Our Findings | The Driving Force
There is always a human need present and as that human need changes (ie. through social and cultural progression) so too will the product change. There is also always a driving force, which takes various forms: cultural, health, a single person, or the advent of a specific technology.
When does the vacuum cleaner become adopted by the masses? What prompts this adoption?
Three major shifts happened.
- 1908, James Murray Spangler invented the first Upright Vacuum. As United States focused on the WWI effort, and there was less hired help. On a more personal level, Spangler suffered from asthma and needed something to contain particulate matter. This set the stage of ERGONOMIC design and CLEANLINESS.
2. In 1937 - 1940, those who returned from WWII were able to afford homes. Levitt Town was the epitome of the American dream and with renewed independence, people wanted CONVENIENCE, EFFICIENCY, and AFFORDABILITY. The Electrolux was bought by the masses.
3. in 2002, iRobot Roomba was born out of the tech boom. A hands-free automated vacuum cleaner promised a drastically OPTIMIZED CLEANING TIME. A start of the smart home industry.
Team Members: Renee Mascarinas, Fede Volio | Art Center College of Design
When did the cultural perception of instant coffee change? What spurred technological advancements?
1. Instant coffee was created out of necessity. WWI and WWII prompted the development of instant coffee that imitated flavor and aroma.
2. At home, instant coffee had a bad rap. If housewives were too busy to make real coffee, others viewed them for not doing their job.
3. In the 1950, baby boomers used their disposable income on travel. The Mason Haire study suggested that people wanted instant coffee that transported them back to their trips in Italy. The coffee perception started to change.
4. Instant coffee wasn't for the lazy anymore, but for people on the go and those with a cultured background. The technology developed to get as close to true flavor as possible. Welcome the Starbucks Microgrind.
Team Members: Mariana Somma, Tom Smiley | Art Center College of Design
As music retail sales plummetted from $14 billion to $11.8 billion and P2P downloading services on a rise, what was the future of music?
1. People stopped buying CDs. They wanted free, shareable, and instant. At the time Kazaa wanted to partner with the music industry stating, "Consider if the record industry actually cooperated with companies like us instead of fighting." But they were stealing.
2. "At the heart of the problem was a chasm between people who loved technology and those who loved artistry. Jobs loved both (...) he was positioned to bridge the gap."
3. Universal Music said "Jobs proposed this completely system. The iTunes store, the music management software, the iPod itself. It was so smooth. He had the whole package"
4. With a streamlined ecosystem of digital and physical products, iTunes was a huge success. P2P sharing sites faded and regulated streaming services surfaced.
Team Members: Mark Hummel, Fede Volio | Art Center College of Design
BY LOOKING INTO THE PAST, YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE FUTURE.
The future is unpredictable, but by looking at the macro and micro shifts, one can deduce a future scenario for strategic innovation. Key factors are identifying driving forces of trends and issues that will likely influence the future, who are the stakeholders?, what are the economic, environmental, social implications? What is the causality between behavior and values?
