technologies. The award-winning submission, “From Technology-Led to Human-Centered: Mirion Technologies’ Journey to Market Leadership with the AccuRad PRD,” recognizes THRIVE’s innovative human-centered approach to innovation and its ability to drive market leadership through user-centered solutions and good design.
The 2024 dmi: Design Value Awards recognize teams that have delivered significant value through Design excellence or Design Management practices. This awards program celebrates organizations that embody the strategic value of design and have implemented best practices that lead to measurable outcomes. This year’s finalists and design award winners represent a distinguished list of organizations, including non-profit entities, government agencies, large multinationals, and regional enterprises.
A Journey Toward Human-Centered Innovation
Mirion Technologies, a global leader in radiation safety and science, sought to enter the competitive Personal Radiation Detector (PRD) market with a human-centered approach. To achieve this, Mirion engaged THRIVE’s expertise in strategic design and innovation in professional tools and instruments. Together, the two companies designed and developed the AccuRad PRD ecosystem of products, shifting from a traditional technology-led development process to one that places users at the center of every decision.
THRIVE’s research-driven design approach began with ethnographic studies, deeply immersing the team in the daily lives of first responders, including ride-alongs with the New York City Police Department and Florida State Troopers. By employing storytelling, enactment, and co-creation techniques, THRIVE uncovered the critical needs of first responders. These insights informed the development of three Ideal User Experience (IUX) principles:
Foolproof: Simplified, intuitive interfaces that reduce complexity and ensure ease of use in high-stress, mission-critical situations.
Discrete: A design that blends seamlessly into tactical gear to minimize public alarm during operations.
Durable: A rugged product that withstands rough handling, frequent drops, and harsh environmental conditions.
Designing for Real-World Challenges
This in-depth research created a comprehensive ecosystem comprising the AccuRad handheld device, its companion app, and a series of on-app training modules. The PRD features industry-first “on-the-move” localization technology, which allows first responders to pinpoint the direction of radiological sources in real-time, drastically reducing training time and eliminating false positives. The dual-display interface and glove-friendly controls enhance ease of use, while the mobile app provides seamless data sharing between first responders and their command centers.
The companion app serves as a lifeline, transmitting real-time geospatial and radiological data back to command centers, allowing for enhanced oversight and decision-making during critical moments. The app’s interactive training content, featuring 14 tutorials and videos, simplifies onboarding for agencies and ensures that first responders can operate the device with minimal training.
A Holistic Brand and User Experience
THRIVE and Mirion recognized that entering the PRD market required not only technical innovation but also a cohesive brand experience. From creating the AccuRad brand to designing packaging, user interfaces, and training materials, THRIVE crafted a unified brand story that communicates the product’s cutting-edge capabilities and mission to protect lives. The AccuRad PRD’s intuitive interface, bold visual hierarchy, and minimalistic design make it easy for first responders to focus on critical tasks.
The development process also incorporated an out-of-the-box experience that reduces user frustration. By replacing traditional technical manuals with quick-start guides and reference cards, first responders can quickly get the AccuRad up and running. The mobile app provides immediate access to more detailed information, improving usability and the overall customer experience.
Organizational Transformation and Market Leadership
The success of the AccuRad PRD has not only positioned Mirion as a design leader in the PRD market but also catalyzed a cultural transformation within the organization. By adopting a human-centered, research-driven design process, Mirion has broken down traditional silos between R&D, marketing, and sales, unifying the company around a single source of truth: the end user. This approach has set a new standard for product development at Mirion, prioritizing users’ needs throughout the development cycle.
Since its launch, the AccuRad PRD has secured 43 new accounts, including contracts with the US Capitol Police, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the US Army Research Laboratory. The product also secured 50% of a $121 million contract under the US Department of Homeland Security’s Securing the Cities initiative, exceeding financial targets with annual revenue surpassing $4.5 million.
“This recognition from dmi: Design Value Awards underscores the power of outstanding design in driving both market success and social impact,” said Jonathan Dalton, CEO and Co-founder of THRIVE. “The AccuRad PRD exemplifies how deep collaboration between design, research, and engineering can result in innovation that not only meets but exceeds the needs of those who rely on it most.”
About Design Management Institute (DMI)
As the longest-standing global institution of its kind, DMI holds an exclusive position in the Design and Design Management landscape. For 49 years, DMI has been an active advocate for the strategic value of Design, bringing together educators, researchers, designers, and leaders from every industry and every corner of the planet to facilitate transformational organizational change and design-driven innovation. Find more about the Institute at www.dmi.org.
About Mirion Technologies
Mirion Technologies is a global leader in radiation safety, providing detection, measurement, analysis, and monitoring solutions to the nuclear, defense, and medical industries. Their products protect people, property, and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation. Find more about Mirion Technologies at www.mirion.com.
About THRIVE
THRIVE is a strategic design firm innovating at the frontiers of health and wellbeing.
We help ambitious leaders create extraordinary experiences that people love through Informed Design™. Our work gives leaders, teams, and organizations the courage and conviction to move forward confidently and design what’s next.
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