Does not meet space constraints
No existing product really takes into account the drain, plumbing, or diversity of furniture.
The space therefore remains underutilized, poorly adapted, and rarely optimized.
Verra
5 months
4 members
New storage system
Brief
What can be an optimized space for the under the sink storage ?
Objectifs
Our goal for this project was to move away from the initial brief, which focused heavily on product design, and instead put the user, their needs, fears, and expectations first in order to propose a solution that would change their habits in the kitchen.
Current problem
The space under the sink is often misunderstood. Many consider it dirty, damp, and unhygienic.
However, this space is now clean and is only used to store cleaning products or trash cans for fear of using it for other purposes.
The space is rarely cleaned, is disorganized, and therefore causes users to lose a significant amount of storage space in their kitchen.
How can we help them reclaim this space?
Research
I organized card sorting workshops with our users to determine what they stored under their sinks, how they stored it, and how to classify items in order of importance.
I have also planned a card sorting workshop with my team to classify our insights.
Finally, we interviewed our users and organized a shadowing session to observe their habits in the kitchen.
Pain points / Insights
The atmosphere discourages use
The visible drain trap, the fear of moisture, dirt, and potential intervention in the event of a leak create a "bad," even repulsive atmosphere.
This atmosphere encourages disorder and lack of maintenance.
Perceived as secondary and unusable
Users all think that this space is "naturally" disorganized and impossible to improve.
They therefore abandon any attempt at sorting or organizing it.
An ideal place for storage
Its discreet nature allows it to conceal unsightly activities (waste, compost, dirty water, etc.) while also serving as a place for interaction (cooking, family time, education).
Untapped potential for creating uses consistent with new household habits.
New expectations
Current ideals (zero waste, KonMari, open kitchens) contrast with the under-sink, the only "dirty" space that is tolerated, revealing a gap between values and reality.
Need for flexibility
Between variations in dimensions, siphon obstacles, and very different uses, only a highly adjustable solution will suffice.
Adaptability must be integrated from the design stage onwards.
Persona
Laura
30 yo, sensitive to zero-waste values, sustainability, and trends
She wants:
- a clean, organized kitchen that reflects her ecological values;
- to optimize every area, even difficult spaces;
- to avoid clutter and the unpleasant appearance of the area under the sink (perception of dirt, visible plumbing).
She therefore represents a user who is:
- modern, committed to a sustainable lifestyle;
- sensitive to the aesthetics of her kitchen, which has become an open social space;
- motivated to adopt a simple, adaptable, and attractive solution that gives new meaning to the space under the sink.
Brief precision :
Many homeowners perceive the under the sink area as disorganized and secondary. Therefore how might we design an organizational solution that brings interest and highlights the untapped potential of the space. So that they can be more organized and fully maximize the space within ?
Creativity phase
Axe 1
Modularity
Storage Island
Axe 2
Ambiance
Circular composting
Axe 3
Family interaction
Tokimeku "Spark joy"
Storage Island
preconcept
model by Bryce Lim, Sketch by Victor Lefebvre
In order to best meet the needs of our users, we chose a modular approach and developed a concept aimed at offering storage that could be adapted to any sink base and that all users could modify to suit their needs.
User journey
Prototype website
The principle behind our solution is a customizable structure designed to fit under any sink. It comes with various magnetic modules that allow you to customize the structure to suit your specific needs and situation.
We wanted to develop the user experience as much as possible, which is why, alongside the ideation process, I created a sales website where users could test the solution and order the structure and its modules.
This fully usable Figma prototype simulates the user journey when purchasing a Verra shopping cart. It uses the variable system in Figma to allow users to click on items and choose different modules and colors to place them wherever they want, simulating the customization of a real sales site.