Two students from the Product Design Department at Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (UKDW) Yogyakarta have won the national HomLiv Product Design Competition, organized by PT Homliv Anugerah Tritunggal Indonesia. The winners, Shania Agustine Kartika Dewi Abiel Utomo and Isma Nurul Afifah, were announced at the beginning of 2025. The competition featured three categories: Most Marketable Product, Most Functional Product, and Most Aesthetic Product.
Shania’s “Woody Whimsy” – Most Marketable Product
Shania won in the Most Marketable Product category with her design, Woody Whimsy, a versatile combination of a coaster and a glass cover that incorporates a cohesive visual narrative. “Individually, each piece features a visually appealing design. When paired, they form a complete visual story with interconnected meaning,” she explained.
The product is designed to enhance the experience of serving beverages by providing practical benefits, such as making it easier to handle hot drinks and shielding them from dust, insects, and debris. Shania also emphasized the interactive nature of the design, which creates a unique user experience.
Woody Whimsy is available in five engaging variants: Humble Puppy, Flower Bloom, Ladybug, Sweet Bee, and Duckydoo. Each variant is crafted to bring small moments of joy and meaningful interaction to beverage service.
Expressing her excitement, Shania said she was thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to be a winner. She highlighted the encouragement and support of the Product Design faculty at UKDW, who inspire students to participate in various competitions. “The curriculum at UKDW’s Product Design provides invaluable experiences and motivates us to actively engage in opportunities that foster creativity and personal growth,” she added.
Isma’s “Prepbox” – Most Functional Product
Isma won in the Most Functional Product category with her design, Prepbox, a multifunctional kitchen tool that integrates several food preparation tasks into one compact system.
“Prepbox includes a cutting tool, a compartment for separating chopped ingredients, a container for storing sliced seasonings, and a temporary waste bin. This design simplifies and organizes the food preparation process, making it more practical and efficient,” Isma explained. The product is available in two versions, each with slight variations in mechanism and layout.
Isma expressed her gratitude for the recognition and her determination to continue developing her skills. “Studying at UKDW has been an exciting journey. The Product Design Department allows students to actively engage in the learning process, which significantly enhances the knowledge and skills we gain,” she said.
Dr. Winta Tridhatu Satwikasanti, Head of the Product Design Program at UKDW, emphasized the competition as an excellent practical learning experience. “The competition began with workshops on wooden kitchenware and insights into HomLiv’s strengths, led by Ms. Yudiana Lyn, the company’s CEO. This provided students with valuable knowledge to explore innovative designs.”
Dr. Winta also noted that winning designs would undergo further refinement, market testing, and quality assurance before being showcased at the INACRAFT Jakarta national design exhibition. Selected designs would also receive royalties. “This collaboration with industry partners provides students with invaluable real-world experience beyond the classroom,” she concluded. [humasukdw/trans.drr]