The Coffee Connector
The Coffee Connector
The Coffee Connector
Interactive Physical / Digital Installation
Interactive Physical / Digital Installation
Interactive Physical / Digital Installation
The Singapore Economic Development Board wanted a visually iconic statement piece for high-end conferences that would connect global professionals in a spectacular way, against the backdrop of commerce in Singapore. The Coffee Connector playfully encourages business networking by offering attendees an exquisitely brewed cup of coffee – but only when they pair up with a stranger and start a conversation. My role spanned concept development, experience design, UI design, and project management.
The Singapore Economic Development Board wanted a visually iconic statement piece for high-end conferences that would connect global professionals in a spectacular way, against the backdrop of commerce in Singapore. The Coffee Connector playfully encourages business networking by offering attendees an exquisitely brewed cup of coffee – but only when they pair up with a stranger and start a conversation. My role spanned concept development, experience design, UI design, and project management.
The Singapore Economic Development Board wanted a visually iconic statement piece for high-end conferences that would connect global professionals in a spectacular way, against the backdrop of commerce in Singapore. The Coffee Connector playfully encourages business networking by offering attendees an exquisitely brewed cup of coffee – but only when they pair up with a stranger and start a conversation. My role spanned concept development, experience design, UI design, and project management.
The Singapore Economic Development Board wanted a visually iconic statement piece for high-end conferences that would connect global professionals in a spectacular way, against the backdrop of commerce in Singapore. The Coffee Connector playfully encourages business networking by offering attendees an exquisitely brewed cup of coffee – but only when they pair up with a stranger and start a conversation. My role spanned concept development, experience design, UI design, and project management.
The Singapore Economic Development Board wanted a visually iconic statement piece for high-end conferences that would connect global professionals in a spectacular way, against the backdrop of commerce in Singapore. The Coffee Connector playfully encourages business networking by offering attendees an exquisitely brewed cup of coffee – but only when they pair up with a stranger and start a conversation. My role spanned concept development, experience design, UI design, and project management.
Year: 2014 Agency: Tellart Client: Singapore Economic Development Board
Year: 2014 Agency: Tellart
Client: Singapore Economic Development Board
Personal connection by design
Personal connection by design
Personal connection by design
Personal connection by design
In 2013, The Singapore Economic Development Board, with The Secret Little Agency, reached out to Tellart to conceptualize, design, and build a “connector” that both used and transcended the digital media that so often replaces a human connection today. As a group dedicated to facilitating productive connections between Singapore’s businesses and the world, the EDB wanted to create a statement piece that could travel to high-end conferences and spread their message. The Coffee Connector is a delightful, thought-provoking human experience. It is a beautiful object, a seamless digital interaction, and a social experiment all in one.
In 2013, The Singapore Economic Development Board, with The Secret Little Agency, reached out to Tellart to conceptualize, design, and build a “connector” that both used and transcended the digital media that so often replaces a human connection today. As a group dedicated to facilitating productive connections between Singapore’s businesses and the world, the EDB wanted to create a statement piece that could travel to high-end conferences and spread their message. The Coffee Connector is a delightful, thought-provoking human experience. It is a beautiful object, a seamless digital interaction, and a social experiment all in one.
In 2013, The Singapore Economic Development Board, with The Secret Little Agency, reached out to Tellart to conceptualize, design, and build a “connector” that both used and transcended the digital media that so often replaces a human connection today. As a group dedicated to facilitating productive connections between Singapore’s businesses and the world, the EDB wanted to create a statement piece that could travel to high-end conferences and spread their message. The Coffee Connector is a delightful, thought-provoking human experience. It is a beautiful object, a seamless digital interaction, and a social experiment all in one.
The Coffee Connector brews a cup of coffee only when two attendees work together to request one. Its design was inspired by the beauty and function of a high-powered jet engine, and pays homage to the ritual of making coffee by showcasing the acts of grinding, boiling, steeping, and extracting. In addition to the physical workings of the machine, the coffee making mechanisms are also represented visually by a series of integrated animations and graphics. The two connected attendees are guided through an initial conversation with one another as they interact with the machine, and their names and details are custom printed onto a coffee cup sleeve to serve as a memento of the interaction.
