Melody Hsu

Role
Industrial Design
Design Research
Product Design
3D Modeling & Rendering

Timeline
2 months
Winter 2019

Tools
Adobe InDesign
Illustrator
Photoshop
Fusion360

What I did

• Talked with 30 people about their lifestyle and use of the kitchen, mostly millennials and new grads

• Attended the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago to learn about similar products from different brands

What I learned

• Users’ hands often get dirty while cleaning sink and taking out the trash

• Sink often becomes clogged while washing dishes

• Products needs to be portable and easily cleanable

• Different kitchen and sink sizes

User and Product Needs

• Minimal and fits every kitchen’s aesthetic/theme
• Remove from sink to trash can without spilling
• Prevents sink from clogging while washing dishes
• Water flows even if the sink drain is full
• Clean out food in drain without getting hands dirty
• Materials – metal / rubber / silicone
• Promotes hygienic kitchen environment

4 • Current market, Inspiration & Mood board

I researched current products in the market both online and at the Chicago International Home + Housewares Show to see which options were currently available. Seeing and feeling the drains in person at the conference were helpful in determining which materials I would want to use in my own product.

5 • Inspiration, Ideation, & Refinement

I wanted to use cool tone colors to match a minimal and small kitchen setting.
After exploring many ideas and concepts, I decided on a 2-piece drain, which would have holes to allow continuous water flow even if the drain is full and cleanliness while emptying out and cleaning the drain.

Storyboarding

The Standard Drain vs The EZ Drain

By writing and drawing out the storyboards for a regular drain and the EZ Drain, I was able to compare the differences and show how the EZ Drain would improve users’ experience.

Branding
OYO – “On Your Own”
The goal of the EZ Drain is convenience and comfortability in cleaning on a tight schedule on your own.