Cloud; Experience Ice-Cream...
The idea that inspired Cloud Soft-Serve Ice-Cream Machine is creation of a total ice-cream experience. Cloud is designed as an enhanced aesthetic and user-centred commercial soft-serve machine. Replacing existing boring machines, it encourages creativity from the ice-cream maker with its unique method of versatile ice-cream dispensing. With Cloud, up to six ice-creams can be made at a time from a choice of five flavours. Customers can be entertained with antics of the ice-cream maker, acting like a bartender, dispensing ice-creams and toppings customized to individual preferences. Cloud draws in the customer, the user, the machine and its environment. It is an exciting, integrated, enjoyment experience!
The Problem; A Missed Design Opportunity:
Design is a key element of products like automobiles and computers that are directly marketed to users. Why is it then that commercial products in customer settings appear rarely considered for design improvement? I believe this problem demands to be solved. I chose the commercial soft-serve machine to illustrate this opportunity. People enjoy ice-cream. Yet the machine in ice-cream parlours and kiosks has been forgotten. Why aren’t these commercial machines an integral part of the whole fun experience of dispensing and buying icecream? I set out to address this missed design opportunity with Cloud.
A Holistic Enjoyment Experience:
The first step to finding a solution was an ice-cream experience survey. It found nobody associates soft-serve machines with ice-cream experiences. Imagery customers associate with ice-cream did not relate to existing soft-serve machines. Photo ethnography, observation of ice-cream environments, target market focus groups and expert interviews gave added insight.
Next came concept ideation. A focus group of 12-13 year olds provided further ideation inspiration. Concepts evolved from paper to the wall, with full-scale mapping. Model making 3D test-rigs to solve aesthetics, ergonomics and proportion was a big part of coming to a final solution. I researched how Cloud would be manufactured using current technologies and wrote a business plan.
Eureka! The Final Solution:
Cloud - Experience ice-cream like never before! Cloud is the centre of attention in any ice-cream parlour. Five fridges, on full display at the top of Cloud, give customers plenty of flavour selection and customisation opportunities. The ice-cream maker can have fun dispensing, using two dispensers at once, with a different flavour in each hand. Revolving cone holders enable easy preparation of six ice-creams simultaneously. Customers have a selection from six favourite toppings.
