WILLIAMS-SONOMAexperience design

Hasti Khaki Jacky Chen Joshua Nicolas Mandy Wong Niloufar Kousha Nathan Lam

Inspired by the vision of the perfect kitchen utility, we designed a digital platform for Williams-Sonoma’s Open Kitchen line, targeting novice and aspiring cooks to support their passion and develop their culinary skills.

PITCH

WILLIAMS-SONOMA

Williams - Sonoma was founded 1956 in Sonoma, California with a focus on customer-centric service and handpicking high quality culinary products from

Europe for its customers. They engage their audience and markets these products through retail stores, catalogs, and e-commerce.

Open Kitchen, by Williams Sonoma, was introduced in January 2014 for a young, food-loving audience. Open Kitchen provides the same high quality and design

while the price range is much more affordable.

BRAND MODEL

SYMBOL

B R A N D

P E R C E P T I O N

E X P E R I E N C E

P R O D U C T S

P R O M I S E

P E O P L E F I R S TE N H A N C I N G C U S T O M E R S ’ L I F E S T Y L E AT H O M E ,

F O C U S I N G O N I N S P I R AT I O N R AT H E R T H A N P R O D U C T S

L U X U R YQ U A L I T Y

C R A F T S M A N S H I PH O S P I TA B L E

C U L I N A R Y P R O D U C T SE - C O M M E R C E

I N S T O R E C O O K I N G C L A S S E S

M E A S U R E D

S T A F F

r e p r e s e n t s

b yL U X U R Y P R E S E N C E

W I L L I A M S - S O N O M A

b u i l d s

d e l i v e r

S T A F F

r e p r e s e n t s

c a n b e

g u i d e s

b y

s h a p e s

BUSINESS PROBLEM

1,006. 068

994. 425

980.709

978.002

2010 2011 2012 2013

Revenue

Year

$USD

Williams Sonoma has been experiencing declining sales since 2010. This is due to increased competition, dilution of the brand and a lack of focus on emerging market segments, specifically the younger generation.

ANSOFF CHART

E X I S T I N G M A R K E T S

N E W M A R K E T S

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S N E W P R O D U C T S

E-commerce

Traditional cooking lifestyle

Luxury cookware

Print (catalog)

Expanding internationally

Partnership with other chains(Whole Foods)

Improve in-store merchandising

Affordable cookware for everyday use(Open Kitchen)

Technology implementation

Cost cutting (shipping rates)

E X I S T I N G M A R K E T S

N E W M A R K E T S

E-commerce

Traditional cooking lifestyle

Luxury cookware

Print (catalog)

Expanding internationally

Partnership with other chains(Whole Foods)

Improve in-store merchandising

Affordable cookware for everyday use(Open Kitchen)

Technology implementation

Cost cutting (shipping rates)

E-commerce

Traditional cooking lifestyle

Luxury cookware

Print (catalog)

Technology implementation

Cost cutting (shipping rates)

E X I S T I N G M A R K E T S

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S N E W P R O D U C T S

E X I S T I N G M A R K E T S

N E W M A R K E T S

E X I S T I N G P R O D U C T S N E W P R O D U C T S

E-commerce

Traditional cooking lifestyle

Luxury cookware

Print (catalog)

Expanding internationally

Partnership with other chains(Whole Foods)

Improve in-store merchandising

Affordable cookware for everyday use(Open Kitchen)

Technology implementation

Cost cutting (shipping rates)

We are targeting the younger generation (Generation Y) and other novice or aspiring cooks and food lovers. We are targeting them because Open Kitchen offers a culture appealing to this group that other similar price-ranged competitors don’t offer.

Similarly, they are an emerging market with increasing buying power and would constitute a new customer pool for Williams Sonoma.

AUDIENCES

- Tim Brown

“We build these bridges of insight through empathy, the effort to see the world through the eyes of others, understand the world through their experiences, and feel the world through

their emotions.”

METAPHOR

Kitchen utensil Hand picking elements

Our design is a cooking utensil for the aspiring cook. It provides essential support in the aspiring cook’s journey while providing and supporting an enjoyable cooking experience, similar to the chef’s knife. It is a must have in the cooking process.

