The brief set for me was to design a refrigerator for the specific needs of the Indian market incorporating the latest technology with the expectations, desires and needs of the people. The project aimed at addressing some specific Indian needs, usage issues and spiritual connotations that Indians have with food along with incorporating more interaction with the product. I looked at the scenario of the refrigerator, and designed one that could be used as a lifestyle accessory as well.
The project started with initial research on the product, and the apparent opportunities and failures in the past. Since I was very new to the product, I understood the working and different types of refrigeration methods. I visited the LG manufacturing plant to get a basic idea of the production process. From there I went on to get some real insights from users and the market themselves. I visited three cities namely Cochin, New Delhi and Bengaluru. In all three, I studied the usage pattern and did a detailed analysis of the problems and aspirations.
The next step was to analyse user profiles and different user segments which emerged from my survey. Through these segments, I fixed on my direction for the design. Stretching and ideation phase started keeping the direction and trends in mind. Final concepts emerged from a lot of refinement in terms of form as well as function.
The refrigerator seemed to me a product with not much potential, at first. Then, I learnt never to underestimate anything, as there is always scope for more sensitivity, more thought and more finesse. As someone told me, most of the designs are just a beginning for another.
