Designing a Catering System

In the center of this study stands the Catered Eating Event. In difference to eating out at a restaurant, the catered event has to enact itself in ever-changing locations. This special circumstance poses high expectations on the catering equipment. It has to set the stage for a stylized eating event and be a logistically pliable system. Its design requires a thoughtful inspection of the decor as well as a close analysis of the entire process in order to create a successful new product. This study is laid out to demonstrate catering as a process that needs theoretical inspection as much as it needs the application of product design skills. As a theoretical tool, Methods of Activity Centered Design and Design Semantics were employed to determine the outcome of the design for a new catering system. The overall aim was to create a system that suits the needs of both caterer and guest. As its final overall outcome this study presents a system of products, that allow the caterer not only to optimize his internal workflows, but also to procure an aesthetically appealing set of tableware for guests at catered events.