design immersion presentation notes

Here is a rough draft of notes for my presentation. I certainly need to work on the succinctness of my story ( improving the "crispness" of my categories, as you say) . Any suggestions? What am I missing that's important?



We can break down the category of small refrigerators according to two attributes of a product: capacity and "type" (my word).

The three types are:

(a) refrigerator w/ separate freezer
(b) refrigerator w/ chiller compartment
(c) refrigerator only

As for capacity, I've considered capacities ranging from 1.7 - 12.0 cu.ft.

Note: when I refer to "small" fridges I mean fridges around the 1.7-12.0 capacity.

trends:

+ capacity tends to determine a unique size (e.g. 4.3 cu.ft. fridges all have outer dimensions of about 21" x 21" x 34")
+ you can get capacities in many increments of 0.1 cu.ft.
+ 1.7-6.0 are typically advertised as "compact refrigerators"
+ 6.0-12.0 are typically advertised as simply "refrigerators" or "apartment refrigerators"
+ 4.0 - 6.0 are often advertised for "under-counter" use. They are usually 33" high, which is the height of ADA countertops.

+ at 3.0 we start to see true separate freezers
+ at 3.5 we start to see crispers
+ at 6.0 and higher almost all have crispers
+ at 12.0 and higher almost all have separate freezers
+ the number of models with crispers and separate freezers increases with capacity
+ there is a gradual evolution in size and number of compartments; it goes from "compact refrigerators" meant for snacks and drinks to "full-size refrigerators" meant for meals
+ capacity and number of shelves and compartments is the single largest differentiator between small fridges and large fridges. Canstor, chillers and top-recessed door handles are the only features designed with the small fridge in mind.


Here is a visual summary (click to enlarge):

























If I added more pictures of the many different in between capacities, you could start to see even more clearly the linear evolution from compact to full-size fridge. By this I mean that the number of compartments, new features and price tend to increase monotonically with capacity.



Players

There are a lot of players in the small fridge market. Summit offers the largest selection - they have models in every price range and almost every style. Avanti, Haier, Danby and Sanyo offer a wide range of small fridges. GE is one of the few brands that offers many small fridges as well as full-size fridges.

I haven't researched it much, but I haven't stumbled upon any interesting aftermarket small fridge products. I should probably look into food containers. I did come across several services that rent small refrigerators to college students.


Features


There doesn't appeart to be much innovating going on with small fridges, especially at the low-mid price range.

Almost every fridge has door bins/shelves and removable shelves in a main compartment . Almost all models have a door bin that can fit a 2-liter bottle of pop. Most have a recessed door handle and leveling legs. Many doors are reversible.

Most of the features found in small fridges such as various types of door bins, removable shelves and cripsers are all inherited from full size fridges. Moreover, there are many features present in large fridges that don't appear often or ever in small fridges. Also, the set of features of small fridges that seldom or never appear in large fridges is very small. Canstor, chiller compartments and top recessed door handles are the only features I'd put in this set. It's somewhat surprising that these are the only features I can find which seem to have been designed specifically for small fridges.













Technical Innovations

Some new performance features are Avanti's thermoelectric cooling and Summit's dual-evaporation system. Thermoelectric cooling reduces weight and maintenance (since its all solidstate electronics - no moving parts). However, it's not very efficient. I imagine that's why it's only used in a small number of models and only at the 1.7 and lower (such as small camping coolers). Summit's dual-evap apparently allows for an integrated true-freezer compartment within the main compartment ( a chiller that really freezes).

Design Innovations

The Soleus beverage cart and the Maytag skybox are like mini bars on wheels, intended for pool, patio and rec room environments. Summit, KitchenAid and some others make some expensive under-counter fridges that have drawers, icemakers and other features found in larger fridges. Danby recently came out with the GenII Canstor, which allows for easy access to individual cans.


hypotheses/observations

I've drawn the following hypothesis/observations, which are organized into groups below.


performance

people are confused, deceived or apathetic with respect to performance and reliability differences

+ students buy the cheapest fridge (for a given capacity and type)
+ brand name reliability isn't important; it only needs to last a couple years
+ buyers think chillers = freezers
+ energy efficiency isn't important to students; they don't pay utilities

market

there is a lack of innovation and specialty amongst small fridges

+ small fridges are for generic use
corollary: there are no small fridges specifically designed for or marketed towards college students
+ small and full-size fridges differ mainly in size and number of compartments
+ few features are designed specifically for small fridges (Canstor, chiller and top recessed door handles are the exceptions)
+ the biggest purchase drivers are capacity (associated with size and portability), type, price and availability


internal organization

small fridge users need/want more efficient, flexible and convenient organizational systems

