Designing solutions for user pain points in laundry machines using customers’ jobs to be done lens

Laundry, an essential household chore, constitutes a significant portion of our daily routines. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that individuals spend an average of nearly two hours per week on laundry. With an increased focus on hygiene, the post-pandemic period has seen a rise in time spent on laundry, with a OnePoll survey revealing a 46% increase. Despite the necessity of laundry, it ranks among the most hated chores in American life. This research aims to develop a design solution that enhances the convenience and enjoyment of doing laundry. Dr. Clay Christensen, a Harvard professor, introduced the Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) theory. According to this theory, people do not purchase products and services merely for their functionality; they hire them to fulfill a specific job in their lives. While needs may align with customer expectations, they often fail to address underlying unmet needs. This research integrates the desire-based JTBD theory into the design process to offer innovative solutions. The laundry machine market has predominantly emphasized technological advancements over user-centered convenience. This research project proposes a novel laundry system design prioritizing customer desires and addressing pain points. By incorporating Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) based on JTBD theory, the study redefines customer desires from a broader perspective and introduces new solutions. This approach enables the discovery and presentation of innovative solutions across the entire laundry process, including single-product improvements. By incorporating the JTBD design methodology, this research improves individual products, and fosters process innovation throughout the laundry process, from detergent to machine. As a result, the study presents meaningful, user-centered innovations that enhance the laundry experience and address previously unmet needs.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.F.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Art and Design

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Park, Joon Eun

Contributors dc:contributor

• Weightman, David
• Kendall, James
• Goldstein, Molly H

• Laundry
• Jobs-to-be-done
• Laundry Process Innovation
• Hamper Integrated Laundry Machine
• A New Form Of Laundry Detergent

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Joon Eun Park

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120433

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120433