13
W
hydoesBlumhave aRequire-
mentResearchDepartment?
‘We want to develop practical
fittings solutions that have useful func-
tions and that make life easier and more
enjoyable for kitchen users. That’s why
we investigate into how people actually
use their kitchens, how they cook and
what lifestyle they have. Our findings
helpus developproducts that are tailored
to these needs.’
How long has Blum been doing
research into kitchen users’ needs?
‘We’ve done almost ten years of intensive
research. We’ve monitored kitchen use,
done research and carried out detailed
analyses of habits, workflows, etc.’
How much research material have you
collected over the years?
‘I’d say we’ve got about one thousand
hours of filmmaterial from countries all
over the world. More countries are
planned over the next two years, e.g. In-
dia, Tunisia, Malaysia and Sweden.’
Are there any major differences in how
people use their kitchens all over the
world?
‘One big difference is the rice pull-out for
five to ten kilos of rice in Asian countries.
Or the baguette pull-out in France, spe-
cial disinfection equipment in China
and the fish grill in Japan. Another in-
teresting example is that inAustralia they
have an outdoor kitchen for barbecues
and an indoor kitchen for preparing
daily food.’
What are the main things we all have
in common?
‘Many typical tasks are the same in kit-
chens all over theworld. For example, the
main work area, which should be at least
90 cm wide, is ideally between the sink
and the hob.Theworktop is just the right
height if the distance between slightly
bent arms and counter is about 15 cm.
And of course, ergonomic aspects always
play an important role. Nomatter which
country you live in, it’s not a good idea
to have to bend down, stretch or even
climb onto worktops to reach things.
Everyone all over the world recognises
the advantages of pull-outs that provide
easy access to contents.’
What insights do you gain from
Requirement Research?
‘We identify major andminor needs. We
use our findings todevelopnewproducts.
A good example in this context is soft-
close BLUMOTION. We observed that
people often slam fronts. Doors bang,
bottles clink and plates clatter. So the
requirement was to integrate a soft-close
system into our fittings. Even minor
needs lead to new practical ideas. We
found that people all over the world get
into a tangle with cling film. That’s how
we came up with the idea for a practical
film dispenser. The film can be pulled
out and cut without tangling up.’
Blum’s Requirement Research Department invest-
igates kitchen users’ habits and workflows and finds
out what they really need. Here is an interview with
Miriam Wildauer
who is a Requirement Expert at
Julius Blum GmbH.
The licence to
watch and learn
‘Many typical tasks are the same
in kitchens all over the world.’
WORKFLOW
REQUIREMENT EXPERT
Mariam Wildauer,
Requirement Research
Department
kitchen inspirations
