supportive hand mixer — Chloe Byrne

KitchenAid Supportive Hand Mixer

a hand mixer for those with diminished strength

sneak peak

problem

Hand mixers are one of the most popular kitchen devices used in everyday cooking or baking. They are usable for most, however, uncomfortable for those who struggle with medical issues in their hands/wrists. In the United States, 23% of all adults have a form of arthritis.

Older-Black-woman-rubbing-her-hands--Arthritis copy.jpg

case study

task analysis

A task analysis was done to observe the process in which Nancy operates a standard hand mixer. This was a useful way in depicting how long this process usually takes her and where improvements can be made.

benchmarking + market analysis

Benchmarking was done to look at the market’s most popular brands for hand mixers. After review, KitchenAid was chosen as the target brand to base form language and branding around.

brand language

A color palette was developed in unison with theirs, and major form features in their current battery operated mixer were distinguished.

Note: not affiliated with KitchenAid, simply a design concept

mood board

sleek. bold. contrasting.

problem statement

Design a kitchen hand mixer for those who suffer from diminished strength or agility in their hands/wrists due to a medical issue. The hand mixer will feature a secure grip in order to be held with ease as well as powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

form ideation

Orthographic views were drawn with an underlay of device internals before moving on to perspective views.

form iterations

After initial sketching, CAD progression helped to narrow down the overall shape of mixer/ handle placement.

testing prototypes

Foam models were created + tested with users of different hand sizes to test the ergonomics across a scale. After this, a refined foam model was made and tested before moving on to the final design in CAD.

orthographic views

Once the refinements were set, final orthographic views were rendered using Keyshot. The mixer tapers going down the front as well as across to the back to keep it lightweight and sleek.