+ fridge contents change with time; consequently, so do optimal interior configurations
+ reorganizing contents is a frequent chore
+ people don't reconfigure adjustable shelves (you have to remove all the items first)
+ crispers are used for long-lifetime, infrequent-use items, rather than the short-lifetime items they were intended for
+ single serving and other small items are common to fridges
+ people have lots of wasted vertical space in their fridge
+ food is buried and forgotten about in deep spaces
+ canstor is good for pop, but not for much else
+ people underestimate the fridge size they need/want
+ people try to put more in their fridge than it can comfortably hold
+ people plan meals and shopping lists according to what will fit in their fridge

college eating

+ students would cook more if they had more kitchen resources
+ fridges don't help with meal planning and preparation
+ college students eat and prepare a lot of unhealthy meals

aesthetic, social, reflective experience

+ fridges are utilitarian; they are not cool; they are not personal
+ fridges offer a poor aesthetic experience
+ food is an integral part of people's live: it is necessary, pleasurable and enjoyable; it brings people together
+ students learn to plan and prepare food for themselves when away at college




opportunities

My hypotheses/observations about the market suggest that the industry could profit by offering a product that says "I'm designed specifically for college students". As for designing such a fridge, I have the following ideas.

A compact fridge for college students should be:

+ small
+ inexpensive

Size is an issue not only because of room space constraints, but also because of the difficulty with transporting large items. The price should be relatively inexepensive because most college students plan on the fridge being a short term investment.

I'm seeing internal organization as a major opportunity for improvement. The compact fridge should be about organizing a lot of various food items in a little space. Removing and inserting items, as well as cleaning and reconfiguring the means of organization, should be:

+ flexible
+ space efficient
+ quick and easy

The fact that there aren't any organization features designed specifically for small fridge users might mean that no one has really tried to innovate in this area.

The last two groups of hypothesis/observations is stuff that seemed to transcend the current ideas about small fridges (as represented by the current market). These last two categories suggest going beyond an isolated product, towards an integrated experience.

The "college eating" hypothesis suggest a mulitifunctional, mini-kitchen. By this, I mean products that help students to plan and prepare meals in the context of college life. An example might be containers for organizing items inside the fridge which can be used outside of the fridge to aid in meal preparation. So, maybe the the new product should be a modular, portable container system rather than just a new shelf layout. Another related idea might be extendible space for meal preparation. Modular containers could help with this, as could collapsable countertop extensions. Yet another idea is to better integrate other food preparation tools and appliances into the mini fridge. For example, integrating a stovetop into the fridge body in some way.

These ideas about a mini-kitchen start to suggest a product that is truly integrated into the life flow of the user. The second category "aesthetic, social and reflective experience" is about ideas that go even farther beyond functionality. I'm still pretty hazy about what this could mean. Ideally, a mini-kitchen should support social interaction, such as sharing recipes or tips on organization as well as sharing meals and conversation. It should also support the user in actively designing their own personal mini-kitchen (if they so desire). Also, since food is such an integral part of our lives, it seems that it is especially appropriate/possible that the overall aesthetic experience of the small refrigerator be improved.

future research

Things I want to learn about people:

+ contents - what foods do they buy? what do they keep in the fridge? how do contents change with time?

+ tools - what resources do they use during the "food process" ( planning, shopping, organizing, preparing, eating, cleaning)?

+ eating and preparing - how often do they prepare meals? in what contexts?

+ social and personal relationships with food processes - what does this mean to people? what do they desire?

+ good and poor designs - what do users like and not like? what do they want?


In particular, I want to observe and talk to users who have a large quantity and diversity of food items in their fridge, and prepare lots of meals.

Things I want to learn about technical performance:

+ what are effects of packing a fridge to the max?

+ what are important issues with energy efficiency and performance of fridges?


Things I want to learn about the market and related products:

+ what innovations are happening with full-size fridges, with full-size and small-living space kitchens?

+ what are some other products that offer great organizing systems to copy from?

food stuff

I've talked with some group (ii) users, i.e. people who prepare most of their meals themselves and use a compact in place of a full size refrigerator,.  Several important attributes of items stored in the fridge emerged from these discussions, as well as from reflecting on my own experiences.  Here they are, along with some related hypotheses.


