Delicious Design: Elevating the Dining Experience through Innovative Design Thinking.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the family dining table becomes a sacred space, a respite from the outside world. It is a place where busy schedules can be set aside, and loved ones can come together to share their stories, emotions, and opinions where the food is the catalyst.
Welcome to the world of enhanced dining experiences in the comfort of your home, where design thinking transforms your dining area into a haven of delight and connection. We will explore how the application of design thinking can enhance the dining area experience by, helping you create a space that reflects your unique style, accommodates your lifestyle, and facilitates memorable moments shared with loved ones.
Hi Readers, My name is Rajasekhar Burujupati, my mentor UX Anudeep Ayyagari assigned me an exercise on how to explore the design thinking process in transcending the confines of traditional textbooks. Get ready to unleash your creativity, break free from the ordinary, and dive into a realm where innovation knows no bounds! Are you ready to embark on this extraordinary adventure?
Choosing the particular area in a home
Imagine a gathering of ten brilliant minds, each with a burning desire to transform a specific area of their humble home. But there’s a twist! To claim ownership over their chosen space, they must unleash their persuasive powers, engaging in a spirited debate to prove why they are the rightful conductors of the exercise for that particular area. It’s a battle of words, a clash of ideas, and an opportunity for creativity to reign supreme. Who will emerge victorious, claiming their territory with a compelling argument gets to work on that area.
By going through the introduction paragraph, you might have already figured out that I had chosen and won to enhance the dining area experience in a home.
Key Takeaways from this Exercise: Debating through persuasion, Brainstorming, and clash of ideas
Engaging Users through Thoughtful Questioning. To gain insights into the dining area experience, I selected five individuals from my group and arranged interviews with them. Here are the simplified versions of the interview questions I prepared :
By asking these questions, I aimed to gather different perspectives and insights about the dining area from the selected individuals. While initially, people expressed satisfaction with their current dining setup, I delved deeper into the topic and managed to uncover insights about the issues they encounter in that area. In simpler terms, by asking more questions and exploring the topic further, I was able to understand the problems they face in relation to their dining area. With this exercise, I learned the importance of unbiased questioning.
The five User interviews I have taken and the key takeaways
Conducting Interviews (Empathizing with the Users)
Key Takeaways from this Exercise: User-centric approach: By actively listening to users’ perspectives and gathering their feedback, we gained valuable insights into their needs and pain points. This reinforces the significance of adopting a user-centric approach to design, where the focus is on creating solutions that address real user challenges.
Identifying Users’ Challenges in the Dining Area (Define the problem statements)
Through the conducted user interviews, I was able to identify numerous problem statements that reflect the challenges and concerns faced by the users. Based on the observations and insights gathered from the Empathize stage, let’s define and articulate the problems that can be addressed for each user from their perspective. By diving deeper into the users’ feedback and experiences, I was able to uncover the underlying root cause problems that contribute to the surface-level issues. Here are the problem statements in a simplified and user-centered manner.
Key Takeaways from this Exercise: The key takeaway from the Define stage is the significance of delving deeper and probing further to uncover the underlying causes of specific problems and the importance of precisely framing the problem statements.
Let the ideation phase begin! (Ideation using a crazy technique)
At this stage, it’s time to shift our focus toward generating solutions for the users’ problems. It’s important to note that we should refrain from jumping to solutions prematurely and instead prioritize understanding the problems thoroughly before embarking on the solution phase.
Let’s apply the dynamic and engaging technique called “Crazy 8” to each of the identified problem statements from the previous step. The challenge is to generate 8 ideas for each problem within a time limit of 8 minutes. Get ready to unleash your creativity and dive into the exciting world of ideation!
Initially, when we started the Crazy 8 technique, it was challenging to come up with even 4 to 5 solutions. However, upon revisiting the problem statement and recognizing it as a surface-level issue, we shifted our focus to identifying the root cause of the problem. As a result, we observed that the ideas started flowing more rapidly and effortlessly.
After careful consideration, I’ve decided to narrow down my list of ideas for improving the dining area experience in my home. Rather than attempting to implement all the ideas at once, which would be an endless project, I have chosen to prioritize three practical and effective concepts that address specific issues faced by my users. From these three ideas, I will select one to prototype and test.
The three ideas shortlisted from the many are :
Key Takeaways from this Exercise: During the ideation stage, several key learnings emerged that influenced the decision to focus on enhancing the core element (The Dining Table) for an improved dining experience. These learnings include User Feedback, Common Issues faced by many Users, The relevance this problem has to a dining experience, and also the Idea’s feasibility and practicality.
Working on how to solve the problem of Users (Prototyping stage)
During the prototyping stage, the focus will be on creating a tangible representation of the proposed enhancements for dining tables. This prototype will allow for a better understanding of how the improvements will address the identified issues and positively impact the dining experience. After considering user feedback, I have made a decision to focus on the first idea, as it addresses a common issue experienced by many users. Numerous users expressed dissatisfaction with their dining tables when hosting guests in their dining areas. Therefore, I have chosen to prototype and explore enhancements specifically for dining tables to improve the overall dining experience for both homeowners and their guests.
