scott alberstein
Industrial + Interaction Designer
An industrial design agency with a focus on humanizing technology for the masses
For the past two years I have been a part of the Industrial Design team here at NewDeal working on a multitude of projects, wearing a range of hats, with a small collective of endlessly creative people.
Listed below are some projects and categories with which I have had a great deal of exposure and my related thoughts and experiences.
Working to build products that feel warm and human while achieving high levels of fit and finish is both creatively and technically challenging. Every day I face problems that range from color matching samples with a model maker to communicating solutions through sketches, physical prototypes, or 3D mockups.
• Physical Architecture
• Model-making and Prototyping
• Form Development
• 3D Surface Modeling
• Color Material Finish
• UX Integration
• Packaging Design
• Manufacturability Approach
The industrial design team works hand in hand with the strategy team to identify opportunities and work toward effective solutions. We are not simply seen as executors of form, styling, and manufacturing – but we also synthesize the disparate contributions of each team to create a holistic and considered product.
• Use-scenarios & User-profiles
• Service Strategy
• Product Experience Storyboards
• Concept Direction & Communication
Much of my experience at NewDeal has centered around wearable technology and other methods for bringing people and technology closer
As part of the core Fitbit team, and our ongoing relationship with Fitbit, I have provided daily support for all aspects of development, from ideation and product architecture through to development and launch.
Though I joined the NewDeal team after both the Fitbit Blaze and Alta were well underway, for the next year and a half I provided substantial support for the development of these products.
Future Fitbit products will represent work that I have been a part of from the very beginning.
I faced an entirely different set of challenges while working on a Type II Diabetes Blood Glucose Monitor. Our problem was not technical, but behavioral. Glucose monitors provide medically accurate information, but users continually failed to make monitoring a routine. Our solutions centered around the notion of making abstract data and making it understandable and actionable – all the while following medical rules and regulations.
Aside from wearable wellness devices, I was also given the opportunity to work on a small scale production of a next generation DNA sequencer for research purposes.
As the objects around us begin to collect data, they can work together to build new experiences and pose a unique set of challenges
The internet of things, especially as it lives with us in the home, is a continuous source of interest for us at NewDeal. A category saturated with products and wholly unorganized and incompatible, the internet of things is a messy subject and there is lots to be done before we begin to realize its potential.
The integration of technology into the home is nuanced and making these devices inviting, familiar, and unobtrusive is a difficult task. We are forced to think about products on a systemic level and take an experience-first approach.
I have been a core team member of projects that center around IOT in the home. During which, I have provided storyboards of the experience around the product as well as technical illustrations of the finer details of the industrial design of our concepts.