DESIGN RESEARCH
MARKET ANALYSIS
Explored coffee-making products on the market of various price-points and functions to gain design inspiration and read user reviews.
HUMAN FACTORS TASK ANALYSIS
Went through the brew process on a Starbucks Verismo pod-based coffee maker to identify any issues or areas of improvement before, during and after the brew process.
USER INTERVIEWS
Talked to six potential users of various levels of brewing expertise to gain insights on their coffee consumption habits, current brewing technology used, and any issues or improvements that they’ve discovered.
INSIGHTS DISCOVERED
Key Takeaways and Design Direction from the Research Phase
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Includes both Espresso and Coffee brewing Capabilities
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Visual brew process experience with glass portafilter capsule
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Includes steam wand
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Easy water tank access regardless of machine surroundings
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Apparent water fill level in water tank
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Smooth surfaces for ease of cleaning
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Modern aesthetic
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Middle-Tier machine in reference to price
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App to store brew preferences to reduce pre-operational tasks
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Consideration for placement of necessary technology
TECHNOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The Starbucks Verismo coffee machine was disassembled to get a better idea for the technology used in it as well as to understand the spatial layout of this technology inside the shell for consideration during the design phase.
DESIGN STATEMENT
Design a machine that can brew both coffee and espresso that provides an intuitive user interface as well as easier access to the water tank. The machine needs to provide a visual and sustainable brew process that limits waste and plastic consumption.
SKETCH DEVELOPMENT
Iteration One
Preliminary sketching took place that explored different concept details and form language while addressing the expressed needs from the design statement.
RECTILINEAR MODELING
Water Tank
Portafilter
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Portafilter is too hidden by top structure
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Portafilter too high relative to the cup – could result in splashing
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Water tank fill level not easily visualized
MOOD BOARDS
The two Mood Boards to the left were created as part of the ideation process to experiment with colors, material and finish.
SKETCH DEVELOPMENT
Iteration Two
A second round of sketching took place that leveraged the insights that were discovered from rectilinear modeling and mood boards.
FINAL DESIGN
FINAL DESIGN FEATURES
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Transparent Glass Portafilter
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Rotatable Steam Wand
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Technology Cased in Hidden Base
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Visually "Floating" Aesthetic
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Easy to Access Water Tank
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Apparent Water Level
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Magnetic Lid
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Integrated Display
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Espresso, Coffee and Steam Capabilities
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Customizable Brew Size Settings in App