How much of the process is scientific and how much trial and error?
For me there are two sides of the coin, there is the objective work I perform in the lab and on the slopes with my data logger – basically collecting measurable information on snowboard characteristics, which can be used for comparisons and improvement. From here, I get some prototypes made up incorporating the information from the lab testing and of course feedback from the team and our customers on how they want things to improve. Then comes the more subjective side where I let the team loose on the boards and get some feedback on what they think. So far all the predictions have been correct; with the lab results and rider testing matching up exactly as expected – this was even a bit of a surprise to me as all rider testing is performed as a double blind trial so I can’t influence the team into preferring one board over another. An excellent result though and definitely one to give me faith in the Science I am incorporating. The thing that I do need to bear in mind though is no matte
