Our Work : Portfolio

Connecting keyboards to the internet with Yamaha.
Yamaha sought our help prior to launching a new line of piano keyboards with built-in internet access.

Results

"Giant Ant helped us focus on solutions that were equally innovative and practical. From initial research though actual design, they provided the guidance and insight to help make our project successful."
— Doug Reece, Yamaha Content R&D

With a 120 year history, Yamaha knew a lot about making musical instruments but had little experience designing software for the internet. A previous line in Japan encountered customer difficulties, so Yamaha asked Giant Ant to refine customer scenarios and develop new user interfaces for the US and United Kingdom markets.

We started by leading a series of brainstorming exercises around the product concept and features, followed by user research to define market segments. Mapping features to customer groups set the stage for the application's new interaction design and visual language. We also developed a series of forward-looking "concept car" prototypes to help Yamaha generate new ideas and develop a long-term product roadmap.

Research showed that the ATM-inspired interface model developed in the U.S. was a huge success with users. Customers understand how to use the keyboard within seconds. But more importantly, this product has helped Yamaha, a company with a fairly traditional brand, position themselves as technology leaders in this domain. They are currently in the process of bringing some of the concept car ideas to market.

Services

  • Concept Generation
  • Customer Research
  • Interaction Design

See Also