Project Overview
In professional racing, timing is everything. Zone4, founded by Canadian Olympic cross-country skier Dan Roycroft, set out to revolutionize the race timing industry by reducing athlete result wait times from hours to mere minutes.
However, their cutting-edge timing technology was housed in a bulky, outdated design that didn't reflect their innovative brand or meet the demanding requirements of elite athletes.
Zone4 partnered with Onetwosix to transform their functional prototype into a sleek, professional product worthy of Olympic-level competition.
Services Provided
The scope of work included refinement of the product’s outer form, CAD-based development and testing, optimization for injection molded production, and application of the visual identity to the final design.
Industrial design and housing redesign
3D CAD modelling, prototyping, testing
Design for manufacturing and injection molding optimization
Brand integration and visual design development
Before the Partnership
Zone4's existing GoChip timing device worked flawlessly from a hardware standpoint, but the physical design created significant barriers to widespread adoption in professional racing environments.
The company faced a classic challenge: how to modernize a proven technology without compromising its core functionality.
The original chip design was too bulky for comfortable athlete wear during extended competition
The device needed to withstand extreme conditions across multiple sports, from aquatic events to outdoor endurance races
Athletes and race organizers needed simple, secure mounting options that wouldn't interfere with performance
The existing design looked more like a prototype than a premium timing solution, undermining Zone4's positioning in the market
The gap between Zone4's technical innovation and market-ready design was preventing them from fully capitalizing on their breakthrough timing technology.
What We Did
Our collaboration with Zone4 began with deep immersion into the world of competitive racing and timing technology. We spent time understanding not just the technical requirements, but the real-world conditions and user experiences that would define success.
We conducted user research and performance analysis to understand how athletes interact with timing devices across different sports and environmental conditions.
We mapped the technical constraints by defining the exact requirements of the internal timing components and the space needed to accommodate them.
Using our in-house 3D printing capabilities, we rapidly iterated on form factors and attachment mechanisms through ongoing design and prototyping.
The most significant challenge emerged early, when the shape and size of the original chip created fundamental constraints that appeared to make weight reduction impossible without sacrificing functionality, so we took a holistic, iterative engineering approach that re-evaluated the entire form factor rather than accepting those limitations.
Through dozens of prototype iterations, we created a more efficient shape and internal layout using a different material that would reduce weight significantly. This wasn't just aesthetic refresh- it was a fundamental redesign.
Proven Results
The redesigned GoChip exceeded quantitative and qualitative targets, delivering measurable improvements alongside enhanced market positioning.
The GoChip saw a 30% weight reduction which is critical for athlete comfort during extended competitions, removing a key barrier to adoption
We used a optimized injection molding design that enabled cost-effective mass production while maintaining premium build quality
Successfully tested across aquatic and extreme weather conditions, the design was refined to improve both durability and waterproofing.
The sleek, modern design reinforces brand value by aligning the product’s appearance with Zone4’s reputation for innovation.
The redesigned GoChip has enabled Zone4 to expand into new markets and sporting events, with the professional appearance and enhanced performance characteristics opening doors that were previously closed due to design limitations.
The success of the GoChip redesign has led to an ongoing partnership spanning multiple product lines, including specialized timers for motorsports , wireless circuit activators and use by shipping and tracking companies.
