Alone but not lonely : Developing a dish dryer for single households

Sammanfattning: Sweden has the highest number of single households in the world, yet the majority of household appliances are targeted towards other groups. In a society where single households and compact living are becoming increasingly present, the need for targeted products has become more relevant. The purpose of this project was to design a product which addresses these problems, and eases the everyday life of the intended users. The project was executed using several design methods, such as analytical, observational and practical ones, including interviews with a focus group consisting of 15 people. The use of these design methods identified that the biggest sources of concern amongst the target group were those related to the drying of dishes washed by hand, which led to the development of a dish rack with built in dryers. The design of this product was based on the testing of potential technical solutions and feedback from the focus group, resulting in a kitchen appliance that is uniquely adapted to the needs of single households with limited kitchen space. This design was then presented through sketches, virtual 3D models, and a physical prototype.