The Seascape Challenge
An offshore shorthanded long-distance race for sailors who are eager to challenge themselves and expand their comfort zone.
Problems
- How to expand Seascape brand beyond the boat.
- Seascape brand values are aggregated in one equity word – connectr. In order to truly connect with the elements (wind and water) and amongst themselves, you have to leave your comfort zone. And for that you need a safe environment.
- Most owners were still using Seascape boats as “normal” boats, eventhough they were created with transatlantic DNA in their blood.
Goals
- Create annual brand-building adventure race for Seascape owners.
- Allow sailors to get a taste of long distance offshore racing in a challenging, but safe environment.
- Engage the loval community.
- Make event independent from sponsors.
Result
- With 10 Seascapes participating in the first SSC Challenge, the event has now grown to the limit of the harbour hosting the event, which is 50 Seascapes.
- In 2018, Seascapers from 12 countries grabbed all 50 slots in less than 24 hours after the registration opening, leaving plenty on the waiting list.
- After a successful prototype event, the company used the Seascape Challenge blueprint to create more signature event: Vegvisir Race / DEN, Bodensee Rundum / GER, La Duecento / ITA, Jabuka / CRO, Silverrudder / DEN …
I like tackling problems with an iterative design approach.
I’m explaining more about it here.
Research and Synthesis
To get a feeling who our participants are, we started with interviews and an online survey with sailors and hosts of similar events.
That helped us create 3 personas that represent 3 types of tipical paricipants, we could use for check-up through the whole process, and get the idea what issues we should be addressing.
3 types of tipical participants
We decided our main goal was to create a safe inviroment for our users and empower them. The idea was to invite them to co-create our first prototype event with us.
Deliverable:
insights, design brief
Concept
To better understand and address user needs, find gaps and as many possible pain points, we made a visual timeline, showing all user actions before, during and after the event and all the touchpoints where he interacts with our service.
Another thing we found it to be very useful, was identyfing all stakeholders in the process, and sorting them by relevance. That gave us a clear view of nature and direction of exchanges (money, info, services …) and helped us define their interests and motivations. Understanding this proved to be cruicial in designing the event that keeps all of the stakeholders satified after the closure, and making a sound foundation for the future growth.
Deliverables:
user journey, stakeholders map (highres pdf)
Design
Based on our journey map we specified the physical evidence, staff actions, responcibilities, support systems and infrastructure needed through the whole journey.
Seascape Challenge Home Page
We prepared and designed means of communication, event web page and an InfoPack pdf to be sent to participants a few days before the arrival, with all the useful information that would make their planning, arrival and settling as smooth as possible.
Deliverables:
event web page, service blueprint (highres pdf), InfoPack pdf
Prototyping
Our participants knew in advance that the event is a prototype. We wanted them to be prepared and understand that giving feedback is in their interest and why.
For firsthand experience, one of our team members participated in the event. His report gave us some very helpful insights for improvements on next iterations.
A design team member on a Service Safari:
With all feedback gathered from participants after the event, the Seascape team, other stakeholders and reviewing website traffic, we extracted relevant insights for an event improvement plan. We created a reccomended action list for the next iteration.
Deliverables:
service safari report, survey feedback, new insights, recommended actions list
Implementation
Based on analysis and improvement plan we made an upgraded Blueprint, with detailed Task Schedule, Media Plan and Equipment List.
Seascape Challenge is now an annual brand’s flagship event and the tools we used to design this event were easily aplicable/ajustable to other Seascape signature events.
Deliverables:
upgraded blueprint, upgraded stakeholders map, task schedule, media plan, equipment list, SSC SignatureEvent requirements list