Nicho Cup

Project is gold winner 2022/23

Nicho Cup

Inspiration: The real story inspired us to come up with this cup. we observed our colleagues during our break times in a workshop. They commonly preferred to watch some videos after their drink; for this purpose, they lent their phones against their cups, but their phones fell and disrupted their break after a few seconds. It was surprising to see repetitive conduct every day, and it made us think about possible solutions. This was the first spark to come up with this multifunctional cup.

Project Description: This distinct cup emphasizes considering the usage scenario. It has a part like a shelf that is dedicated to putting a spoon, chocolate, etc. on it to help better table design. The cup’s shape has been designed in a way that reduces the cooling time as it is angled, and this affords a greater rim to assist the drink gets cold faster. In addition, some people are willing to use the cup as a stand for leaning their phones against it; So, a small niche has been considered to fulfill this demand.

Operation: This ceramic cup is an easy-to-hold and multifunctional product. The user can enjoy the amenities of this product before, while, and after using it. The embedded edge provides a place for cutlery or chocolate, moreover, it can function as a mobile holder. What distinguishes this cup is that it is not just simply a cup, which makes it a phenomenon that stimulates the user to have one. Furthermore, giving the user multiple values and features all in a single product is worthwhile.

Production: This cup is made of ceramic, and the surface finish is in two glossy and matte texture versions. Its natural and warm texture makes the user feels good while holding it. The ceramic molding method is challenging because these asymmetric products need a multi-part mold. on the other hand, it is affordable and produces an appealing outcome.

Research Abstract: The double-diamond method has been used as the design method. First, valuable data was gathered with the help of indirect observations, questionnaires, Interviews, and think-aloud techniques. Then, storyboards and personas were used as data representation methods. The product was defined as a multifunctional product that could fulfill different needs while their journey of using it. The manufacturing process started after the prototyping step, different finishes were applied to the final products, and the last evaluation was done by testing the product with users and receiving feedback.

Challenge: The asymmetric shape of this cup makes it difficult to mold. It is especially challenging to achieve stable quality when producing many products. One challenging factor was considering the right size for the edge that neither makes the phone falls nor makes the washing process hard. The other concern was considering the right dimension for the prototype and estimating the size adjustments and tolerances while the molding process.

Project duration and place: The project started in August 2020 in Iran and finished in August 2021. It was presented as an Academic project in August 2021.

Nicho Cup

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