Interaction Design Institute Ivrea DFFN case study

Interaction Design Institute Ivrea

DFFN case study: Whirlpool Europe Interaction Design Institute Ivrea è Jan-Christoph Zoels è Silvia Gabrielli è Linda Norlen è Brussels, 20 th June 2002

Why Whirlpool è Leading Company of Domestic Appliances world-wide and in Europe è Consumer focussed è Strong investment in design and innovation è Project F: Research and design study on European future needs for clothing and fabric care

Project F: Fabric Care Futures è Forecasting consumers’ tastes & needs for the next 5 -7 years è First informed by an observational study of in-home behaviours by internal Whirlpool team è Around the activities of washing and laundry è Households in 4 European countries è Parallel ethnographic research on New Domesticity conducted by Future. Concept. Lab (led by Francesco Morace)

Goals for Project F è Provoke cross-fertilization between internal and external design teams è Pose questions that will influence product development in the future è Open the way for innovation within the company è Invite buy-in from internal constituents (executives, marketing, engineering…) è Test the marketplace

Process: The Research Level è Examples of trends identified: è EU countries differ about the place in the house where appliances are located è Shared positive feelings about “things being clean” è Brainstorming workshop with 4 design teams (1 internal, 3 external) è Global Consumer Design, Whirlpool Europe è Deep Design, Italy è Designkoop, Germany è design. RAW, USA è From research to design

Process: The Strategic Level è Trend research guided the project brief: observational study of in-home behaviours around the activities of washing and laundry; technology roadmap; design trends… è Proposals presented & discussed by design teams in multiple workshops è “New Domesticity” study: little impact on designers’ proposals? è From design ideas to 3 -D Prototypes è Prototypes as physical embodiments of forecasting è Prototyping delays deferred user testing until after European tour of projects

Emerging Design Themes è Awareness of the senses (relationship between body, clothing, and washing) è Organic forms è Tactility, softness of human touch, behaviour of human hands è Space è New relationship between products, spaces, humans è Open-plan living, flexible walls and transparency è Rituals, social interaction è Fabrics of the future è Water-less laundry è Environmental concerns è Networked home: focus on services and connectivity

Cleanscapes design raw Pulse deepdesign

Bio. Logic GCD Whirlpool Europe

OM GCD Whirlpool Europe

Body Box designkoop

Cleanscapes design raw

Project Communication è Hometech Berlin (February 2002) è Observed audience reactions (unstructured study so far) è Encouraged Whirlpool engineers to understand what design can do è Salone di Mobile, Milano (April 2002) è Exhibit tour in Europe (e. g. , Paris, June; Brussels, August; London, September 2002) è Book, CD-ROM, Web site è Feedback analysis & selection of ideas for production starting in 2003

Opportunities created by Project F è Widens parameters for design within this market sector è Stimulates coverage in the design and business press è reaches opinion makers è helps Whirlpool to become ‘top-of-mind’ in the design field è Contributes to starting new projects on related themes è Attracts new partnerships

Current Assumptions to be Tested è Difficulties in exchange between research and design teams è “New Domesticity” study run concurrent to design proposal, not enough impact on design è Designer bias toward aesthetic concerns è forecasting and research under-utilized è Difficult translation of research insights into actionable design solution è Effect of regulation policies in EU on innovation

Case Study development: next steps 1 è Investigate & document design forecasting techniques used in the project by interviewing other key actors è Vice President, Whirlpool Brand è Director of Communication, Whirlpool Europe (involved in Domesticity study) è Italian market authority è Members of research & design teams è Document range of design forecasting methods and tools used

Case Study development: next steps 2 è Deeper investigation & documentation of the “New Domesticity” study è Interview research lead Francesco Morace (Future. Concept. Lab) and country researchers è Evaluate opportunities & impact of Project F on strategic planning, design resources, product development, brand image, investments è Discuss case study development with DFFN partners

“ Research is not research until it makes a difference” Gillian Crampton Smith www. interaction-ivrea. it jc. zoels@interaction-ivrea. it s. gabrielli@interaction-ivrea. it