Product Design of a Measurement Solution for Cooking & Baking

Abstract: This report is part of a Master Thesis Project in Mechanical Engineering with Industrial Design at the Faculty of Engineering LTH at Lund University. The project was performed in collaboration with Hammarplast Consumer Ab, a Swedish company founded in 1947 manufacturing household items in plastic. Hammarplast Consumer Ab is part of the Orthex group, which is the leading Nordic company within the field of household items. The goal of this project was to design and develop a consumer product for measuring dry and liquid ingredients in the context of cooking and baking. The project concerned the design of appearance and functionality as well as technical requirements and considerations. The preparation of cuisine always requires measuring to some extent. Recipes provide guidelines for inexperienced chefs with instructions and quantities of the ingredients that make up a meal. The act of cooking relates to cultural identities and traditions. The project commenced with an exploration of the concept of measuring and measurement systems. Further investigation into the attitudes of chefs at home and professionals followed. Interviews and observations were used to gain knowledge of the user, the environment and context in which cooking and measuring of ingredients is performed. A market analysis of products for the kitchen and brands operating in the field of kitchen appliances was performed. The market research revealed a saturated market and presented a challenge to come up with an innovative solution. Knowledge gained from observations and interviews was the point of departure for the ideation process. A persona was formed to gain a clear target for aesthetic and functional design considerations. Initial concept designs were further developed through subsequent evaluations with supervisors at Hammarplast Consumer Ab and the division of Industrial Design and Machine Design at Lund University. Among four concepts presented at the mid-point of the project, two were further developed. The final concept was decided upon in discussions with the company. The result of this thesis is a production-ready design concept for measuring of dry and liquid ingredients. A user-centered design process revealed that measuring devices present an interface between users and ingredients. This insight led to innovative features in the final product.