sweet potato master
The Sweet Potato Master is a collaboration with Double Happiness Electric, a traditional Chinese kitchen appliances company.
watch the demo
Rendered in Keyshot
research
the User Interview
During the user research process, I was interested in learning what the company’s target demographic ate, as well as how they choose a healthy diet in place of refined food. Interviewees were diverse in nature: one had Type II diabetes, while another was a pediatrician.
Through the interviews, I learned that most of them thought that sweet potatoes are healthy, and had a preference for eating them.
insight 1
peel off = clean
Most Chinese people believe that foods grown from the Earth remain dirty no matter how much they are washed. They feel much more comfortable eating vegetables only if the skin is peeled off.
On the left, an interviewee shows me how she peels sweet potato before boiling it. She spent 10 mins to process all of them during the interview. She specifically squatted in front of the trash can because she didn’t want the skin to come in contact with her table or dishware.
insight 2
smell triggers appetite
Some interviewees preferred roasted sweet potato over boiled sweet potato, because they perceived that roasted sweet potato had a better taste and smell.
However, roasting usually takes 60 mins, which is much longer than needed for boiling.
During my research of the Chinese market, I found that a bespoke laundry machine was launched for farmers. This machine can actually wash and peel potato skins simultaneously.
the design concept
1 centrifugal peeling
Leave Your Hands Clean and Free
By imitating the industrial method of peeling potatoes, the process of pre-cooking is much more convenient and time-saving for users.
The rough surface inside promises effective peeling while maintaining the nutritional value of the vegetable.
2 steaming at 60°C
Research shows sweet potato tastes the sweetest by steaming at the temperature of 60°C.
3.1 steaming before baking
Steaming in a low pressure environment makes the sweet potato taste better. Baking it afterwards adds an additional caramel flavor to it.
3.2 choose caramel flavour
The strength of the caramel flavor can be controlled by changing the baking temperature.
