CHAI BIOTECHNOLOGIES · 2016 – 2024From plywood prototype to 19 of the top 20 research universities
Founding designer for a professional-grade molecular biology instrument serving research scientists, craft brewers, and preschool directors on the same device.
Brand, product, packaging
Third hire
Every design surface the company hadBusiness ContextChai makes professional-grade molecular biology tools affordable enough to live outside the traditional research lab.
Their flagship product had to work for a PhD running rigorous studies and a craft brewer checking for beer spoilage and, eventually, a preschool director with no lab background at all.
Same device. Very different users. The design problem was not "make it usable." The design problem was make one system serve audiences whose expertise levels are an order of magnitude apart.
Business ContextFrom plywood prototype to 19 of the top 20 research universities
Chai makes professional-grade molecular biology tools affordable enough to live outside the traditional research lab. Their flagship product had to work for a PhD running rigorous studies and a craft brewer checking for beer spoilage and, eventually, a preschool director with no lab background at all.
Same device. Very different users. The design problem was not "make it usable." The design problem was make one system serve audiences whose expertise levels are an order of magnitude apart.
Business ContextChai makes professional-grade molecular biology tools affordable enough to live outside the traditional research lab.
Their flagship product had to work for a PhD running rigorous studies and a craft brewer checking for beer spoilage and, eventually, a preschool director with no lab background at all.
Same device. Very different users. The design problem was not "make it usable." The design problem was make one system serve audiences whose expertise levels are an order of magnitude apart.
Desktop App
Chai makes professional-grade molecular biology tools affordable enough to live outside the traditional research lab. Their flagship product had to work for a PhD running rigorous studies and a craft brewer checking for beer spoilage and, eventually, a preschool director with no lab background at all.
Same device. Very different users. The design problem was not "make it usable." The design problem was make one system serve audiences whose expertise levels are an order of magnitude apart.
Built-In LCD App
To make the Open qPCR a standalone lab anywhere in the world, we needed to make the full desktop experience on its built-in touchscreen.
We embraced the relatively low-resolution screen and designed for high-legibility and easy operation in challenging conditions.
Web Design
My secondary responsibility was to design and maintain Chai’s web presence. This included design, copywriting, information architecture, and development support.
Hardware Advertising
The Open qPCR is marketed to a very broad audience. A mix of brand awareness and targeted, solution-based campaigns helped expand our customer base.
Packaging Design
Chai needed a packaging design system that would stand out, amongst its peers and when pulled from a lab freezer.
We created a scalable solution to serve a wide range of box proportions and keep Chai boxes easy to find in low-light situations.
Results & Takeaways
I’m proud of what we accomplished, and that we delivered on our promise of Real-Time PCR solutions for the real world.
Beyond expanding my technical skill set, my time at Chai refined my design process. Working iteratively at low-fidelity and maintaining buy-in from all stakeholders throughout the process makes life easier for everyone.
On our very first day using the surveillance testing solution, we were able to prevent a staff member from exposing students to COVID and potentially causing a devastating outbreak. It gives me chills to think we might have saved lives.
Neil S., Los Angeles Preschool Executive Director