Today, the kitchen appliance industry in China is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by the rising demand for smarter, higher-quality products from Gen Z consumers. This research explores the design of ‘AI-driven’ kitchen appliances to correspond with changing perceptions of premium quality and intelligent functionality in the Chinese market. Commissioned by a leading Chinese brand in the sector, the research project by the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano employs a dual-track research framework that incorporates cultural adaptation and speculative design. A quantitative user survey and a qualitative cross-sector speculative exploration uncovered the perceptual, emotional, and material factors influencing user expectations. The resulting design roadmap and matrix identify four culturally grounded, forward-looking design scenarios, offering actionable guidance for concept development. This approach demonstrates how pre-design research can bridge technology and meaning in future home appliance design, which can also be transferable to other industries and markets. The paper aims to offer a transferable methodological reference for researchers exploring design practices across related domains.
Lin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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