Stand Mixer Remote
For this project, I was tasked with designing a remote to help a user complete a task. As long as the remote accepted inputs, gave user feedback and all the designed parts were injection moldable, we could make whatever we wanted.
I chose to design a remote for a KitchenAid stand mixer that let users set a time and power level for their stand mixer to run then automatically stop.
Emotional Design
In class, I read excerpts from Don Norman's Emotional Design book. I designed my remote keeping the 3 levels of emotional design in mind
Visceral:
As seen above, my remote matches the color scheme of the mixer. With the multitudes of color options, people tend to carefully plan their entire kitchen aesthetic, thus any mixer accessory must also fit the aesthetic.
Behavioral:
Based on user tested cognitive walkthroughs, the remote is easily understandable. The buttons will latch when depressed allowing the user to see the input they selected, The power wheel has a little window displaying the power level. Haptic feedback lets the user know whether the remote properly processed the inputs and when the mixer has finished the task.
Reflective:
This remote will hopefully bring confidence and joy to the user because they will be less likely to over mix their batters and doughs. As see in the picture, the right overmixed cupcake looks significantly less appetizing, and the texture is definitely not cupcake like. By helping the user not overmix their dough, the users can make better baked goods, thus boosting their baking confidence while also allowing them to share tasty things with their friends and families.
For the physical product, I only had to prototype one input and one output combined mechanism. I soldered a simple circuit with a battery, a button and a haptic motor. All of the other input functions were created as dummies for cosmetic effect. Because the class didn't have access to actual injection molding sources, we 3D printed all of our pieces.
