Heirloom is a product system consisting of a kitchen utensil, thermal imaging camera and an app. It allows students to recreate their family recipes, just like mama makes. It encourages the maintenance of family and cultural connections, mitigating those feelings of homesickness. Heirloom brings home to the kitchen.

Personas

Alex Chen

19 Years Old

International Student at University of Derby

Ah Lam Chen

49 Years Old

Mother of two

Lives in Singapore

At their core, personas are about creating products with a specific user in mind. A deep understanding of my target audience was fundamental to creating Heirloom. My personas helped to create understanding and empathy with my end-users: the international student and their family abroad.

“Personas consolidate archetypical descriptions of user behaviour patterns into representative profiles, to humanise design focus, test scenarios, and aid design communication” (Cooper, A. (2004)

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are people who have the power either to affect or be affected by the design project.

The stakeholder map was a good visual to identify who I was trying to satisfy when designing Heirloom.

Brand experience map

The journey map helped me understand how customers interact with and feel about the brand: every point they engage with the brand and their impressions of each interaction – especially those that occur before they decide to make a purchase.

Brand personality

It was especially important to set the tone for my brand. After understanding my users’ needs and wants, defining a brand that resonates with them was crucial in creating a product that they would want to buy. Personality traits such as comforting and reliable can help build customer confidence.

Colour palette

The colour palette was defined from the brand personality guidelines. As my user group varies in ages and genders, and will be used in multiple types of kitchens, a relatively neutral palette was required. The shades of purple and grey evoke feelings of calm and family, according to colour philosophy. Black accents create contrast, making specific features stand out.

The two colourways reflect the relationship between parent and child.

The product system

Designing a cohesive product system creates a recognizable brand identity. Product colours, contours, and materials are harmonious. The app colour scheme and typefaces adhere to the brand guidelines. Materials are soft touch, and there are no harsh edges / corners, which represents the brand personality.

  • The utensil

    Haptic feedback | LED indication | On-screen prompts | interchangeable utensil heads

  • Interchangeable utensil heads

    Versatile | Dishwasher safe | quick and easy to swap out while cooking

  • Friction fit

    Push and pull to change utensil heads easily

  • The camera

    Fully adjustable angle | Suction pad to stick to wall/ exhaust without damage to paint. | Thermal imaging provides accurate temperature comparisons to follow. | Camera hood protects from steam + grease splashes and can be removed to clean.

  • The charging station

    Doubles as a phone stand to avoid greasy stains while using the app

  • The app

    Record + share family recipes | Temperature matching | Ingredient finder | Video calling | Send love

The UX

Wire-framing

The student journey

The parent journey

Mid-fidelity prototype

Setup

Parent

Student

High-fidelity prototype

Interface UX

Prototyping + User testing

Key changes from user testing

  1. A “share to feed” option on the app. This can be within the family or to the wider community.

  2. LED combinations for connecting to the bluetooth and turning the product on. This must be indicated on the screen too.

  3. Suction cup option on camera to attach to wall safely and damage free.

  4. Low charge indication + voice confirmation of connections

Design for manufacture

  • Exploded view

    Liquid silicone rubber handle | LCD screen | Nylon utensil head

  • Utensil components

    Wireless charging coil | Bluetooth module | LiPo battery | Waterproof gasket | PCB | Haptic motor | Thermistor

  • Utensil DFM

    Injection moulded | Lip + groove | Gasket | Screw bosses | Ribs | 3mm wall thickness | Boss extrudes

  • Camera components

    Steel joint | ABS casing | Acrylic lens

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Path
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Equilibrium