The information and knowledge within the application are ‘hand-picked’ to suit the audience’s needs, reflecting Williams Sonoma’s tradition of hand-picking quality items for their customers.

Swipe left and right to view different cooking methods

USER INTERACTIONS

Swipe up to enter the equipment page of the cooking method

drag the toggle to select cuisine

Drag or tilt the device to view the equiptment from different angles

Touch interactions in the kitchen require wet or dirty hands during the cooking process. Users would often have difficulty with single touch interactions since it requires touching a specific area of the screen. On the other hand, a swipe interaction can occur in various points on the interface, making it easier to do with while cooking.

“Knowing how people will use something is essential.” - Don Norman

Tap a zoom icon to view a close up shot at corresponding text

Pinch to return or press the close button found on the top right

Drag to play video at comfortable speed, release to pause at any time

Place tablet flat to switch point of view to top down view of tutorial

CUSTOMER JOURNEY FRAMEWORK

P R E - C O O K I N G

Where can I learn about techniques and their origin?

Where am I?

Should I download this app? How do I navigate?

Will it have content that I’m interested in?

What is this being shown?What is this app for?

How many cooking methods are there?

What is Williams-Sonoma?

Can I learn more about these cooking methods?

What is Open Kitchen?

Does it have content that appeals to me?

Where can I get it?

What’s in the techniques section?

What’s in the tools section?

Can I see the tool?

Where can I buy them?

before use first use

Encounter the app through Williams-Sonoma website, print catalog and social media

Introduced or recommended through word of mouth from other aspiring cooks and foodies

COOK I N G P O S T - C O O K I N G

What tools do I need? Do I have them? Exactly how do I do this technique?

Will I do that again?

What are the differences in the method between the cultures?

Do I understand the directions? What other cultures are there?

What is this “Origins” option about? Am I doing it right? What other methods are there?

What cooking method do I want to learn about?

What are the steps? How was cooking with the app?

What should I cook?

Is it easy? Can I do it? How does cooking with this app make me feel?

Which culture method do I want to try out? Can I use this while cooking? Where can I learn about the method, techniques, origins and tools?

How do I do it? What techniques do I use? Is it easy?

Where can I go to buy the tools?

continued use

Navigational menus and process bars Videos demonstrating proper techniques

Explore the favored cooking culture

Relevant information on tools, techniques and origins.

Correct terminology

Feel you have control over the cooking process and you can master each technique

touch points

FEASIBLE DESIRABLE

VIABLE

Our project combines and uses technology currently available. Williams Sonoma will have the relevant information/knowledge within the company as a well established kitchenware company

Reduce material and labor costs Develops and supports sustainability measuresIncreases sales levels, brings in a new customer pool and encourages brand loyalty

Makes the cooking process enjoyable for aspiring cooks, the UI interactions are optimized for convenient usage in and around the kitchen when cooking.

VALUE PROPOSITIONOur project provides the opportunity for the aspiring cook to learn and experience the right tools, techniques, and terminology. It inspires the user and supports their exploration of the culinary realm. Through continued use, our project will become a learning and cooking companion for the aspiring cook, developing an emotional connection with them. Our application encourages users to develop their own culinary tastes, satisfying their reflective and aspirational needs as they build the image of being a food connoisseur and belonging to the foodie community.

Brown, T., & Tz, B. (2009). Design Thinking Meets the Corporation, or Teaching To Fish. In Change by design: How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innova-tion (pp. 155-227). New York: Harper Business.

Berger, W. (2009). Section II. Business. In Glimmer: How design can transform your life, and maybe even the world (pp. 45-211). Toronto: Random House Canada.

Maeda, J. (2006). The Law of Simplicity. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

Wilson, B. (2012). Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

Kapferer, JN., & Bastien, V. (2009). The Luxury Strategy: Break the Rules of Marketing to Build Luxury Brands. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

Eguaras, L., & Frederick, M. (2010). 101 Things I Learned ® in Culinary School. Retrieved November 23, 2014.

http://www.belizenewspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Powder-Bun-Belize-Straining.jpghttps://www.flickr.com/photos/markodanon/

REFERENCE