How WAYB Designs Products That Are Way Better for Families
Designing products for families isn’t about chasing trends or adding more features — it’s about solving real problems, honestly and thoughtfully. At WAYB, every product starts with one core question: how will this actually show up in a family’s real life?
To answer that, we sat down with WAYB’s Head of Product to go behind the scenes of how our products move from idea to reality — and why design decisions grounded in research, balance, and purpose matter more than ever for modern families.
From Idea to Reality: How WAYB Begins Every Product
Every WAYB product starts the same way: not with sketches or spec sheets, but with people.
Before the first prototype is ever built, our product team spends time with real families — observing, listening, and learning. That early research phase helps define what success looks like long before design debates begin.
Rather than rushing to solutions, we gather all the information first — needs, behaviors, frustrations, and patterns — and return to those insights throughout development. When decisions get tough later on (and they always do), the team can point back to those early moments in the field to stay aligned on priorities and purpose.
From there, ideas move into the prototype phase, where assumptions are challenged and refined through testing. This is where thoughtful design takes shape — and where products begin earning their place in a family’s everyday routine.
Designing Without Fluff: Why Function Always Comes First
One of the guiding design philosophies at WAYB is simple:
perfection isn’t about adding more — it’s about knowing what to remove.
WAYB products are intentionally minimalist, with visible technology and no unnecessary extras. There’s nowhere to hide — and that’s the point. Honest design builds trust, especially when it comes to gear families rely on every day, like travel car seats.
This approach results in products where:
- Form follows function
- Materials are chosen for purpose, not appearance
- Features exist because they improve safety, portability, or usability
For parents, that means less clutter, fewer compromises, and products that feel intuitive instead of overwhelming.
Designing for Real Family Travel (Not the Perfect Trip)
Families don’t just travel one way — they fly, drive, rideshare, rent cars, and juggle schedules across stages of parenthood. That reality plays a huge role in how WAYB designs its products.
Rather than designing for a single moment, we design for repeat use across different travel scenarios and life stages. That means products must be:
- Easy to carry and transport
- Durable enough for long-term use
- Thoughtfully sized and weighted for real-world travel
This philosophy is why WAYB products — including the Pico travel car seat — are created to grow with your family instead of being replaced after a single phase.
Materials That Matter: Balancing Innovation & Sustainability
WAYB is known for lighter, smarter materials — but innovation never happens in a vacuum.
When selecting materials, the product team prioritizes:
- Performance and safety requirements
- Environmental impact
- Long-term durability
- Cost and availability
- Relevance to the consumer experience
Rather than chasing superlatives, the goal is balance: lightweight but strong, innovative but practical, sustainable but accessible. For families, this balance results in products that perform better day-to-day — not just on paper.
At WAYB, sustainability and innovation are journeys, not destinations, and each product represents a thoughtful step forward.
Designing Products That Grow With Families
At its core, WAYB believes that the best family gear adapts alongside the people who use it. That belief shows up in:
- Modular thinking
- Long-lasting materials
- Design decisions that prioritize longevity over trends
By creating products that remain relevant through multiple stages of childhood, WAYB helps families invest once — and travel confidently for years to come.
What “Way Better” Really Means
For WAYB, being “way better” doesn’t mean louder, flashier, or more complicated. It means:
- Being deeply connected to the community you design for
- Remaining curious instead of assuming you have all the answers
- Letting research, empathy, and function guide every decision
After nearly seven years, the team is proud of what’s been built — and even more excited about what’s ahead. Because for WAYB, thoughtful design isn’t a trend. It’s the standard.