Analysis

Brand Analysis

The first step taken was defining the brand to be used as inspiration. Based on guidance from the PCV Group, it was decided to base our product in the coffee brand L'Or. To translate its image and purpose into concrete aspects and a rationale to be followed, brand analysis was carried. From that, the main aspects behind the brand were discovered:

• focus on serving coffee as a sensory experience;

• delivering luxury and sophistication to the customer at a reasonable price;

• attention to their French roots and artesian coffee craft (a "golden standard")

• color palette: black and golden, with strong metallic accent colors in the capsules [1]

Target Group

The target group, following the brand's positioning in the market and the requirements given by the PVC Group, was defined as workers/ businesspeople from ages 25-50. They would have a more stable financial condition and a busy schedule, which would make them appreciate a calm and rich experience with a coffee cup of quality to help them relax. A persona was made to illustrate the target group:

Legislation

Since the capsules to be designed are food items, they should adhere to European food safety regulations. Patent and labelling regulations would also have to be followed, especially when considering other patented coffee capsule designs. From a legislative perspective, some of the most important aspects to be considered would be:

• Attention to patent infringements and trademarks from competition

• Ensuring adequate and precise labelling (such as materials used and possible allergens)

• Following local laws regarding product disposal (environmental and waste regulations)

• Following European food safety guidelines and local laws 

• Discourage the use of single-use plastics, such as non-recyclable coffee capsules [2]

Design Vision

Based on the analysis, it was decided to create a coffee machine for L'Or that would offer the used sophistication for a sensory coffee experience. The focus would be in having a machine used during a relaxation time, in which the user would fully indulge in the coffee flavors of L'Or's French blends. This was translated into a machine that would have soft curved lines following the brand image, and on a color palette with black and gold that give the user an image of luxury and sophistication.

Requirement List

From the analysis, two lists of requirements were created, both for the machine and the capsule. See below:

Machine

Capsules