People-driven approach makes high-end oven smartphone simple
Hounö was already firmly established in Denmark with a solid product family when they approached us with a new challenge: refine the product line, make it simple and sustainable yet scalable, suitable to several fields within the commercial oven industry and make it fit several brands worldwide. And, of course, add a dash of timeless Scandinavian design to bring it all together. The commercial oven industry has high demands on material endurance, sanitation and user safety. We knew user-insights had to be extremely thorough. We conducted detailed mapping of users’ daily workflow, discovered their pain points and motivations. Back at the drawing board, we explored countless solutions by creating mock-ups of the UI, models of the oven and its key elements, before collecting them all into selected concepts for comparison. After 6+ years of turning coal into diamonds, Invoq launched in the beginning of 2023. The result is a jewel to Hounö’s already impressive collection. Invoq features significantly reduced product line complexity. It’s tried and tested so it is ready for restaurant kitchens, canteens and institutions around the world. No matter where it is used, its intuitive interface and user-optimized design features – such as the easy-to-open handle – are as simple to use as the oven’s functions are advanced.
"Designing a branded product with a high-end look and finish is one thing - doing it so it fits 6 different brands with different markets and cultures lifts the challenge quite a bit"
Henrik Mathiassen, design director
As the Invoq series is a professional-grade oven is developed for a long lifespan, it is designed with a minimalistic look that can blend in seamlessly with any kitchen setting. The glass front surfaces are smooth and easy to clean, maximizing the inside view, inviting the user to look inside, and at the same time it gives them a seamless experience when operating the smooth touch intuitive UI, which was developed on thorough insights and extensive testing with the professional users, users having vast experience with both the predecessor product and other kitchen equipment – and of course with the simplicity of the smartphone they have in their pocket.
“There are three major pillars behind the development of Invoq: innovation, simplicity and sustainability".
Hounö and design-people have collaborated for 10+ years. As a Danish manufacturer of commercial combi ovens, Hounö has collected decades of knowledge and expertise within the industry - all while remaining driven by innovation. With Invoq, we were able to unfold a vision Hounö and their Innovation Circle partners had created through their extensive experience. From a Danish factory to global kitchens, Invoq features a simple and timeless product design that hides the complexity of the engineering beneath its surface. Most users will never know - for them, the product and UI experience will be smartphone simple.
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