The Coffee Connector brews a cup of coffee only when two attendees work together to request one. Its design was inspired by the beauty and function of a high-powered jet engine, and pays homage to the ritual of making coffee by showcasing the acts of grinding, boiling, steeping, and extracting. In addition to the physical workings of the machine, the coffee making mechanisms are also represented visually by a series of integrated animations and graphics. The two connected attendees are guided through an initial conversation with one another as they interact with the machine, and their names and details are custom printed onto a coffee cup sleeve to serve as a memento of the interaction.
The Coffee Connector brews a cup of coffee only when two attendees work together to request one. Its design was inspired by the beauty and function of a high-powered jet engine, and pays homage to the ritual of making coffee by showcasing the acts of grinding, boiling, steeping, and extracting. In addition to the physical workings of the machine, the coffee making mechanisms are also represented visually by a series of integrated animations and graphics. The two connected attendees are guided through an initial conversation with one another as they interact with the machine, and their names and details are custom printed onto a coffee cup sleeve to serve as a memento of the interaction.
Beyond looking elegant, the machine had to make an incredible cup of coffee: details such as the right coffee beans and brewing process were paramount considerations. In order to do its job, the Coffee Connector had to be made robust and capable of existing as a standalone feature at many conferences. It is capable of brewing hundreds of cups of coffee without maintenance or intervention, and operates using a local network inside the machine that allows a central server to receive and send data between displays, sensors, liquid pumps, motors, the printhead, and more.
Beyond looking elegant, the machine had to make an incredible cup of coffee: details such as the right coffee beans and brewing process were paramount considerations. In order to do its job, the Coffee Connector had to be made robust and capable of existing as a standalone feature at many conferences. It is capable of brewing hundreds of cups of coffee without maintenance or intervention, and operates using a local network inside the machine that allows a central server to receive and send data between displays, sensors, liquid pumps, motors, the printhead, and more.
Beyond looking elegant, the machine had to make an incredible cup of coffee: details such as the right coffee beans and brewing process were paramount considerations. In order to do its job, the Coffee Connector had to be made robust and capable of existing as a standalone feature at many conferences. It is capable of brewing hundreds of cups of coffee without maintenance or intervention, and operates using a local network inside the machine that allows a central server to receive and send data between displays, sensors, liquid pumps, motors, the printhead, and more.
The dual embedded touchscreen UIs were respondible for introducing visitors to the machine, capturing their name for the custom printed sleeves, guiding them through the experience, and visualizing the coffee flowing from the machine.
The dual embedded touchscreen UIs were respondible for introducing visitors to the machine, capturing their name for the custom printed sleeves, guiding them through the experience, and visualizing the coffee flowing from the machine.
The dual embedded touchscreen UIs were responsible for introducing visitors to the machine, capturing their name for the custom printed sleeves, guiding them through the experience, and visualizing the coffee flowing from the machine.
Experience Flow maps like this one helped us align with the client on how the user experience would support their business goals.
Experience Flow maps like this one helped us align with the client on how the user experience would support their business goals.
Experience Flow maps like this one helped us align with the client on how the user experience would support their business goals.
As we developed and refined the details of the experience, we documented decisions in this User Flow Map.
As we developed and refined the details of the experience, we documented decisions in this User Flow Map.
As we developed and refined the details of the experience, we documented decisions in this User Flow Map.
Building The Coffee Connector
Building The Coffee Connector
Building The Coffee Connector
Building The Coffee Connector
The Coffee Connector made its first appearance at The Economist Big Rethink Conference in New York City, and is currently traveling to events worldwide. Press headlines covering the Coffee Connector ranged from the insightful (“The LinkedIn Of Coffee Machines,” PSFK) to the ironic (“Machine That Makes You Mingle Before Coffee Is An Introvert Torture Device,” PopSci).
