Amare Stoudemire
Chapter
02
introduction
Amare Stoudemire, Nike signed professional NBA rising star had multiple eye injuries and needed to wear protective goggles as another injury could result in blindness.
He didn't want to look like Horace Grant, so he originally opted for a pair of Oakley's he customized to suit his needs. Unfortunately they were not providing adequate protection so he went to Nike for help.
CHALLENGE
A unique pair of goggles were then crafted just for him by Nike's team, which he adored. Nevertheless, as 2011 drew to a close…
He stopped wearing them. My role was to work directly with him, understand his challenges and find a solution.
research
USER INTERVIEW
In 2011, during the Allstar break, I met with Amare after he stopped using the goggles. We talked about his issues, which were mainly that the goggles weren’t stable during games. To keep them in place, the elastic strap was so tight it caused bruising around his nose and irritation at his temples.
Prototyping/ usability testing
design/ prototypes
I designed and sampled two options to resolve his issues. The first option had temple extensions with an elastic strap that attaches behind the ear. The second option used a neoprene strap secured with overcast silicone, which provided additional lateral stability.
Usability testing
Met at a Nike photo session to present him different options, which he tested during his warm up. Showing a distinct preference for the silicon strap, I integrated his suggestions & implemented final modifications into the innovative construction which had to be fabricated in NYC.
