Client de Jong DUKE wanted a coffee machine for the middle segment of the market with a professional look, maximum ease of use and maintenance and an optimal coffee experience for the user. Scope Design designed a compact machine that stands in the middle between a professional espresso machine and a high-end coffee machine. Visible ease of use , optimum product experience and easy maintenance.
The Nio is a fully designed machine that, with its attractive rear, can be placed freestanding on a bar, for example in the 'leisure' market. The canisters for the ingredients protrude through the ceiling of the machine and are integrated into the overall design of the Nio. This compact coffee machine is sold in the high-end office market , as well as in the food service (for example to Albert Heijn) and to companies in the catering industry.
The Nio enables the user to easily carry out daily service to the machine without opening the machine. The containers with ingredients are, on top of the machine, easy to refill and cleaning the machine is easy with a pill. The waste container for the coffee grounds and the stable drip tray are easily accessible to the user at the front of the machine. This greatly reduces the maintenance required by the operator.
Scope Design chose one 'what you see is what you get'- approach. By using transparent containers for the ingredients, for example, the coffee beans come clearly in the picture. This gives the user an overview of the ingredients for one fresh cup of coffee. And it is also immediately clear which ingredients need to be added.
The wide, horizontal orientation gives the Nio the appearance of an espresso machine . The distribution zone is freely accessible and has a tidy appearance. The grid is made of wire steel , so that no moisture remains at the bottom of the cups. And if you get coffee for several people at the same time, you simply push the filled cups aside. Several cups can easily fit next to each other on the flat grid .
The Nio is a machine with one attractive and friendly appearance, it's almost like the Nio 'you look at'. And wherever you go, thanks to its unique appearance, you will immediately recognize this coffee machine. The materialization in pressed aluminum in combination with the large, glass touchscreen display and the height-adjustable head give the Nio the professional look of a high-end coffee machine.
The user interaction is fully designed by Scope. Both the graphical user interface and the interaction with the product itself. The GUI is easy to understand internationally and provides a clear structure within the extensive functionality of the machine. This allows a user to create any desired consumption in 3 steps.
However, the interaction goes beyond just the graphical user interface. For example, by lighting in the canisters , the user can see which ingredients are used for brewing the coffee. The same lighting also indicates whether a container is placed incorrectly or needs to be refilled. The non-interactive use is also nice. Clear use cues for inserting the cleaning pill, for example, make it easy to understand the machine. The wide drip tray with a continuous grid makes it possible to push aside drinks that have already been done while a new drink is being prepared.
The design won a Red Dot Design Award in 2014, an IF Design Award in 2015 and a European Design Award in 2018.
