Whirlpool Corporation is a global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances. Sara Ulius-Sabel, Metrics Manager for the company, presents a glimpse into Whirlpool's product development process through the lens of designing "Useful, Usable, and Desirable" products.
She presents examples of how Whirlpool creates their appliances, including a discussion of some of the orthodoxies, challenges, and shifting market and user trends that surround these dimensions. She describes design metrics as one of the tools that Whirlpool uses to bring objectivity to the trade-offs between Useful, Usable and Desirable, ultimately helping to drive both coherence and differentiation in a multi-brand portfolio.
Sara Ulius-Sabel was appointed Metrics Manager within Whirlpool's Global Consumer Design organization in 2006. In this role, she is focused on measuring, advising and improving the design and usability of Whirlpool products. Prior to this role, Sara was a Usability Specialist responsible for the user interface design, interaction design, and human factors and usability research for washers, dryers and related laundry products.
Her past research includes internet navigation and way finding, on-line collaborative and educational tools, and corporate professional development programs. Sara has experience with Web and database design and has developed educational software tools and interactive multimedia museum exhibits for children.
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