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Product sensewarm-up
Design a refrigerator for a family of five.
How to approach it
Clarify who in the family uses the fridge and for what, then find the pain points of a busy household before suggesting any gadget.
How a strong answer opens
“Before I design anything, I'd ask about this family: how old the kids are, how much they cook, and how big the kitchen is. A family with toddlers has different fridge problems from one with teenagers.”
Outline of a strong answer
Try answering out loud for a few minutes before you open this.
- Ask about the family: ages, cooking habits, kitchen size, budget
- Pick a goal, such as less food waste or easier weekday meals
- List pain points: forgotten leftovers, kids unable to reach snacks, running out of staples
- Brainstorm solutions from shelf layout to an inventory camera
- Prioritize the ones that fix the biggest pain at a sensible cost
- Define success, such as food thrown away per week
Where this question usually goes wrong
Leading with a touchscreen or inventory camera before establishing which household pain, such as forgotten leftovers or kids who can't reach snacks, the design should fix.
Learn the method
The framework in one page in Module 1, Product sense and design.
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