What’s the secret to developing and designing a Best in Class, award-winning product?

In our experience, it isn’t a secret at all. It’s a disciplined commitment to user-centered product development and electronics design, an open, respectful partnership with the client, and a willingness to iterate until the solution is both beautifully simple and technically robust.

Take rae by Scarlet – a premium consumer electronics device designed to deliver wearable heat therapy for menstrual and pelvic pain. It’s the world’s first strapless, adhesive-free, rechargeable heat pad, created through an 18-month collaboration between Scarlet, Xentronics (electronics, firmware and production engineering), and Trike (industrial design). We built and tested 12 prototypes to get the fit, safety, and user experience exactly right.

This journey and successful outcome was recently acknowledged by Good Design Australia at the Good Design Awards. Here’s a closer look at how we did it.

Collaboration That Removes Friction

Award-winning products are rarely solo acts. From the first workshop, we aligned around the lived experience of users and a clear design vision: discreet, safe, and effortless self-care that fits under clothing and into life. That meant converging electronics product development and product design decisions early – heater geometry, thermal regulation, UI cues, materials, and manufacturability were shaped together, not sequentially. This integrated approach shortened feedback loops, surfaced risks early, and kept everyone focused on outcomes that matter to real people.

Engineering That Cares

The complexities of great product engineering are invisible to the end user. For rae, we developed a custom flexible heater for even, sustained warmth, paired with a 3.7V 4500mAh lithium battery with triple-layer protection to deliver hours of cordless comfort. Thermal sensors, firmware controls, and enclosure design work together to regulate temperature and safeguard against misuse. The medical-grade silicone shell contours comfortably across body types, while tactile controls and a calming LED make operation intuitive – no manual required. USB-C charging aligns with global standards and reduces e-waste. These are small choices individually; together, they create a seamless, trustworthy experience.

Design That Empathises With Users

Empathy is not a slogan or a specification – it’s a part of a design company’s culture. Continuous user testing shaped everything from the strapless form factor to the interface logic and visual language. The target wasn’t to look like a gadget; it was to feel like care. By treating women’s health with the same design rigour as mainstream wellness tech, rae helps shift a culture that too often asks users to compromise. That clarity of purpose is a hallmark of Good Design Australia winners – products that advance usability, safety, and accessibility while elevating the category.

Sustainability By Design

Longevity is the most real form of sustainability. Replacing disposable patches with a durable, rechargeable device meaningfully reduces waste over a product’s life. Serviceability, global charging standards, and robust materials further support responsible ownership – principles we bring to every Melbourne-based product development program that aims for scale without compromise.

What it really takes

• A shared vision anchored in user outcomes, not features

• Cross-functional collaboration from day one – product design, electronics product development, manufacturing, and compliance at the same table

• Relentless iteration to remove friction, not add complexity

• Engineering that prioritises safety and reliability as much as performance

• An experience that users love – because it respects their lives

Awards are validation that the process worked, not an end goal. For us, that process is how we help clients build thoughtful, manufacturable electronic products that people trust and recommend. If you’re exploring your next device – whether you’re in Melbourne or interstate – let’s talk about shaping something useful, beautiful, and genuinely loved.