Air fryer ecosystem
|
Pampered Chef asked Volume to develop new concepts in the Air Fryer accessory category to expand their line of products. Below, we walk through the process that both teams went through to create innovative and top-selling new products, the Hand Pie Maker and Messy Food Maker.
|
Phase 1 ResearchWe had never used an Air Fryer before starting this project. Ever.
However, our good friends at Pampered Chef were kind enough to send us one of theirs to experiment with. Now we cannot imagine living without one. In this first phase, we started by taking an audit of competitive products already in this space. We took note of features, user reviews, and price points to get a feel for the existing landscape. Next, we created a simple Journey Map outlining the steps a user typically goes through to make pastries in an Air Fryer. This is where our test unit came in handy - we made a LOT of food in the air fryer to understand the current user experience. We also looked at "result types", the different kinds of foods and pastries being created by users to better understand the range of foods being created. The range surprised us, everything from pot stickers, to wontons, to unique seasonal shapes. |
|
Phase 2 concept developmentNow comes the fun part.
Based on what we learned from Phase 1, we developed a wealth of concepts. Here, we are sharing just the concepts that moved into production, but we created a large presentation deck chock full of bright ideas that was shared out to the PC team. The rest of the concepts are still in the client's product pipeline. These were quick, rough black & white sketches used to communicate our ideas rapidly and effectively. Hand-written notes were used to describe key features and a touch of shading helped the forms of these concepts to be readable. The main innovation for the Pie Maker at this stage was a new type of construction for this type of mold that allows the user to make 1/2 or full-sized hand pies with just a few simple plastic parts. The Messy Food Maker concept was a concept that came out of using our Air Fryer regularly. It was not on the brief, but we proposed the product as a solution that we thought was necessary. The client agreed. This is just one example of over-delivering, which we try to do at every phase of a project. |
|
Phase 3 Rough CAD & prototypesNow things get real.
We take the concepts the team was most excited about from Phase 2 and build them in CAD. From there, we create 3D prints to test and refine the product concepts. In some cases, like the Messy Food Maker, the concept depends on a material that we cannot easily 3D print or machine on a CNC. That's where we "kit bash", taking some existing products made out of the intended materials - in this case Silicone and bent wire mesh - and making a rough works-like prototype. When testing the Pie Maker 3D prints, we recognized the need for this mold to have its own measuring spoon. This gets the filling amounts just right every time and was a first in this category. We also added another first: the dough cutter feature. This ensures that you cut the dough to the perfect size for the mold every time. |
|
Phase 4 design refinementThis is one of our favorite parts: iterations, iterations, and more iterations.
We made lots of improvements and lots of 3D prints to dial in the overall sizes and shapes of these concepts. Ergonomic and usability insights drive the design at this point as we make the product the best that it can be. We created an opening in the top mold to be able to push the pastry out, something we learned was necessary from the 3D prints. We dialed in the volume of the spoon to give you JUST the right amount of filling for your hand pies. We spent a lot of time getting the "handles" right, so they give you plenty of surface area to push the molds together but the aren't TOO big. Lots of other little improvements at this phase add up to one great product. Finally, we completed the product specification documents calling out the materials, colors, and textures for production. |
|
Phase 5 PRODUCTIONThis is where the rubber meets the road.
It's great to see the products we designed making the world a better place. Both of the products that we designed for production are receiving consistently high ratings and reviews from real customers. "The first thing I noticed about the Hand Pie and Pocket Maker is that it's very well made and durable. Then I started thinking about all the different "pockets" that I could make, savory and sweet. My family loved the egg, ham and cheese pockets as well as the chocolate/ cherry pies. The pies and pockets were well sealed with little to no leakage regardless of the dough that I used. Very useful for parties, picnics, school bake sales… so many uses!" "I love how this tool has everything… the measuring spoon for the filling, the cutter to have the perfect size circle for the mold and the pie maker. It works great!!" "So far we have made mini calzones and mini apple pies and both have been easy to do. I appreciate the little scoop so you don't overfill. I'll probably end up buying a second one as I have two kids and see this being an activity they can help with as they get older." "This is the second one we bought- when we first bought the Air Fryer we got a mess catcher and it was being used so frequently that we bought a second one." |
|