During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there was an influx in the number of first-time boat buyers, mainly pontoons. This led to a shortage in the industry as a whole. As a result, Smoker Craft Inc. wanted to understand the reasoning behind this sudden spike in the number of people owning pontoons for the first time. But more importantly, they wanted to learn how they would be able to better serve these first-time boat buyers and hopefully convert them to becoming pontoon lovers and long-time boat owners. The design research team set out to scope the project which led to the creation of five main teams - Boat Trends, Business Intelligence, Competitive Landscape, Owning-a-Boat Experience & Pontoons 101. Following the initial general research into these five segments and also taking into account the scope of the project together with the amount of time available for completion, the team went on to break into five major teams, each targeting a very specific area of the boat owning experience. The teams formed were: Dealerships, Didn't Buy Boat, Dual Income-No Kids, Families with Children & Long Time Boat Owners. As a part of the Dealerships team, I focused on what role the dealership played in attracting first-time boat buyers and also how they served long-time boat owners in an effort to bring to light any hidden or subtle trends or characteristics that could be beneficial in keeping these high number of new pontoon owners in the last year or so. After hours of ethnographic interviews, creating design protocols, applying different design research techniques & tools, analyzing the notes from interviews, synthesizing key learnings, and creating statement cards I was able to summarize my learnings in conjunction with my teams. Four months later, the top insights identified were put together and presented to the leadership and management team. Following this presentation, I worked with my team to come up with opportunities that could be explored by Smoker Craft Inc. to first attract more first-time boat buyers but more significantly strategies and ways that they can adapt to keep these new buyers and convert them to long-time boat owners who fall in love with their pontoons and the culture surrounding the boating community. This slide deck highlights core opportunities that were identified throughout the design research process that span about four and half months.

2. Meet the Team
Bridget McShane
ESTEEM M.S.
Michelle Saganich
Marketing & Collaborative
Innovation
James Morley
Accounting,
Collaborative Innovation
Ethan Bernhard
Business Technology
Collaborative Innovation
Mia Konkey
Sociology
Collaborative Innovation
Ava DeCroix
Computer Science
Collaborative Innovation
Rofy Okyere-Forson
ESTEEM M.S.
Richard Hume
ESTEEM M.S.

4. Awareness
Outreach
Support

5. BIG LIFE TRANSITIONS
Spark for families to
purchase a boat is often
catalyzed by life transitions
BOATING GURUS
PERSONAL OUTREACH
OPERATIONS LEARNING
CURVE
PASS ALONG THE
TRADITION/BIGGER THAN
BUYING
FOSTERING CUSTOMER
LOYALTY
Too often, there is little
outreach and support after
the initial purchase leaving
buyers looking elsewhere
Boat purchasing is more
than a transaction, and
what is good is meant to be
shared
Learning curve of initial boat
ownership is often squeezed
or eliminated in the
excitement to get on the
water, leading to avoidable
problems and diminishing
overall satisfaction
In the wake of continued
shortages, sales models
have shifted to prioritize
personal outreach and
interactions with clients
Loyalty of customers isn’t
established during the
purchase process but from
making boat ownership
easier for them

7. LAKE HOME FLYERS
By understanding the need to
emphasize personal outreach,
these allow Smoker Craft to directly
introduce those who just entered
the lake community with the local
dealers of the area
KEY PRINCIPLES
Big Life Transitions
Moving to a lake
community/buying a lake home
Personal Outreach
Emphasize personal connection
and the familial aspect of the
dealerships as well as Smoker
Craft as a whole

9. FIND YOUR DEALER
By utilizing a unique user interface
that is both easy to navigate and
streamlined, customers can be
connected with the dealer and
immediately schedule service at
the click of a button, as well as
ask neighbors smaller questions.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Personal Outreach
Deliver location-specific content and
information
Operations Learning Curve
Providing help for new boaters as
they navigate the unforeseen
challenges of ownership

10. MARINA MOMS
By carefully crafting content for
moms in lake or waterfront
communities, Smoker Craft would
be able to capitalize on the familial
aspect of boating and can use
local dealerships to feature and
help distribute material.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Pass Along the Tradition/Bigger than
Boating
Boating is more than a transaction
Personal Outreach
Through mothers and families
Big Life Transitions
Becoming parents can help to spark
the need to capitalize on leisure,
especially as kids become older

13. ADDED MERCH
Everyone loves a thoughtful gift,
especially ones that comes with a
personal touch. This is the idea here -
for SmokerCraft to add some
personalization to the boats. It
screams how much they are looking
out for their customers!
KEY PRINCIPLES
Personal Outreach
Through these personalized additions to
the boats, customers would find more
value in their purchase
Fostering Customer Loyalty
Looking ahead and providing certain
key handy items for the customer is a
great way to lock them in for a longer
time

16. SMOKERCRAFT
STORIES
Brand specific personal
stories that show how other
owners fit their boat to their
lifestyle.
KEY PRINCIPLES
Personal Outreach
Help dealers facilitate
a personal connection with
other Smoker Craft boat owners
and establish brand identity to
new buyers.

