MATCHA MATCH
MATCHA MATCH is a removable attachment made of silicone rubber to be used with matcha tea whisks. The Matcha Match provides a more comfortable and ergonomic grip for all hand sizes.
Skills Used: Iterative User Research , Color Theory, Form Design, Function Design, Photoshop, Keyshot, Solidworks, Cinema4D
RESEARCH
User Persona: Simone
Goal: To make drinks, of various temperatures, quickly and efficiently, without suffering from injury due to repeated motions
Frustrations: “My arm gets tired from preparing drinks.”
“I can’t always make drinks fast enough to satisfy all of the people that come in during the morning rush,”
“Sometimes the hot tea burns me when stirring the liquid.”
User Needs Statement
Simone, a barista in a very busy and pretentious Manhattan coffee shop, needs to quickly make hot tea for rushed customers, in order to perform well at her job and not be fired.
IDEATION
Assumptions about the user experience based on designer’s personal experience with using a matcha tea whisk.
Brainstorming: 25 wild and wacky creative solutions
USER TESTING
Testing was conducted using 4 models with 4 different users. Each user demonstrated their current process and then tested all 4 testing models and gave feedback that influenced the final design.
PARTICIPANTS & CURRENT PROCESS FINDINGS
Image of Vittora Espresso Hills’ owner using their matcha tea whisk.
Image of Setsugekka’s owner using the matcha tea whisk.
Image of Brooklyn Tea Shop’s owner using the matcha tea whisk with a callout showing how they place their hand inside of the end of the matcha whisk.
Image of Mari holding the matcha tea whisk in the same manner that she does to make matcha.
Vittora Espresso Hills
Compact coffeehouse teaming its java with pastries & other baked goods in brick-walled digs
USE CASE:
Coffee shop owner who occasionally makes matcha tea lattes.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Describes it as a “gentle massage” to the tea with the water doing the majority of the work.
SUGGESTIONS:
Handle could be a little longer, but no other issues.
Setsugekka East Village
Family-owned Japanese tea house offering matcha drinks & traditional sweets. Offering Japanese tea ceremonies.
USE CASE:
Owner of a Japanese tea shop that holds and teaches people about matcha tea ceremonies. Native to their culture.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Uses a tea whisk from Tanimura Tango, a very famous tea whisk maker in Japan. His family has been developing the tea whisk for over 500 years.
SUGGESTIONS:
No suggestions. User described the whisk as “perfect”.
Brooklyn Tea Shop
Black-owned casual Tea Shop serving 30+ tea variations, offering high quality tea, friendly service and expert tea education.
USE CASE:
Tea barista who frequently makes matcha tea for customers.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
User places finger in the hollow portion of the matcha whisk in order to have a better grip due to hands being too large for small tool.
SUGGESTIONS:
Handle should be longer and the “finger hole” should be wider.
Mari
3rd Year Master’s Student who has makes matcha regularly with her family back home in Japan
USE CASE:
Graduate student who makes matcha at home with her family frequently. Native to their culture.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Describes this whisk as similar to the ones she used back home and typically uses for matcha.
SUGGESTIONS:
Handle is “slippery” and “unergonomic”.
MODEL TESTING
MODEL 1
EXPERIENCE:
This was the least liked handle out of all of them. Users could not figure out how to use it. No one’s hands fit into the handle.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Two users pointed out that they wanted to use the model to stab using the model. Users found it bulky and hard to find. “The handle is too big for a delicate task.”
MODEL 2
EXPERIENCE:
This was the second favorite handle. Many users enjoyed the shape, but felt it was too long for use. Setsugekka pointed out that it made her feel disconnected from the water, which was a significant part of the experience when making tea.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Many users pointed out that they liked the material was great for holding the whisk and keeping it stable. The length did allow them to rotate the whisk better. Although, the experience user pointed out that the motion is side to side and not in a rotation.
MODEL 3
EXPERIENCE:
Users felt the handle was too long to control. It was hard for users to understand how to use the handle. One commented that they felt they couldn’t properly mix the matcha with the tea.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
One user pointed out that this design implied a hammer motion. The length would make it hard to store.
MODEL 4
EXPERIENCE:
Crowd favorite. This was created by removing the handle from Model 3. Users enjoyed this experience and commented that it was easier to hold, and allowed for better control/grip.
SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS:
Two users found the corners of the edges of the handle to be helpful in keeping the product steady.
DESIGN REFINEMENT
The testing models were updated to 3 new designs based on the findings from the user testing. This included creating a space for fingers to fit, as well as adding an indentation on the top to rest a finger. The final modification was creating 3 “nubs’ for the fingers and a final, smaller “nub” as a space for the palm to rest.
FINAL DESIGN
The final design comes in four playful colors and users a more volumetric approach. The target audience is one that uses the tea whisk at home or at tea/coffee shops that are not for ceremonial matcha. The findings from the user testing - specifically Setsugekka, the ceremonial tea shop, showed that there are different markets and price points for matcha tea whisks. Along with a very rich history and culture around the crafting of tea whisks by the Tanimura Tango family.
The Tango tea whisk costs upwards of $80 and comes in many different styles. The tea whisks used at home or at coffee shops average $12-$15. This likely also factors into why the design is not as ergonomic as needed. The ideal price point for a MATCHA MATCH would be somewhere between $15-$20. Since the cheaper matcha tea whisks will need to be replaced more often, the Matcha Match would be an accessory that can easily be removed and attached to a new matcha tea whisk once an older one gets replaced. This project was an amazing step into doing in-person user testing with tangible products and provided me with a lot of information about the matcha tea whisk, Japanese culture, and the intersection between economics, design, and culture.
Sketch model of the design created using pink foam, joint compound, and acrylic paint.
