Overview
Precision is a blender with water boiling and weight measurement functions that can fulfill the needs of people who love to make smoothie or coffee with precise measurements. Precision also includes a smart bottle and a kettle. Users can monitor the temperature of smoothie when they bring it outside, and the bottle will remind the user to drink the smoothie before it becomes stale.
Project Type
Individual Project
Time
4 weeks
Role
Industrial Designer
Skills
SolidWorks Modeling, KeyShot Rendering, Human-Centered Design, Sketch, Personas, User Journey, Prototyping
Design Process
Research
Design
Visualization
Survey
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64% of American adults currently consume coffee every day.
79% of Americans prepare coffee at home.
48% of millennials consume gourmet coffee.
45% of US coffee consumers brew their coffee with a drip coffee maker.
U.S. is the largest smoothies market in the world with over 2/5th of the share, globally.
Global demand for blenders and juicers market was valued at USD 2,334.5 million in 2015, is expected to reach USD 3,320.8 million in 2021 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% between 2016 and 2021.
Reference:
Competitive Analysis
Strength
Weakness
Opportunities
Ninja
Fit Personal Blender
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Fast and efficient
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Durable
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Easy to transport and store
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No buttons or automatic programs
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Limited volume
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Size and price are suitable for people living in city, but it has very limited functions.
Magic Bullet Blender
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Very affordable
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Easy to clean
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Blends smoothly
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No buttons or automatic programs
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Low wattage that can't handle hard ingredients
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Size and price are suitable for people living in city, but it has very limited functions.
Vitamix
5200
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Blends well
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Sturdy and well-built
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Good control
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Very expensive
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Too tall
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Short blades
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No presets
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Variable speed control is helpful for making a variety of textures, but it is big and expensive.
Baratza
Encore
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Even grinding
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Durable, bottom-heavy
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40-setting grind size
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No complicated features such as timer
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Expensive
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40-setting grind size is handy for sophisticated coffee makers, but it may be too complex for others
Krups
Fast Touch Electric Coffee Grinder
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Very affordable
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Fast grinding
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Easy to transport and store
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Grounds will statically cling to the cover
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Particles tend to cake on the bottom
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Uneven coffee grounds
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It is easy to manipulate grinds fast, but the coffee beam tends to be uneven.
Reference:
User Interviews
I released a survey online to understand the causes and motivations of drinking coffee and smoothie/juice.
50%
33.3%
16.7%
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50% of people use pour-over to brew their coffee.
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66.7% of people brew coffee themselves.
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75% of people drink coffee for staying awake.
66.7%
33.3%
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66.7% of people drink smoothie for health.
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60% of people drink at least one cup of smoothie every day.
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75% of people drink smoothie when they are dining.
I also interviewed 4 people who are coffee and smoothie lovers to understand their motivations and identify their pain points.
I also interviewed 4 people who are coffee and smoothie lovers to understand their motivations and identify their pain points.
Highlights in interviews:
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I love to try new coffee beans and share my tasting experiences with other people. I also love to know about other people's experiences and discuss with them to find different grinding and brewing methods.
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The story behind the coffee beans always excites me. I love to acquire these stories and share them with my friends when I make them coffee.
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The quality of coffee powder from a burr grinder is much better than the one from a blade grinder, but the burr grinder is too expensive for me and I don't need all of its functions. Moreover, the burr grinder is too big for me. It takes up much space in my kitchen.
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I measure the weight of each ingredient I put into the blender when making a smoothie because I want to keep track of calories.
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I love to search for new recipes online, especially those that have health benefits. I also share these recipes with my family and friends.
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I carry my green smoothie with me to the office every day, but I sometimes forget to drink it before it spoils.
Generate Insights
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Based on the survey, coffee and smoothie have a large market in the U.S., and young people are the main consumer for these drinks.
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Based on user interviews, I found that people want to track their calorie intake, and they like to share and discuss their drink making and tasting experiences with other people.
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Based on user interviews, I found that single young people have demand for small and affordable burr grinders, and they also have a demand for preserving their drink and reminding them to drink it.
Persona
User Journey
Functional Map
Inspiration & Sketch
3D Modeling & Prototyping
Visualization
There are three main subsets in the whole package: Base Unit, Smart Bottle & Blender, and Grinder & Kettle.
Three subsets are packed in boxes made from recycled paper. Customers can choose what comes in the package based on if they want to make coffee, smoothie, or both.
The smart bottle & blender set includes a double wall Tritan™ bottle, a smart lid, a smart lid charger, and a blender lid.
Users can weigh the ingredients of their smoothie and record their recipes in the app.
Users can change the smart lid to a blending lid to make a smoothie. The blending function of the base unit allows users to set the blending speed to adjust the texture and mouthfeel of the smoothie.
The smart bottle contains three parts, a smart lid, a middle cap, and a bottle. The smart lid monitors the temperate of the drink, and it allows users to set up an alarm to remind themselves to drink it, or an alarm to warn the temperature of the drink is going beyond its' drinkable temperature.
Smart lid charger is a wireless charger with a UV light sanitizer to help users sanitize the smart lid when they charge their smart lid.
The grinder & kettle set includes a grinding lid, a kettle, and a coffee bean container.
Users can place the coffee container on the base unit and pour coffee beans into it. They can then weigh the coffee beans and record their recipes in the app.
Users can combine the grinding lid with the coffee bean container to grind the coffee beans. The grinding function of the base unit allows users to set different fineness of coffee powder for making different kinds of coffee.
The kettle can be installed on the base unit to boil water and maintain water temperature. There is a thermometer on the lid so the users can know the water temperature even when the kettle is removed from the base unit.