Sfera
Personal Responsibilities
I was responsible for the product and manufacturing.
I collaborated with engineers to develop a business plan
Deliverables
Product design and development
Manufacturing plan
Business plan
Executive Summary
I set out to design an alcohol infuser that is both functional and representative of the modern bartender in his bar.
I spent the majority of this project on product development, through ideation, sketching, prototyping and iteration. I, and a team of engineers, also developed a manufacturing approach and business plan.
Infusion sucks
Alcohol infusion is used by countless bartenders and amateur barmen at home yet the tools for infusion are either home made devices or overly complicated professional tools.
Through this project I set out to understand infusion, what it's users are looking for and how I can use the product development process to create a product that is manufacturable and has market potential.
Insights
From research I discovered three important insights. Firstly one of the driving factors of mixology is that quality ingredients created quality cocktails. I also found that these users are interested in experimenting and customization. Finally I found that these users value the natural process, including how long it takes and are not looking for a tool to expedite their process.
Sketches to designs
Throughout the whole process I designed many different iterations, in process, methods, shapes, volumes, materials and more. I always took my designs (either visual or physical) back to my users to get their opinions and feedback.
Final product details
Sfera is an infusers that tackles pain points and tensions that have not been addressed by products in the market.
It can be protected through a design patent to ensure it's uniqueness. Using insights from research I can also create a branded differentiation by focusing on the values of the mixologists. Finally, through a different class, we developed a business model that makes Sfera a product that is paired with a supportive community that enables experimentation and customization (highlighted below).
Manufacturing
The final cost of manufacturing (for 25k units) comes to around $15 per unit and allows the price of Sfera to be around $65. This price is comparable to similar products while also allowing for high profit margins.
Business plan
We developed a quick business plan for a peripheral service to enable Sfera users and create further differentiation. This optional monthly subscription service provides users with exotic spices that are hard to get by and recipes they may be interested in. Once they have found a couple recipes they've enjoyed they can buy additional ingredients from our service.