A Lesson In Field Testing

Problem: push broom poles twist and loosen their attachment to the broom head over time.

When I started to write this post, I'd just purchased a new push broom from Ace Hardware and was looking forward to using it to sweep a few inches of snow from my driveway. It had a simple innovation that I thought was a great example of the kind of thing that independent inventors invent. Then I used it and my view changed. It's still a fine example of simple innovation, but it's flawed. The flaw is pretty easy to fix, but it's sill flawed. (Side note - there doesn't seem to be a patent on the broom and I don't think Ace will pay you a royalty if you offer them a patent pending fix).

If you’ve ever used a push broom with a threaded pole, you’ve probably experienced the annoying problem of the handle twisting loose while you work. The repetitive back-and-forth motion of sweeping gradually unscrews the pole from the broom head, forcing you to stop and tighten it every so often. It’s annoying. Over time, the screwing and unscrewing also wears out the threads and the pole no longer stays attached to the broom head.

Almost solution: a first hex collar on the pole and a second hex collar that goes over the first one and snap locks into the broom head.

It’s a great idea. But when I used the brand new broom as a snow removal tool, the broom head flexed and the snap lock became unlocked - three times in a row. Annoyed, I threw the locking piece away and now the broom is like any other broom.

Lesson: field testing.

You may think you know how your invention will be used but you don’t know until a number of people are using it in real world situations. The designers of the locking broom pole almost surely did not test how it would work when pushing 4” of snow across a driveway. Maybe my experience is so rare that it doesn’t matter. But now, instead of giving the product a 5 star review, I’ll give it just 3.

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