(1)  lifetime   -  How long before this item goes bad?

long <--------------------------------------------------> short
condiments                   bacon              fruit

+  short-lifetime foods are often forgoten about and expire when they are stored in less visible spots (e.g. drawers,behind other items)
+  people often store short-lifetime foods in more visible spots (e.g. upper door bins, front of shelves) to avoid the above situation
+  long-lifetime foods are often stored in less visible spots


(2)   frequency of use   -  Is this item accessed everyday or every month? Is it continuously going in and out of the fridge or does it tend to stay put?

frequent <-----------------------------------> infrequent
O.J.         deli meats      worcester sauce 

+ frequent-use items are typically stored where they are easily accesible (e.g. upper door bins, front of shelves)
+ infrequent-use items are often stored in less accessible places (e.g. behind other items)
+ vegetable crispers are often used to stored infrequent-use items, rather than storing the short-lifetime items they were intended for


(3) presence   -   Is this type of item usually in the fridge or is it something uncommon or unexepected to the fridge?

strong <-------------------------------------> weak
milk, condiments      grapes      leftover Chinese

+  strongly-present items tend to have established spots in the fridge
+  rearrangement is often necessary to make room for weakly-present items
+  new items move in to replace the spaces left by items that have been used up


Here some early ideas for design criteria for spaces:

+  must have quick and easy access spaces for frequent-use items
+  must have visible spaces for short-lifetime items
+  should have long term storage space for long-lifetime-infrequent-use items (given that quick access / visible space is limited)
+  might have reserved spaces for strongly-present items

Some other attributes of items were related to the size, shape and other physical properties of iitems.  These were:

 stackability  -  Does its shape, strength and weight lend itself to be stacked on top of other items? Underneath other items?

 flexibility/compactability  -  Can it bend and compress to fit in a variety of spots in the fridge or is it rigid?

independence  -  Is this a stand-alone item or does it require or are there benefits from placement in a container?

I don't think I understand these last 3 so well, yet.  I have to start thinking about packaging and auxiliary containers for storage (e.g. tuperware, plastics bags).   => More research.

Bonus Thoughts: It might be also be helpful to further break down some of the attributes.  For example, we could break natural-lifetime down into out-of-fridge natural-lifetime and in-fridge natural-lifetime, which can both be further broken down into unopened natural-lifetime and opened natural-lifetime.


Bonus Meta-Thoughts:  Several times, I've reminded myself that description and explanation are not the primary purpose of design.  Description and explanation are useful to the extent that it provides insight into what should be created.  Too much of an emphasis on  description and explanation, and we are entering scientific domains of inquiry.  So, as Lucas suggested, I'm trying to edit myself down to the 4-5  things I think are most important with respect to design, rather than aiming for comprehensive explanation and description of some specific phenomenon.  Through my training in mathematics I've developed a habit of formality and rigor that tends to emerge when working in areas other than math and science.  Clearly, formality and rigor can be powerful in many areas other than math and science, but only when applied appropriately.  Hopefully as the course progresses, I'll become better at avoiding getting locked down in mathematical and scientific modes of thought, and I will improve my judgement as to what is important with respect to design.  

what's out there, what's not

I've  been trying to identify different users and environments for compact fridges (I've started using the industry lingo).  For instance, retailers offer the following suggestions for where you might want to use your compact fridge:

+  dorm room
+  studio apartment
+  marine
+  mobile home
+  garage
+  rec room
+  outdoor pool / patio
+  office
+  restaurant / food service
+  lab / medical /pharmacy
+ ADA counter /assisted living home

Why are some compact fridges better for certain contexts?  Here's some of my findings and impressions:

  Summit and a few others manufacturers offer compact fridges designed and advertised to fit under ADA counters (32 inches high).   Some of these fridges (particularly the top-of-the-line models) have unique designs which seem well suited for people trying to use compacts as full-size fridges.


Summit Professional SPDS 3 drawer is ADA compliant, designed for under-counter use.  Price: $1599.00

  Custom/interchangeable panels, stainless steel doors and fine finishes seem most appropriate for certain office, marine, mobile home apartment and home uses where appearance is imporant.