The Coffee Connector made its first appearance at The Economist Big Rethink Conference in New York City, and is currently traveling to events worldwide. Press headlines covering the Coffee Connector ranged from the insightful (“The LinkedIn Of Coffee Machines,” PSFK) to the ironic (“Machine That Makes You Mingle Before Coffee Is An Introvert Torture Device,” PopSci).
The Coffee Connector made its first appearance at The Economist Big Rethink Conference in New York City, and is currently traveling to events worldwide. Press headlines covering the Coffee Connector ranged from the insightful (“The LinkedIn Of Coffee Machines,” PSFK) to the ironic (“Machine That Makes You Mingle Before Coffee Is An Introvert Torture Device,” PopSci).
AWARDS & PRESS
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Engaging: Capturing attention, creating delight and delivering meaning
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Connecting: Facilitating communication between people and communities
Notable in Core77 Design Awards (Interaction)
The Appies - Silver
Runner-up in Ad Age B-to-B Best Award 2015 (Non-traditional/Experiential)
Silver in Ad Age B-to-B Campaign of the Year
AWARDS & PRESS
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Engaging: Capturing attention, creating delight and delivering meaning
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Connecting: Facilitating communication between people and communities
Notable in Core77 Design Awards (Interaction)
The Appies - Silver
Runner-up in Ad Age B-to-B Best Award 2015 (Non-traditional/Experiential)
Silver in Ad Age B-to-B Campaign of the Year
AWARDS & PRESS
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Engaging: Capturing attention, creating delight and delivering meaning
2015 Interaction Awards - Shortlist project in Connecting: Facilitating communication between people and communities
Notable in Core77 Design Awards (Interaction)
The Appies - Silver
Runner-up in Ad Age B-to-B Best Award 2015 (Non-traditional/Experiential)
Silver in Ad Age B-to-B Campaign of the Year
OUTCOMES & QUOTES
30,000 Views of videos showcasing The Coffee Connector
Featured in Huffington Post, Popular Science, PSFK, Slashgear, Geek.com
"A valuable experience that facilitates classical elements of networking through technology. Very appropriate for the audience and environment." - Core77 Design Award Jury
"It transcends the bridges between marketing, technology, and engineering. It gives us something to talk about together." - Willis Turner, CEO SMEI
"I really liked how it made a nice connection between me and another person…now we’re connected forever." - Mark Boutillette, Director, Marketing Operations, Oracle
OUTCOMES & QUOTES
30,000 Views of videos showcasing The Coffee Connector
Featured in Huffington Post, Popular Science, PSFK, Slashgear, Geek.com
"A valuable experience that facilitates classical elements of networking through technology. Very appropriate for the audience and environment." - Core77 Design Award Jury
"It transcends the bridges between marketing, technology, and engineering. It gives us something to talk about together." - Willis Turner, CEO SMEI
"I really liked how it made a nice connection between me and another person…now we’re connected forever." - Mark Boutillette, Director, Marketing Operations, Oracle
OUTCOMES & QUOTES
30,000 Views of videos showcasing The Coffee Connector
Featured in Huffington Post, Popular Science, PSFK, Slashgear, Geek.com
"A valuable experience that facilitates classical elements of networking through technology. Very appropriate for the audience and environment." - Core77 Design Award Jury
"It transcends the bridges between marketing, technology, and engineering. It gives us something to talk about together." - Willis Turner, CEO SMEI
"I really liked how it made a nice connection between me and another person…now we’re connected forever." - Mark Boutillette, Director, Marketing Operations, Oracle
TEAM
Tellart worked alongside partners The Secret Little Agency to develop the experience concept, and Octo for design and fabrication.
TEAM
Tellart worked alongside partners The Secret Little Agency to develop the experience concept, and Octo for design and fabrication.
TEAM
Tellart worked alongside partners The Secret Little Agency to develop the experience concept and Octo for design and fabrication.
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