SharkNinja · Senior Designer
2021-2022
I worked specifically on the auto-empty dock for the Shark EvoPower system. That work carried through several generations of the Japan EvoPower lineup, and later fed into the WandVac Self-Empty System release in the US. The brief itself was simple: Shark already had an auto-empty docking system built for robot vacuums, so the goal was adapting that existing technology to work with an upright cordless stick.
The accessory dock was optional and removable if you wanted to place it somewhere else in your home
The real challenge was making the design as unobtrusive as possible, on both sides, the vacuum itself and the cradle holding it. Insertion and removal took the longest stretch of joint design and engineering time on the project, getting the vacuum to seat and release cleanly, every time, without feeling fussy.
The final dock actually took up the same footprint as the passive dock due to product blancing requirements
The side accessory cradle mattered most for the Japan market, where customers expect a dedicated place to store every included tool. A charging slot for a second battery, tucked behind the vertical post, rounded out what the dock could do beyond just emptying and charging the main unit. The first-generation EvoPower system went on to win a 2021 Good Design Award in Japan.
The larger dock dust cup means you're not emptying the WandVac after every single use, a complaint that's followed the small platform for years
Boston, MA