Requirements research: from experiments to inspired ideas
May 2022How we explore our users' needs
The methods we use
Our remarkable results
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Where we get our inspiration
Where does the inspiration for a new or improved product come from? And how does this inspiration become the idea behind a practical piece of furniture? Here at Blum, we know that our top source of inspirationis always the people who use our products – our direct customers and those who use the furniture they make.
So much happens in the kitchen, which makes it a great source of resultsfor our observations.
How often are kitchen cabinets openedand closedon average?
How many differentkitchen accessories need to be storedand how many kilogrammes are movedback and forth every day?
How many stepsdo people take in the kitchen on a normal day?
We also take furniture users into accountin our observations and planning.
What requirementsdo they place on the furniture?
How can we make the furniture a perfect fit for their everyday routines ?
How can the furniture support typical activities?
These are just a few of the questions the team looks at, because their job is to turn empirical insights into practical products and functional furniture solutions.
These insights lay the groundwork for furniture that goes above and beyond. That's why Blum has a dedicated departmentthat analyses how people actually use their living space. We call it Blum requirements research, our team that puts the people who use our furniture front and centre in every analysis they conduct – so they can get to the bottom of how people really use Blum's fittings in their everyday lives.
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The global view
How are our products used, and what special advantagesdo they have to offer? It dependson many different factors. When we look at kitchens, we take note of cultural influencessuch as the types of dishes, what goes into preparing them and the utensils used, but also very personal factors. These might include individual shopping habits, the size of the household, lifestyles and cooking behaviour. While kitchens in different countriesmight look different, there are common featuresthat can be found almost wherever you go. These include furniture for storing food and dishes, a place for cleaning food and other items and an area reserved for preparing and cooking meals.
But if we were to think about living rooms, bedrooms or bathrooms, it would be more difficult to pinpoint common features around the world.
Right now, Blum requirements research is primarily looking at how people use kitchens in their everyday lives. This sees us travelling beyond Europe to locations around the world, where we analyse storage items, document workflows and look at specific needs in different countries.
The resulting findings form the basis for developing high-quality fittings that can provide enjoyment and satisfaction for the lifetime of the furniture – all over the world.
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Putting our products through their paces
Blum requirements research wants to gain insights that inspire innovative, functional furniture designs, and we use a wide range of empirical methods to do this:
Internal studies and product tests
give us a way of examining the finer points of our products here at the company before having them tested by actual users. Some of the tests in this phase let us draw conclusions on the influence of external conditions, such as temperature and humidity. We also conduct load bearing tests, on our products, which look at how many opening and closing cycles fronts can withstand and how much weight pull-outs can take without their functionality being impaired.
Kitchen observations
offer insights into how a kitchen is actually used. We want to know how users move about in the space, how often they use which furnishings and which items they utilise and put away. Objective data is recorded using video cameras and measuring equipment. We also ask participants to fill in questionnaires telling us how they use their kitchens. We've been using this method for over 15 years, and it's still generating surprising insights into what our customers want and need when it comes to planning storage space, organising interiors and integrating functional details.
Experiments with the AgeExplorer®
are a highlight of our work in requirements research. This special suit lets wearers experience older age and other physical limitations, including reduced sight and hearing, decreasing muscle strength and stiff joints. The AgeExplorer® simulates these impairments with straps and weights, goggles with a limited field of vision and special stitching.
After putting on this suit, test subjects can move about our test rooms, and in some cases their own home or furniture studio, and carry out everyday tasks. This lets us see what obstacles they encounter – so we can design furniture to support all user groups in any scenario.
Another advantage of the suit is that it gives test subjects themselves a new perspective on the furniture they currently have or will have in future, and encourages them to think more in terms of ergonomics.
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AgeExplorer® experiments
The AgeExplorer® in practice
The result: innovation, convenience, design
Whether you're spending a cosy evening playing games with the family, cooking with your friends or working hard in your home office, furniture is constantly under strain – and in ways you often won't even realise. Packed with innovative features , Blum products take convenienceto a new level in the home.
The functional lift, hinge and pull-out systems from Blum deliver enhanced conveniencewhen furniture is used on a daily basis in all living areas. Our products can be used creatively for innovative furniture solutions, maybe using convenient opening support systems such as SERVO-DRIVE and TIP-ON BLUMOTION. Ingenious furniture concepts like the mobile office, or maximising storagein micro apartments are all possible with Blum's various solutions.
See for yourself
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At a glance: this is Blum requirements research
Blum requirements research analyses how people really use their living space: How often do they open their cabinet doors? How much space do certain items require? How often do they move from point A to B?
We gain empirical insights by conducting internal studies and product tests, kitchen observations and experiments in the AgeExplorer– a special age simulator suit.
We monitor trends and obtain customer input to back up our analyses.
All this results in ideas for functional furniture that offer real added value by picking up on the wants and needs of real users which fit perfectly into everyday routines .