Induction cooktop design: A comprehensive User-Centered process
Induction cooktop design: A comprehensive User-Centered Process
From market landscape to real-life cooking insights
The project started with a benchmarking analysis to assess the main features and functionalities of induction cooktops available on the market. Based on these findings, interviews with real users — people who enjoy cooking and regularly use this type of product — were conducted to understand their experience and identify needs and pain points in their daily use.
What I learned from users
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Users had no clear reference for what low, medium or high heat meant — they simply guessed a number on the scale, assuming the middle one represented medium.
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When reheating food, users preferred the microwave for speed, even though it was not accurate (food was often too cold or too hot). Reheating on the stove was slower but more precise, as they could adjust the temperature manually.
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Most users’ cooktops were older models and did not include a timer.
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Users felt that boiling water took too long and mentioned the lack of a quick-heat function (especially when heating oil).
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They had no way to control the exact cooking temperature, which often resulted in inconsistent results.
Juan
34 years old • Computer Engineer • Barcelona
Behavior
- He looks up recipes online, in books, blogs, and apps…
- He likes to invite family and friends over for lunch or dinner and surprise them with elaborate dishes.
- During the week, he doesn’t have much time to cook due to her work schedule.
- While cooking, he tends to do other tasks or get distracted, so he uses a timer to keep track of cooking times.
Objectives and needs
- That the recipes he cooks turn out just like the ones you look up.
- Not having to constantly check, for example, when the water is boiling, or if the oil is hot, or how much cooking time is left.
- That boiling water or heating oil are quick processes.
- Being able to use more than one burner at the same time.
- Being able to cook larger quantities when he has guests.
- Being able to heat food quickly when he’s in a hurry, since with the microwave, he can’t quite get the temperature right and the food either isn’t very hot or is too hot.
- Being able to set a cooking temperature for food.
- Being able to clearly differentiate between low, medium, and high heat.
Scenario exploration
To better explore how users interact with the product, I defined several scenarios based on the needs and goals of our user persona. These scenarios allowed me to uncover key use cases, helping me identify both functional and non-functional requirements that the design needed to address.
Interaction patterns & design principles
Before moving into prototyping, I conducted an interaction pattern analysis of the cooktops studied during the benchmarking phase in order to understand how they worked and identify proven design conventions.
This led to a set of key takeaways that helped shape the prototype:
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The cooking zones must be clearly marked, allowing users to easily locate the inductor and understand its exact size and position.
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The control panel needs to be intuitive and easy to understand.
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Icons should be familiar and immediately recognizable.
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The system should offer auditory feedback (e.g. confirming that the cooktop is on or that a touch has been detected) to acknowledge user actions.
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Indicators need to use distinctive shapes and colors to improve readability and visibility.
Refining the prototype
After creating the prototype, I conducted a heuristic evaluation based on Jakob Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics to uncover and address potential usability issues.
Key improvements from this evaluation included:
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When a function is activated, an icon indicator appears next to the corresponding cooking zone, clearly showing which function is applied.
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A “X” button was added below the “OK” button on the function panel, allowing users to cancel actions or go back easily.
Final prototype
Reflections and next moves
This project strengthened my skills in Figma, particularly in applying interactivity to create a functional prototype that clearly demonstrates system behavior.
In retrospect, creating user flow diagrams before prototyping would have better illustrated how users achieve the goals defined in the scenarios, although time constraints prevented this.
The project concluded with the delivery of the final prototype after a heuristic evaluation.
Next steps include conducting user testing with participants matching the defined persona to verify the intuitiveness of the cooktop and uncover any potential usability issues.