Simple Tech. Kitchen Scale. 2014.

Overview

3D rendering of a kitchen scale. Base is circular with an offset smaller circle at the top, to create a slight incline in the front. Front has a digital screen, a tare button on the left, up and down arrow buttons on the right, and a select / cancel button below. Scale is also concave at the top, to fit a round bowl with handle and pour spout.
Problem Statement: Design a kitchen scale that is both easy to use and encourages cooking among college aged users.
Ingredient Weight Database:
  • Calculates both cup and metric measurements.
  • Weigh different ingredients in same bowl.
  • Includes most commonly used ingredients.
Computer Aesthetic:
  • Aimed at STEM majors.
  • Gives familiar feeling to kitchen environment.
  • Encourages cooking and kitchen use.
Removable Bowl:
  • Allows turning of bowl during mixing.
  • Helps pour batter with built in spout.
  • Aids in moving food and clean up.

User Observations

Sugar jar with measuring cup stuck in the opening.
Measuring cup did not fit, needed to get new cup.
User carefully leveling off flour with finger.
Close attention to flour and sugar measures.
User pouring vanilla extract straight into bowl.
Some ingredients not measured. Deemed “good enough”.
Plastic bowl full of half mixed cookie dough.
A lot of force went into mixing. Commented she was “afraid to break the bowl”.
User mixing cookie dough.
Ingredients spilled during mixing.
Bowl full of cookie dough on table in living room.
Bowl placed in the living room for consumption.

2D and 3D Sketch Examples

Marker sketches. Different shaped bowls and bowl handles, including interface on bowl and flat-bottomed bowl.
Bowl ideation.
Marker sketches. Different shaped scales, including flat at the top, rectangular, and interface to the side of the bowl.
Scale ideation.
Rough 3D sketches made of foam core and foam board insulation.
Life size models to get an idea of shape and size.
Rough 3D sketch of bowl in scale.
Testing out bowl rotation.

Refined Foam Model

Life size painted high density foam model of scale and bowl. Includes example interface and icons on buttons.

Interface Design

screen flow chart
Blank screen when off. Pressing the tare button displays the ingredient selection screen. The select/cancel button brings up the measurement screen in both cups and metric. When done measuring an ingredient, pressing the select/cancel button again brings user back to the ingredient selection screen.
Circular button with an Icon of circle with a line through it.
On button and tare to zero out the current measurement.
Two square buttons with up and down triangles.
Up and down arrows.
Circular button with icon of a green checkmark crossing an elongated arm of a red X.
Select / cancel button in case of misclicks.
3D rendering of kitchen scale.
Timed off function.