type
short university project
field
kitchen appliances
tasks
Problem Identification
Interaction Concept
Prototyping (digital + analogue)
date
2024
This project was conducted as a 3 week / 15 hours design & prototype exercise in my Masters studies. I was partnering with another designer.
task
"Re-imagine how users interact with a stove. Think about different modalities. In a 2 week sprint. Make the result tangible by prototyping."
action
grasping the situation (quickly)
We performed a brief task analysis and general research on common usability problems with electric stoves, leading to our three main “How might we” questions:
How might we visualize the current temperature of fields so that users can pick the correct temperature for their dish?
How might we visualize the system status of the stove so users do not burn themselves?
How might we design an input method so that users can control the stove quickly and intuitively?
ideation
Through crazy 8s, quick sketches and brainstorming, we identified a promising modality to evaluate further: light.
milestone: concept pitch
Presenting the current state of the idea in a illustrated / descriptive way to gather feedback from an expert audience.
developing a prototype
By repurposing left over wood, an old projector and some unconventional thinking, a rapid prototype was created to display the envisioned concept and experiment further.
Animations: digital prototype created in figma
Input modality: 3D printed knob with different friction/haptic properties
Result
By quick thinking and creative use of technology, we were able to achieve:
cohesive concept with potential positive impact on user experience by tackling the identified questions
tangible and believeable prototype
demonstrating ability to utilize 3D printing for rapid concept development
convincing presentation for a complex concept
animated prototype - triggered by wizard of oz control
knob prototype in action
