Mod Magic Fort System

The task was simple – take a commodity product like crawl tunnels and tents, and create an upscaled material and color story. We accomplished that task, but I wasn’t satisfied with a CMF-only story. I had to look for more.

The collapsible fort space was starved for innovation after years of commoditized, generic product. To further bolster our premium selling strategy, I looked for improvements that could make the user experience easier or more enjoyable. Two insights stood out:

1) Most tunnels used fabric straps to secure the pieces (both when attaching to other components and when holding a collapsed position). The issue is that often parents, being in a hurry, end up tying the straps in a knot, making it difficult to undo the attachment and change the configuration.

2) For crawl tunnels in particular, they are large (typically 6′ long) and due to the coiled spring-like structure, they can only hold a straight shape. Therefore they take up significant floor space in the home.

My solution (inspired by some testing with a binder clip) was a multi-function “mod clip” that clipped firmly and easily to the wire of the tunnel, allowing multiple configurations between the tunnel and other pieces (or between two tunnels). It also allowed for 2 clips to attach to each other, and even aids in storage by holding the tunnel in its closed position. The cost addition was minimal since this piece replaced all fabric loops, but the ease of use was improved exponentially.

My Role(s): Project Leader, Creative Direction, Clip Inventor/Designer
Other Credits: Jill Olson (Surface Design)

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