Construction

Operators rely on the PCON controller as the central interface for maneuvering their lifts with precision and confidence. Every control input matters, so our design placed a strong emphasis on ergonomics and usability. The controller needed to feel natural in the operator’s hands—lightweight yet sturdy, with a layout that invites intuitive interaction even during

demanding work conditions. We carefully considered a range of use scenarios, ensuring the design adapts seamlessly to different environments and operator preferences. Above all, the system is built around safety—providing operators the control, comfort, and assurance they need to perform their tasks efficiently and securely.

Job sites demand flexibility—machines and operators must adapt quickly to changing tasks and environments. To meet that challenge, Genie’s controller was carefully engineered to perform double duty as both the basket and ground control interface. This dual-operation functionality wasn’t an afterthought; it was a driving principle from the very

beginning of the design process. Every contour, button placement, and visual cue was shaped to deliver intuitive handling, regardless of where the operator stands. The frame’s architecture supports this balance, offering a sturdy, ergonomic experience that ensures comfort, precision, and confidence in every position and condition.

Early and frequent prototyping—from quick, low-fidelity mockups to fully functional models—formed the backbone of our development process. This iterative approach allowed us to explore a wide range of ideas early on, validate key design assumptions, and identify challenges long before production. Each prototype served as a critical learning tool, helping us

refine form, ergonomics, and user interaction through direct, hands-on evaluation. Frequent feedback loops with Genie’s engineering and manufacturing teams ensured every design iteration remained grounded in real-world feasibility, allowing us to balance creative ambition with production constraints—without ever compromising design intent.

Before the ideation phase, it was important to understand the needs and advantages for a digital tool in a traditionally analog space. The design team conducted a thorough analysis of the top level and measurement tools and talked with customers to

identify goals, needs, potential pain-points, and opportunities. Through our research and the original design brief, we developed user personas and principles to work and align with throughout the duration of the project.

Milwaukee continues to push innovation and strives to disrupt the industry. Throughout our partnership on various projects, Milwaukee encouraged us to look beyond what is expected and familiar. Together we worked through how a digital level can understand and react to its environment, speak to us, guide us, understand gestures and non-traditional input, and more.

It was a major leap forward in choosing an all-digital system and leaving the traditional spirit vial level behind. However, going from analog to digital came with its own challenges, such as power consumption. Ensuring the new digital levels could keep up with its analog counterpart meant exploring creative solutions to reduce power consumption through input via sensors and gestures.

The drive to build disruptive and innovative tools for their customers is at the heart of Milwaukee’s brand. Listening to how they could improve tools for their customers has been important to the success of Milwaukee Tools leading the industry in innovation. Throughout the project we built multiple prototypes at varying fidelities to test and prove out the concept.

We had the opportunity to join Milwaukee on the job site for user testing with the professionals they build tools for. These opportunities allowed for greater insight into the design space and eventually validation of our design. Continued support for Milwaukee throughout development and up on to launch ensured the best quality product reaches the hands of their customers.

First of its kind, the DCI TeraTrak R1 is a real-time, terrain mapping tool for horizontal directional drilling. TeraTrak R1 easily creates continuous topography marked with utilities and waypoints, which previously used expensive survey methods. Used in conjunction with TeraTrak R1, an app is used to visualize underground hazards and the precise elevation and distance measurements along the drill path.

TeraTrak R1 addressed the following challenges: (a) a functional and easy-to-use device by anyone; (b) create a visually stunning product built to withstand the challenging environmental elements, combining robust, rugged materials and DCI’s brand language; and (c) seamless integration into the HDD workflow and DCI’s product suite, eliminating the need to deploy a separate survey crew for planning purposes.

The DCI TeraTrak R1 is built to withstand the challenging environmental elements, combining robust, rugged materials and DCI’s brand language. In designing the form, Tactile created a simple silhouette with rugged details to convey a feeling of durability, quality, and precision while making this powerful tool not feel intimidating to use. Included in the form design, we developed (a) an ergonomic, easily adjustable pivot arm adapting to the height of any user,(b) optimized portability and collapsibility

allowing users to set up and break down the product easily and efficiently, (c) a universal device mounting solution providing a heads up display, paired with real-time data, and (d) a kickstand to provide hands-free use and storage. Additionally, a discretely integrated debris guard helps to keep the tires clean while walking along wet and muddy surfaces. TeraTrak R1’s timeless design is expected to withstand a 10+ year lifecycle. 

