Description
A personal Hot Pot combined with a lunchbox in order to improve workplace mealtime
Prompt
Design a food heating device that is portable, personal, or perfect in collaboration with the Chef'n ID team
Tools
Market Research, Competitive analysis, User Interviews, Sketching Ideation, Feature Refinement, Physical Prototyping, CAD Modeling
Timeline
10 weeks
The Hot Pot
The primary function of a hot pot is to cook different dishes including a liquid base like rice, noodles, soups, chicken curries, etc.
Aspects users consider when purchasing:
Research
I used multiple research methods to better understand the hot pot, and to find my target audience for this product.
Methods Used:
Initial Research, Competitive Analysis, Benchmarking, Survey
Research - Competitive Analysis
After becoming familiar with the hot pot, I wanted to see where my product would stand against other hot pots on the market, and where there was room for competition.
Insight:
There is a large open market for higher priced, small/individual hot pots.
Research - User Survey
User Group:
- College/working individuals who usually cook for one
- Sent to multiple UW college students
- Distributed to cooking pages on Reddit
- Posted on Facebook
- 122 responses collected
Insights:
A large user base of individuals who cook for themselves exists
These individuals often pick the easier meal over the healthy one due to their busy schedule and feeling rushed
On these busy days, eating and cooking occurs in many different locations (bedroom, breakroom, desk, living room, etc.)
The most important product characteristics are simplicity, easy clean up, and nice aesthetic
User Persona
Problem Brief:
Ideation
I sketched and did rough CAD models to explore different design directions, focusing on portability, simplicity and easy clean up.
1. Initial Form Exploration
2. Feature Exploration
3. Feature + Form Refinement
4. Additional Feature Exploration
5. Additional Form Exploration
Final Deliverable - Marmite
Marmite combines the convenience of a lunch box with the functionality of a portable hot pot, giving you the power to cook your own meals at work.
With Marmite, you can pack all the ingredients you need to make a delicious and healthy meal, then simply plug it in and let it work its magic.
Marmite is designed to improve the mealtime experience in the workplace by allowing you to cook healthy food for one without the stress and mess of the break room.
With Marmite, you can prepare your own nutritious meals right at your desk, giving you the energy you need to power through your workday. And with no need to leave the office or clean up a messy break room, Marmite saves you time and hassle.
Marmite comes packed with features that make it the perfect tool for preparing and enjoying healthy, delicious meals at work. With a keep warm function, a boil feature, a steamer basket, and a storage container for food, Marmite has everything you need to create the perfect meal, every time.
With its simple, stylish aesthetic, Marmite works for everyone - whether you’re a busy professional, a student, or just someone looking for an easy way to eat healthier.
