Angled Access

Smart Dishwasher Interface
Sponsored by Midea Group

PROTOTYPING
UI DESIGN
INTERACTION DESIGN

In collaboration with
︎︎︎ Carla Langfeldt
︎︎︎ Chelsea Rogers


Angled Access is a smart dishwasher interface designed with providing new parents ease of mind.

International appliance company Midea asked us to imagine what the future of smart dishwashers could look like. Prompted with designing for the new parent market, I teamed up with fellow communication designer Chelsea Rogers and product designer Carla Langfeldt to create an interface that prioritizes accessibility, ease of use, and safety while managing a baby.

To begin our process, the three of us compiled statistics surrounding the average American household, researched existing “baby-focused” products, and conducted interviews with new parents. All this research enabled us to create a persona that we felt represented our targeted consumers. We began to design around the character of Shannon, a new mom focused on getting her chores done efficiently while juggling her personal life, her relationship with her husband, and the caretaking of their son, Sam.

After finishing our secondary research, creating flow charts, and sketching thumbnails, we came up with two ideas: Hidden Ease and Angled Access. Hidden ease prioritized a hyper-minimalist interface, while Angled Access prioritized accessibility. We tested physical interactions with our concepts by creating lo-fi prototypes with cardboard and paper, and refined them as needed.

Following an initial pitch to Midea, we settled on our final concept, Angled Access. The most notable features of this concept include a unique handle, a smart dial, and a simple interface. We thought it was important to be able to utilize the dishwasher with one hand, as many parents carry their babies around on one hip. The angle of the handle makes the door easy to grab and interact with without leaning down. The handle corners are rounded to ensure that the user’s child won’t injure themself on sharp corners when they grow taller. Inclusion of a smart dial simplifies the setting process and allows the dishwasher to lock for safety. Lastly, the machine is quiet, as it utilizes light to signal its status. This way, no babies will be woken up from much needed naps.



Our team utilized our unique skillsets to create a successful final concept.

Madeline Beattie
Communication Design
Fiber and Textiles

- Ideation
- Sketching
- Physical Prototyping
- Proposal Creation
- Presentation


Carla Langfeldt
Product Design

- Ideation
- Sketching
- Rendering
- Presentation


Chelsea Rogers
Communication Design

- Ideation
- Sketching
- Physical Prototyping
- Motion Design