18. Breaking Barriers
With laminated quick guides on
every boat, boaters will be
equipped to handle boat
ownership. These guides will also
reference the local dealer from
which the boat was bought
KEY PRINCIPLES
Boating Stressors
Boat accidents, repairs, and issues
can be heartbreaking for owners,
particularly when easily avoidable.
Operations Learning Curve
Learning curve of boat ownership
often squeezed or eliminated in the
excitement to get on the water,
leading to avoidable problems and
diminishing overall satisfaction

20. Growing the
Family Brand
By bringing Smoker Craft,
dealers, and owners onto one
common platform, the sense
of community and family will
be holistically heightened
KEY PRINCIPLES
Dealership Trust
Dealers are keen to build trust in their
ability to help buyers pick not just the
best boat, but the best boat for them
Fostering Customer Loyalty
Loyalty of customers isn’t established
during the purchase process, but
from making boat ownership easier
for them

21. Changing Reality
Through utilizing AR technology,
boat owners will feel more
empowered to handle basic
maintenance of their boat, and
Smokercraft becomes an industry
leader in innovation
KEY PRINCIPLES
The Red Flag
Maintenance Illiteracy is a red flag
consumers hope to overcome,
however, like in any relationship: it
takes two to tango
Fostering Customer Loyalty
Loyalty of customers isn’t established
during the purchase process, but
from making boat ownership easier
for them

24. Appendix: Total Insights
FAMILIES
Life Transitions
spark for families to purchase a boat for the first time is often catalyzed by big life transitions.
Learning Curve
Boating can’t be enjoyed to its fullest potential until owners feel a level of mastery of the processes involved.
Boating Gurus
Too often, there is little outreach and support after initial purchase leaving buyers looking elsewhere.
Extension of the Home
A boat is an extension of the home complete with nostalgia and fond memories.
Boating Stressors
Boat accidents, repairs, expenditures or issues can be heartbreaking for their owners, particularly when easily
avoidable.
Young vs Old
Younger children are an unexpected challenge in what is supposed to be a carefree, fun family experience.
DINKS
Testing the Waters
Used boats are a more casual commitment, allowing consumers to understand if boat ownership is for them
The Red Flag
Maintenance Illiteracy is a red flag consumers hope to overcome, however, like in any relationship: it takes two to
tango
The Honeymoon Stage
Having overcome the struggles of ownership, users fall in love with their “floating backyard”
Bird Magnet
The Pontoon has become a gravitational pull to unite friends and family
Pass Along the Tradition
What is good is meant to be shared, both socially and within the family
LTBO
It’s Bigger Than Buying
Boat owners view purchasing a boat as much more than a transaction.
Welcoming Waters
Everyone is treated as equals on the lake.
Answering the Captain’s Call
The captain of the boat is a generous, adventurous, and vigorous host.
A Breath of Fresh Air
When you put on your captain’s hat, you take back your life.
Sailing for Calmer Seas
A wider and deeper perspective causes boat owners to overlook pain points and emphasize opportunities of boating.
Didn’t Buy
There is a critical constellation of factors necessary to seriously consider buying a pontoon
Potential buyers attempt to do their own research before visiting a dealer because they approach the experience with skepticism and
weariness.
First-time buyers need to conceptualize the boat owning experience but poor analogies can misframe the full experience
The Internet as a research resource tool is a double-edged sword
Weighing logistical and financial factors of ownership leads to losing sight of why people wanted to buy in the first place.
Dealerships
Personal Outreach
In the wake of continued shortages, sales models have shifted to prioritize personal outreach and interactions with clients.
DEALERSHIP TRUST
Dealers are keen to build trust in their ability to help buyers pick not just the best boat, but the best boat for them
(Not so) Informed Buyers
FTBB both under and over-informed, introducing challenges into dealer-customer relationships and boat buying experience
OPERATIONS LEARNING CURVE
Learning curve of initial boat ownership often squeezed or eliminated in the excitement to get on the water, leading to avoidable
problems and diminishing overall satisfaction
FOSTERING CUSTOMER LOYALTY
Loyalty of customers isn’t established during the purchase process, but from making boat ownership easier for them