The idea I have devised is to create a slide-able extension for the dining table that can be extended when guests come over. This extension will provide additional tabletop space, allowing the table to accommodate more people comfortably during meals.There were many products in market where the extended part has to be stored seperately somewhere. I made my extension part to be with the table itself and with a pull movement of the sides of the dining table the middle extendable table part comes up with a scissor lift mechanism.When pushed back in, the table extension moves down smoothly.
Key Takeaways from this Exercise: Overall, the prototype stage helped refine the concept, address potential issues, and validate the product’s potential effectiveness in solving the identified problem. It served as a valuable learning opportunity and guided further development in the subsequent stages.
Getting feedback from the Users on the Prototype (Testing stage)
After creating the prototype, I felt content with the results. However, I understood the importance of gathering feedback from others who would be the actual users of the product. Therefore, I shared the prototype with my group buddies and sought their input on whether this solution would effectively address their pain points and solve the stated problem.
To determine if the slide-able extension for the dining table is a viable product, I decided to consult with the potential users themselves. During the session, I presented the prototype and explained the idea to them. However, instead of receiving immediate validation, I was bombarded with numerous questions from my group buddies. They debated among themselves, discussed the practicality, and even questioned the usability of the solution. This feedback session turned out to be the most informative part of the entire project. Now, armed with valuable feedback from the users, I have gained fresh perspectives that will help me study and iterate on the prototype accordingly.
After receiving valuable and actionable feedback from my users, I recognized that I didn’t have to address every single suggestion. Instead, I prioritized the significance of each feedback and focused on resolving specific issues of concern. With this in mind, I engaged in further ideation to refine the solution and enhance the overall user experience. As a result, I am now ready to present the revised solution to my users, incorporating their feedback and addressing their specific needs.
Prototype Iteration based on User feedback
Due to Time, Cost constraints, I had chosen to go ahead to iterate with two of the User feedbacks.
One of the issues identified by the users was the difficulty of moving the dining table for a single person to extend and retract it. To address this problem, I incorporated sturdy wheels with brakes into the legs of the dining table. These wheels make it effortless for a single person to extend and retract the table, while the brakes securely hold it in place when not in use.
Another problem that needed to be solved was the accidental sliding of the dining table mechanism. To tackle this issue, I enhanced the slider mechanism by incorporating a robust slider and lock mechanism. The slider stays firmly in place when the lock is not pressed, preventing any unintended movement of the table.
By implementing these modifications, I aimed to improve the user experience by providing easy mobility and stability to the dining table while ensuring that the extension mechanism remains secure and reliable.
Future Scope
I am eager to delve into the specific aspects that I had to disregard due to the limitations I faced. Given the constraints of time and available resources, there were certain areas that I could not thoroughly explore. However, I am enthusiastic about the possibility of revisiting those overlooked aspects in the future, as it would allow me to further refine and enhance the solution beyond its current state.
The journey we embarked on, working within the confines of time and budget, to arrive at a viable solution is commonly known as the design thinking process.
Key Learnings from this Process
- Framing Interview Questions: When formulating interview questions, it’s important to ensure they are unbiased and neutral. Avoid leading or suggestive questions that may influence the interviewee’s responses.
- Minimizing Bias: While it’s challenging to completely eliminate bias, it can be minimized by treating each interviewee objectively and avoiding preconceived notions. Be open-minded and receptive to diverse perspectives.
- Improvisation in Interviews: Recognize that interviews may not always go as planned, and it’s necessary to adapt and improvise based on the interviewee’s responses. This allows for deeper exploration of relevant topics and a better understanding of the user’s experiences.
- The root of the Problem: Instead of focusing on superficial problems, strive to uncover the underlying root causes. By delving deeper into the core issues, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the user’s needs and motivations.
- Problem-Focused Approach: Prioritize understanding the problem before considering solutions. By focusing on the problem at hand, you can identify meaningful insights that drive effective and user-centered design solutions.
- Thinking Beyond Surface-Level Ideas: Encourage interviewees to think critically and go beyond surface-level ideas. By asking open-ended questions and fostering creativity, you can explore innovative perspectives and uncover unique insights.
- Value of Group Discussions and Brainstorming: Engaging in group discussions and brainstorming sessions brings together diverse perspectives, enhancing creativity and problem-solving. Collaborative ideation generates a wide range of ideas and leads to more robust solutions.
- User Feedback and Product Focus: Remember that user feedback is about your product, not a personal reflection. Use feedback as an opportunity to improve and refine your designs, ensuring they better align with user needs and preferences.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my mentor, UX Anudeep Ayyagari, for guiding me throughout this journey and helping me become the UX designer I aspire to be. Their expertise and guidance have been invaluable in shaping my skills and understanding.
I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to my group members, Abhishek, Amrut, Chahat, Honey, Mamta, Rakshit, Shruti, Vasavi, and Vivek — @ g-1159. Their constant motivation and active participation in brainstorming sessions have been instrumental in bringing clarity to many of the concepts we have been learning together. Their diverse perspectives and collaborative spirit have enriched the entire process.
Thank you for reading and could you please review and provide feedback on my case study.
