Office coffee often sucks
Usually offices don't get the best rep for their coffee maker, and even the companies that provide quality coffee machines for employees to use fail because those employees do not know how to properly use the machines or do not have the time to brew a proper cup.
I was asked to help design a machine that would solve the terrible office coffee problem while also looking good and serving as a statement piece in the office.
Competitive analysis of already existing products
We analysed multiple popular coffee machines and how users use them, and we observed that usually machines have a central control panel in the middle of the machine, and they are used by people while standing.
Needs and wants
After conducting user interviews with both potential subscribing companies and the employees of those companies, we learned that they both wanted a hassle-free product and to save time while using it. The company wanted employees to spend less time in the break room, and employees wanted to spend less time brewing a decent cup of coffee.
Better coffee & coffee machine in the office
I hypothesised that by creating a beautiful and easy-to-use product, the companies subscribing to this service will have happier employees as they won't have to leave the office to get their favourite coffee, but it would also save time and money for both the company and the employee.
I worked with a team of engineers who were putting all the internal components together that would enable users to choose from a list of predefined recipes of coffee-based drinks or create their own personalised brews by choosing from the ingredients available inside the machine: cafeinated or decaf coffee and six different toppings and syrups that they could combine however they wanted.
Designing a familiar yet unique product, both beautiful and easy to use
The stakeholders were all vehicle (cars, planes, tanks, and more) junkies who really loved the classics, so I knew that I had to draw inspiration from classic vehicle design. I was given the rough dimensions for the box that needed to fit all the internal components, and I had to design around them. After analysing the findings from the discovery phase, I opted for the following design decisions:
- A central touch display in the middle of the machine is tilted up for better viewing angles for standing use.
- All coffee and syrup recipients will be placed on top of the machine and made from a clear material for better visibility of the amounts and contents inside the recipients.
- Wood and stainless steel as the main materials for a premium feel with round edges and organic forms emphasise a friendly and approachable machine.
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First iteration
Focus on one thing
After multiple concept sketches on paper and working closely with the engineers to translate the 2D sketches on paper to 3D in digital, we reached the design below. It has an elevated wooden console for the touch display in the middle and all the recipients visible on top, while the water and discarded coffee grounds recipients would be hidden inside the case but easily reachable by opening the side doors.
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Second iterations
The need for more
After the development of the first working prototype of the machine and testing, we realised that the ingredients would replenish too quickly for such a machine to be feasible to use in an office. The engineers went back to their drawing board and came up with new dimensions for all containers to better suit the office environment.
The new dimensions meant a bigger box was needed to fit all the components, and I had to go back to the drawing board as well.
After a while, the second prototype was designed and built by the engineering team. This bigger form factor was the winner.
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Third iterations
Optimisation
The second prototype was a success, but it had some issues, as some parts were difficult to manufacture, especially on a larger scale, and it swayed too much from the initial vision.
I drafted a new design that would be built from a single sheet of stainless steel in the middle of the machine with cutouts for the different components and bent to shape. As for the sides, those were made from two wooden panels with doors for easy access to the internal components. The last iteration was easy to assemble while keeping the original vision and also catering to the needs of our users.
Simplicity is key
The interface for this coffee machine had to be easy to use and react to the user's actions. For the first iteration, I chose to use Google’s Material Design guidelines, as the developers were already using Material Design libraries to develop the app, and we wanted to have a functional app on the coffee machine as soon as possible.
The app was available on the coffee machine console as well as a downloadable app for iOS and Android. In the beginning, the app had limited functionality, with the user being able to pick from a list of predefined recipes, modify the recipes according to their tastes, or create their own recipes from the app on their mobile phone.
Scaled services
As we had the physical design in place, the next step was to develop the apps further. Improve user functionality and provide an admin platform to make the procurement process easier for offices that subscribe to our service.