Tata Swach Redesign

The group is collaborating with Tata Chemical, maker of the Swach water purifier, to improve its performance and value to customers. The Swach is a brilliantly designed product: it removes impurities and biological contaminants with activated carbon and silver nano particles; one filter element can purify 3,000 liters – enough drinking water for a family of four for a year – and automatically shuts off flow when it needs to be replaced; it has many desirable aesthetic features and a clever ad campaign that make it an aspirational product; and the whole device costs just 999 rupees ($16 U.S.). Although the Swach was designed to meet the drinking water needs of the rural poor, it is primarily selling in urban middle class markets. We are investigating whether there are unmet design requirements; articulating these requirements will be used to improve the Swach, as well as develop methodology for accurately ascertaining design requirements when creating technologies for developing/emerging markets.