The first time I heard the word "snick" was in a product review meeting. We were evaluating play products based on how much of this elusive quality—this "snick"—they had. Given that smartphones at the time were not as prevalent and I could not look up the term, I felt a flash of panic for not knowing what it meant. If you are Gen Z or a Millennial, snick might bring about fond memories of cozy Saturday nights spent in your flannel Nick & Nora pajamas with a bowl of popcorn and Milk Duds watching SNICK – Saturday Night Nickelodeon. While Ren and Stimpy don’t come into play here, the content satisfaction that you might have felt settling into the couch with mouth-watering snacks to watch your favorite shows is a “snicky” sort of feeling.
So what exactly is snick? The individual who introduced the term to me went on to describe watching a four-year-old play with a Bingo token feeder device for upwards of 30 minutes. Putting the tokens in and sliding them out on repeat. The child was playing with the Zingo! Zinger that comes with a popular ThinkFun Bingo game. The game is designed for kids, but I’ve had many parents admit that they will put up a fight to get a turn with the Zinger device.
Why? This is where the snick comes in. It feels good in the hands with little raised bumps at the very top where you hold onto it, it functions smoothly, it’s compact and clean, the tokens make a nice little snap when fed into the device and an equally satisfying noise when dispensed. It provides that Aha! moment when the tokens appear and the thoughtful design makes it equal parts fidget and function. For a four-year-old, and a 44 year old, it’s perfection!
My former colleague and Director of Business Development for the Creative Fold, Edoardo Kulp, was in this same meeting with me. Edoardo says, “the word resonated with me so much that I built my approach to product development around it.” He goes on to explain that “snick refers to quality but encompasses more than that. It's about the overall look and feel of a product – inside and out.”
Apple is often thought to hold the gold standard in industrial design, so it’s no surprise that this brand comes to mind when we think of snick. Clean, simple lines, smooth, rounded edges, intuitive and flawless in function with packaging that equally reflects the value of the product. I will admit, I have never gotten rid of an iPhone or iPad package because somehow the box seems equal in quality to the product.
Edoardo explains, “When you open an iphone box, the phone is the first thing you see. As you hold it, you notice the smooth, rounded edges, the weight – not too heavy but substantial. It’s comfortable in the hand. Compare that to the old Motorola flip phones which were plastic, creaky, and didn’t always align perfectly when closed. They functioned as phones but lacked the snick factor.”
The Apple computer charger with the magnetized end that magically finds its way to the right spot on your computer by merely being in the correct vicinity and the Apple Airpods that seamlessly settle into the resting spots in their case are both examples of snick. Very little effort is required by the user who is never left guessing if they are using the product correctly. Everything about the function is intuitive by design.
Jeremiah Eyster, Creative Fold Product Design & Development Manager, references another product - the Capture Camera clip- as “a very simple but refined product with really clever packaging.” This camera clip is straightforward, and beautiful in design while being strong, durable and efficient in functionality. It’s all metal so it feels high-end. Jeremiah explains that the high level of attention to design carries through to the packaging. The clip is nicely displayed when you open the magnetic package flap and the company managed to do it without a plastic insert.
Executive Assistant, Chrisy Taylor, references Curology skincare as a product line that has great snick. She says that the box is packaged perfectly so that, every time you open it, it feels like you’re unwrapping a gift. She explains that everything is simple and feels high end.
So how exactly does a product get snick? Edoardo explains that the Creative Fold aims to give every product they work on the snick factor. “When I develop board games, I assess everything from the outside in. Does the box feel sturdy and is it easy to open? Do the components, the cards and dice, feel durable? How do the dice sound when rolled on a table?”
Of course, while snick is important, a game still needs to play well, a product needs to have a meaningful use and there’s the balance between quality and cost. It’s not always feasible to use the most expensive materials to enhance a product’s feel and appearance. While quality must carefully be weighed against cost, there’s always a way to add snick to a product.
Jeremiah is currently working on the industrial design for a device that has a handle. He began by thinking about how the user would hold the product by its handle. What would be the most natural hand position, what size might be best for the average adult hand, what might be a comfortable weight and what indentations, texture and material combinations might add to comfort and appeal. This detailed and deliberate thought process is exactly what it takes to get a product with snick.
The next time you look at a product you love, think about it, does it have the snick factor? What about it makes it feel like an elevated product? If you’re working on a product of your own, consider what you might do to give it that - snick - that je ne sais quoi – only now you DO know!
Here are some things to consider when evaluating your product’s snick factor:
1. How do you feel when you look at it or hold it? Does it give you a calming, satisfying feeling that’s a bit hard to put into words?
2. What sensory experience does it provide? Does it feel nice or make a gratifying sound? Is it too heavy, too light?
3. Is it intuitive, almost effortless, to use?
4. Have you explored different textures, patterns, colors and materials?
5. Does it feel orderly? Are there extraneous parts that can be eliminated or combined?
6. Does the packaging reflect the look and feel of the product?
What products do you think have snick? We would love to hear your thoughts!
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