Here are my notes and a Flickr category of pictures from a Super Bowl party Kitchen Analysis project.
There was one major story from this Super Bowl party-making observation session. The kitchen lacked temporary storage space. While cabinets were plentiful (for New York) a combination of limited counter space and zero non-cabinet shelf space created a major obstacle to the party preparation task. Counter tops, the stove and every available surface turned into shelving for items that could not be put away, but were not being used at the moment. These included recipe books, coffee cups, task components, things that were going to be used in the near future and things that had just been used in completed tasks.
Other observations:
1. Everyone had a beverage that took up counter space. Perhaps everyone could use a cupholder.
2. Chopped items easily slid onto the floor. Some kind of gutter at the edge of the counter could help here, or even a small lip.
3. When something beeps, it’s unclear just what device is making the noise. Perhaps some kind of translator/decoder that listened to the beep and then displayed the name of the appliance and operation that was being indicated. Megan’s CO alarm had apparently sounded for quite a while before they took it apart. The next day, everyone in the building had their alarm go off, and the building noted that there was a CO leak in the heating system. The CO alarm was still on the floor…
4. Recipes are needed in the kitchen. But also procedures and definitions. How do you roll up a tamale? What exactly does “fluffy” mean, or look like?
5. Cabinets are opaque, which makes the kitchen look nice but also hides all the information about contents. Refrigerators have the same issue. You have to stand with the door open to see what’s inside. Couldn’t selectable transparency glass help here?
6. Electric plugs on the wall mean that cords have to drape across the counter to where the work is being done for mixing, etc. It would be nice to have plugs on the front edge of the counter as well, so the cord could hang out of the way.
7. Mixers, and other electric appliances can be hard on the hands. Weight and vibrations make for discomfort. Could these come down from the ceiling?