Stoveworks
The success of cooking on the grill—from smoking to searing—comes down to your ability to control the heat. We designed the Ferno Grill BBQ around an innovative mechanism that raises and lowers the gas burners using a wheel to give the cook a higher level of control of the temperature required to deliver perfect meals.
What we did
As a startup, Ferno was new to using design thinking to engineer its products. We showed them how an experience-driven approach could radically reinvent the BBQ grill. The process involved researching how cooks currently use barbeques, the social dynamics around outdoor cooking, and the process of preparing, cooking, and serving food. We conducted multiple rounds of ergonomic studies that unlocked ways to make Ferno more comfortable and intuitive. We discovered the value of a completely flat surface for prepping, cooking, and serving. Most significantly, we re-oriented the wheel to the grill's front to make it more accessible and convenient. This design change presented challenges from a mechanical engineering perspective, but it paid off from both branding and usability perspectives. By highlighting the wheel's unique feature, we created a "signature element" that distinguishes it in the market and communicates its unique functionality.