      
The GE Monogram 2.5 cu.ft. is a top-of-the-line compact that accepts decorative panels.  Price: $1199.00


  Features such as exterior controls, front ventilation, door latches and locks, cooling fans and thermometers appear well suited for people who are mounting them under counters, for specialty applications (e.g. medical), or for people who like features for the sake of features.


The Norcold 1.7 cu.ft. is designed expressly for mobile and marine applications and features front ventilation, exterior controls, door latch and a cooling fan.  Price: $609.99

I found a few compact fridges that are geared towards game rooms, tv rooms, patios, etc. 


The Maytag SkyBox Rookie Fridge 2.8 cu.ft., designed with rec rooms in mind, features castors and a top compartment for drinks or food, as well as interchangeable sports panels. 
The Soleus Party Fridge Cooler also features castors, as well as flip up table and racks, so it can be used as a mini-bar.  Price: $299.00

A few manufacturers offer compacts that come with attachable microwaves.  These are designed with dorm rooms in mind.  There is a rental service that rents these models to college students at IIT and other schools.


Microfridge 2.9 cu.ft. 3-1 appliance. Price: $469.99


  Vertical beverage can storage and other interior configs designed with beverages in mind seem most appropriate for  rec rooms, offices, dorms


The Danby DCR158W 5.4 cu.ft. features twin GenI canstor beverage dispensers.  The picture suggests its well-suited for storing beverages.  Price: $259.00


These products I've mentioned above are somewhat exceptional; most compacts are designed  for  more general use.

At a glance, these 1.7-1.8 cu.ft. compacts don't appear to differ much.



Nor do these 2.9-6.0 cu.ft. fridges.



Nor do these 2.9-8.3 cu.ft. fridges with true (separate) freezer compartments.




Crispers, beverage racks, chillers and separate freezers seem to be the major differentiators as far is interior configuration.

 Notice that as far as interior configuration and shape, the compact fridges don't differ much from these 16-22 cu.ft. full-size fridge, aside from scale and number of compartments and shelves. 






Thinking about users broadly, we might partition them into two groups:

(i) People whose fridges must hold many of the meals they eat and prepare themselves.

(ii) People whose fridges hold mostly snacks, beverages and leftovers.

Most compact fridges seem to be targeted at group (ii), where the majority of consumers likely fall.   There seems to be a lack of  fridges tailored  to of group (ii)  users.

The compacts that are being offered all seem to be scaled down versions of full-size fridges.  For the users in group (i), this scaling may work fine.  If someone has lots of the same item in their fridge (we might refer to these as uniform users) they don't need to go scrounging around as much, and so organization isn't as complex.  Similarly, this is true if someone only has few items in their fridge (we might refer to these as sparse users).  But for users in group (ii), who are trying to substitute a compact fridge for a full-size (we might refer to these as complex users), this doesn't seem to work as well because the quantity, size  and diversity of the items being stored aren't scaled with size of the fridge.

I'm anxious to find more group (ii) users to talk with and observe.

prices, sizes and features

Here is a fairly lengthy summary of prices, sizes and features.

Price, Capacity **********************************************************

+ separate freezer models cost more for a given capacity
+ high end "under the counter" compact fridges can cost over $2000
+ 1.7-1.8 are $50-120 (Sanyo Walnut $220, Norcold $600)
+ 2.5-3.2 are $100-250 (Summit 2.9 $350, Scotsman 3.0 $820, Summit 3.0 3 drawer $1800)
+ 3.5-4.4 are $150-250
+ 4.8-5.5 are $200-500, (Lynx outdoor 5.5 $2000, U-Line 5.5 2 drawer $2300)
+ 6.0 - 10.0 are $300- (AGA 6.0 $1800)


Features **********************************************

(for the following, I considered 52 models in the capacity range 1.7-8.3. This seemed to be almost all of the models available)

General Interior

+ interior configuration is varied (though variation is often subtle)
+ manufacturers differentiate by int. config.
+ few int. configs are copied completely
+ for 1.7-1.8 are ~10 different int. configs available
+ for 2.5-4.0 are ~20 different int. configs available
+ for 4.0-8.3 are ~20 different int. configs available


Door Interior

+ Most use a combinations of swinging bar and rigid bar door bins
+ Some use a clear or opaque molded door bins
+ Very few have have removable/adjustable door bins

+ 2/3 have vertical beverage storage (evenly spread across all sizes, although number of cans varies)
+ Danby's GenII canstor stores cans at an angle for easy access to any can