Used in conjunction with the TeraTrak app, DCI TeraTrak R1 generates continuous job site topography that can be updated on-the-go, so it never becomes obsolete. TeraTrak R1 offers the following benefits: visualizes underground hazards; confidently targets waypoints to drill; measures and maps precise elevations and distances; can be used in areas where GPS doesn’t work; allows for faster bores, fewer

re-drills, and bent rods; simplifies the task and time of site surveys; and higher accuracy (plus/minus six inches over 500 feet). Most importantly, safety is a critical benefit. Increased accuracy reduces mistakes that could potentially lead to harmful drilling. The TeraTrak R1 streamlines job site bore planning, making it more accurate, efficient, cost-effective, and accessible to anyone. 

Traditionally, servicing Genie’s lifts required bringing computers or other bulky devices on-site to read the machine’s service data and perform basic maintenance functions. Water-resistant and drop-tested, Genie Tech Pro Link was designed and engineered for any environment and all-weather conditions.

A magnetic back allowing technicians to work hands-free while accessing the needed data and WIFI-enabled connectivity provide the ability to work wirelessly around the machines. Its ergonomic, angled design offers a comfortable hold in one hand in either the right or left hand, even while wearing gloves. The compact size, wrist strap, and built-in flashlight make for efficient portability and additional light for hard-to-reach areas of the machine.

With Genie Tech Pro Link, equipment diagnostic information is provided in real-time and is readily available, ensuring Genie boom lifts are up and running to maximize productivity and efficiency. Genie Tech Pro Link monitors the machine’s gauges, including engine temperature, oil pressure, fuel levels and battery voltage, calibrate the machine, make speed adjustments during

pre-operation inspection, get service alerts and reminders, track maintenance intervals, receive fault code information, and much more. Currently, Genie Tech Pro Link is compatible with Genie mid-sized S booms and compatibility with other Genie models is coming soon.

In addition to the industrial design and engineering, Tactile helped streamline the user interface design for more intuitive operation, which draws from our previous Genie project in redesigning Genie’s Base Control Unit.

The Genie Tech Pro Link handheld experience aligns with the lift controls, simplifying maintenance for entire fleets or single units through a single interface. The bold and easily recognizable icons were adapted to the low-resolution screen and optimized for readability on any jobsite.

Quality is the hallmark of a great professional tool. From the very beginning, we’re determined to ensure quality is built into the design. Our process is to collaborate early on with manufacturing, applying

the appropriate level of engineering scrutiny at every stage of the design. With fewer changes late in the development process, our clients are able to maintain the design intent while shortening the time to market.

Engineering exploration determines whether a concept is achievable or not. This isn’t optional in our work, it’s our development process. Great products don’t just look great, they feel great. The smooth joint

or a graceful hinge is the small (yet so satisfying) pleasure of our work. We take pride in the craftsmanship that comes from rigorous ME ideation, prototyping, and iteration.

The new visual brand language represented a major aesthetic shift. For the first time, black—not blue—is now the standard color of each machine’s base. Blue is Genie’s signature brand color, and to strategically protect their legacy, it meant removing the blue color from the area that receives the most wear, the base. By incorporating blue in more strategic, intentional areas, it would become more prominent.

Black—as opposed to another color, like grey or white—was important for the base, because it shows dirt less and can be easily touched up or repainted. It also gives the appearance of a sturdy, solid foundation. It was important to connect the appearance of the machines to the overall product story for the company. We kept blue on the logo and the arm to reinforce the brand and symbolize the Genie mantra: Blue is the color that lifts.

The biggest challenge was to create designs universal enough to accommodate all the internal components, regardless of the variations in engine type and configurations.

We needed to develop a visual identity that could be applied to multiple variations of products and still be recognizable from 20 feet away. And it has to look fresh and new for longer.

The electric versions of products need to stand out from their gas powered counterparts. Split graphics communicate the bolt of electricity and provide visibility from across the job site. The introduction of a white logo further cements the theme that Genie is a premium brand looking ahead to a modernized

future. To consistently apply these changes, we developed brand guidelines that illustrate the updates in a universal way. These guidelines serve as an important asset when adapting current products and designing future generations.

The diversity of products within the company meant developing a system than could be applied to everything from compact Slab Scissors to
All-Terrain Telehandlers.

We leveraged our knowledge of developing the rest of the system to ensure designs were scalable, and did not bias a particular product category.