Interview: Two years of Avalution

Two years ago, Avalution was launched as a new company within the Human Solutions Group. An interview with Managing Director Michael Stöhr and Anke Rissiek, who as Director is responsible for products and projects, about Avalution's service portfolio.

Avalution makes humans digital. Why is the digital human better suited for product development than living test subjects?

Anke Rissiek: The digital human brings with it a whole new data situation. We can precisely measure every part of the body and create representative groups. With physical test collectives, this would be very expensive and far less effective. That's why, up to now, people have usually only been measured roughly. We capture every detail and can therefore also provide fingers, hands, heads, ears or legs as body part test collectives and thus optimize every product that comes into close contact with people.

Which companies benefit most from this?

Michael Stöhr: Our customers come from completely different industries. But they have one thing in common: they want to release optimization potential quickly. It's mostly about innovation and growth. With our analysis, companies achieve a high degree of decision-making certainty in strategic projects. They can open up new markets with low risk or launch new product segments with high product maturity. In the process, optimization opportunities often arise, for example massive cost reductions. Many projects therefore pay for themselves in the first year.

How do these cost reductions come about?

Anke Rissiek: Thanks to our comprehensive data, we can, for example, determine exactly how many different sizes of a product need to be offered. Sometimes even one version with the corresponding adjustment options is enough. We also take international markets into account. Sometimes two or three variants for the world market are better than one per region. Some companies approach us specifically with this question.

What does a typical project with Avalution look like and how long does it take?

Michael Stöhr: Many companies are amazed at how quickly and easily they can integrate fit and body measurements into their processes. After initial discussions, we usually clarify in a workshop which questions are relevant, which information needs to be taken into account and how the results should later be anchored in the company. We then get down to work and present our results. Of course, the amount of time required depends greatly on the scope of the issue. We have already implemented projects for new business models in one week. If we completely examine the entire product portfolio of a large company, it can take two to three months. Often, such projects arise after national measurement surveys. In the process, many companies realize that their assumptions about their customers are no longer correct at all. Size NorthAmerica was such a case. Anyone who develops with old data for this market is definitely taking a risk.

What happens after a project? For example, how can the results be integrated into everyday work?

Anke Rissiek: All project results are actively used in the long term. This is an essential element of our concept and certainly accounts for part of our success. Over time, we have created a unique database, but we also give companies the opportunity to productively integrate this data into their processes – as avatars in CAD, by subscribing to our database or via body scanners. Today, many customers go even further and start to actively integrate their new knowledge about humans into the distribution or sales process. This creates a unique experience for customers and employees and accelerates conversion. At the same time, they learn more about their customers and can develop even better. The digital cycle closes. This is then Avalution in its purest form.