White Box Design’s latest family of phone product designs for Polycom builds on their partnership with Microsoft, and are optimized for Microsoft’s Lync environment.
This family of IP phones includes both desktop phones, the CX600 & CX500 and the conference phone, CX3000.
The key challenges were:
– Visually
1. Make it look like a Polycom product but unique to Microsoft
2. Look more contemporary, not your grandfather’s phone
3. Communicate their brands key elements, namely their “high quality audio” and the iconic 3 spoke design of their conference phones
– Usability/ergonomics:
1. Handset that is easy to pick-up, comfortable to hold in hand, can cradle on shoulder, is easy to hang-up and does not easily fall or slide off cradle
2. Physical buttons that are easily identified, communicate their status, are easy to use and follow ergonomic standards
– Size & Functionality
1. Keep the footprint as small as possible without compromising audio performance and functionality.
2. Develop an easy to use, strong and cost effective adjustable base that will also wall mount.
The unique attributes of our final solutions include:
– Giving the design a strong unique and contemporary look by floating the phone component on the grill. The curved front face along with the clear back painted bezel are other key elements of the design language. The grill pattern also contributes in creating a strong brand language and ties to Polycom’s existing products (like the SoundStation IP 5000, also designed by White Box Design)
– Bringing the speaker out from under the handset and making the grill a key feature on the CX600 phone communicates “high quality audio”. The grill design is also an important factor in meeting the audio requirements and being cost effective to manufacture.
– Created an easy to use and cost effective solution for adjusting the phone to 3 positions by using a simple foot inserted into one of three slots on the back of the phone. These slots are also used to attach the wall mount component.
– Working within the physical and functional constraints of CX600 we created a phone as small as possible. The floating bezel also visually helps reduce the foot print by being the primary focus. Ergonomically the bezel is very effective as it provides a clean and spacious area to group the phones typical functions (dialpad, screen & soft keys), leaving the audio controls on the speaker. Thus creating a logical layout and easy to use product.
In the design of this new family of phones White Box Design used it’s 20+ years of telecommunications experience to address Polycom’s requirements while creating solutions that are also cost effective to manufacture.
The true test of course is what the users think, we look forward to hearing their response to these products.