Main Interior

+ all have removable shelves
+ nearly all shelves are wire (very few glass shelves, usually as a crisper lid)
+ 2/3 have adustable shelves

+ no fridges under 3.0 have crispers
+ some of 3.0-4.3s have crispers
+ most 4.8-8.3s and up have crispers (the drawers are all plastic; some are opaque, some clear)

+ most fridges have "chillers" advertised as freezers, which don't really freeze
+ many 1.7-1.8s have a half-width chiller
+ many 2.5s and up a full-width chiller
+ some 2.5s and up have a separate true freezer, which runs on a separate compressor
+ Summit has an integrated true freezer that uses a special "dual evaporation" system


+ all fridges have a temperature control (numbered from 1-5,7 is common)
+ usually located at the top right or left of main compartment

+some have interior light

Exterior

+ many/most have reversible doors with recessed handles, adjustable feet, and flush back design
+ some have a workable countertop
+ few come in colors other than black and white,; few have stainless doors, special finishes or paneling
+ few have lock and key latches
+ few have external thermometer

this blog is, at least in part, a journal

Several times you've mentioned that should aim to "tell a compelling story" , to simply explain what it's all about and to avoid the "what I did on vacation" presentation. I took this message to heart, and am very interested in learning design communication.

I was also thinking it would be good to keep a journal of my experience: to document my progress, reflect on it, and get feedback.

So, I plan to use this blog as a journal, and possibly also to more formally communicate my findings and ideas, as I might to a client or coworker.

early ideation

Here are some of my early ideas. It should be interesting to observe the evolution of ideas and to compare ideas from different phases of the design process.

One of the first things that came to mind was improving the flexibility of organizing mechanisms inside the mini fridge to minimize wasted vertical space and to improve accesibility and visibility of items. Things like netting, bungee cords, pouches, lazy susans, infinitely and easily adjustable shelves collapsable shelves,...



























I'm also interested in exploring how the mini fridge can support other activities, in particular those related to food. There may be a desire and opportunities for the mini fridge to become more than simply a box to store food in. For instance, on the sides of the mini fridge you could have lines, bars or hooks for hanging or compartments for storing pots, food and other items. Or you could have special storage units the secure to the top of the fridge.











There could be additional countertop work areas, that flip out or slide out. These could be used as a kitchen counter, as a dining table, as a desk extension, as a bedstand,....
Maybe add wheels, so you can slide it in and out from under a desk, or so you can wheel it into the lounge on your dorm floor or a party in someones elses room.






I'll try and keep posting interesting ideas as I think of them.

mini fridges

It took me a while to decide on a product. I've pretty much decided on the mini fridge. Here's some things that interested me in the mini fridge:

1) familiarity and accessibility

I've used them and found them useful (I seldom, if ever, use the other products). Also, mini fridges are ubiquitous at colleges (the other products seem much less common in the dorms).

2) complex interactions

The patterns of accessing and arranging items inside the refrigerator seem more complex than the patterns of usage for the other products. What is stored inside the fridge and how it is stored and accessed seems to vary quite a bit, even for a particular individual (compared to the other products). The exterior of the fridge also usually used like a piece of furniture. The top surface is usually used as a table or countertop and the front is sometimes used for magnets and notes. So, maybe there's some interesting ways to redesign the exterior.

3)"food" is an interesting topic

-we all need food
-we are all programmed to find food pleasurable
-most experience enjoyment associated with food , e.g. social interactions centered around food, or the enjoyment of preparing food

Studying how people college students store, retrieve, prepare share, enjoy and otherwise relate to food may suggest new ideas for designs (not restricted to a mini fridge).

I'll try to organize and post some of my findings about mini fridges soon.

new blog

I started a new blog because for some reason the old one wasn't posting to my main page.

immersion

I visited Best Buy and some other stores and also talked with some users. I've been spending most of my time searching the internet (mostly via Froogle, nextag.com, NexTag) for compact fridges and related products, and am trying to make sense of it all . Here's one attempt.
















I've been making a lot of lists of features, prices, sizes, etc. as well as questions, hypothesis and ideas. At times, I feel I'm suffering from analysis paralysis i.e. I'm trying to analyze too much stuff too thoroughly.

I'm now trying to organize and distill my lists to make sense of all this stuff. I think I'll post some of the current lists and thoughts I have, in part because I think it may help to organize my data and thoughts.