Project Description:
In part due to a set of compelling UX ideas the design team provided to make Alaska a very feature-rich truck, Fisker needed several controls for the rear of its planned pickup truck.
These included popping out a step and grab handle for easily stepping up into the bed, a locking under-bed rear drawer (to hold a spare tire, tools, and other things) and a retractable midgate for allowing longer items to pass through with the cab's rear seats folded down.
However, we did not want to just have a row of buttons which just lead to user error or having to stare at it. We also did not want to combine controls which can also lead to confusion.
There were a lot of constraints to consider. We wanted to account for there being a possible tent in use on the bed (one of the UX ideas mentioned), which meant controls needed by tent occupants like the light needed to be accessible from inside. However, there also could be a tonneau cover in place in daily use, so primary controls had to be outside where that cover would be.
Further, high-end models were going to be equipped with a power open-close tailgate, so we didn't want to put the control on the outside of the liftgate where it would be hard to access once opened. This was reinforced as a specific directive by the CEO.
We also had to account for vehicles which will be sold with right-hand drive, so the primary controls should be on the right side to avoid the driver having to walk around annoyingly to the opposite corner of the truck just to open the bed. But this also allowed the option to have those primary controls on both sides for the high-end models to allow higher ease-of-use.
My Role:
I was the lead UX designer for Alaska as well as PEAR. I personally championed this design and created the presentation documenting it. But I had great input from several others on the design team.
♦ Working with exterior studio team to understand constraints and the full set of controls
♦ Deciding the priorities and time-of-need for the different controls
♦ Creating a proposal showing all the controls and reasoning
♦ Getting design input from key team members and making changes from good suggestions
♦ Presenting it to the whole design team and director, Sr. VP of Design, and Associate VP of exterior studio, all of whom liked it without any further design changes
The Design:
