Primary Research
To understand the users, we conducted contextual inquiry for which we interviewed our target users, (middle class bedroom users) from four different locations with a wide age range.
Interaction Design + User Research
september 2023
Interface of Homie hub and Homie application
Bedroom automation system (Homie) that is accessible and affordable for Indian families with middle to upper middle class income levels, which helps them control appliances and elements in their room easily, reduce effort for them and save time and energy consumption while prioritizing features such as safety, comfort and accessibility- that they can incorporate into their routines easily.
section jump links
Initial Design Brief | Design Process | Primary Research | Inquiry Focus Points | Interpretations | Affinity Mapping | Work Model | Key Insights | Checklist | Conceptual Model | Revised Design Brief | Product Vision | Product Definition | Personas | Usability Goals | Wireframing | Visual Identity | Designing | Evaluation | Design Changes | Final Design | CAD Model | Project Details
Initial Design Brief
Design a bedroom automation system with controller that can be retrofitted in a typical Indian middle class bedroom. The controller needs to be wall-mounted and will look similar to a fan regulator.
Design Process
Week 1
Contextual enquiry, Work Models, Analysis and Interpretation
Week 2
Affinity Mapping, Personas, Revise Design brief, Setting Product goals, UX Goals, Business model, Conceptual model
Week 3
Information Architecture, User flows, Sketching, Wireframe, Initial Design, User Evaluation, Redesign
Inquiry Focus Points
What is their sleep routine
How do they optimize their setup against external factors such as weather, temperature, insects, sunlight, monkeys, birds etc?
What kind of electronic devices do they have in their bedroom? How often they use them? Are there any challenges or inconveniences they face with the current control methods?
How many people share the room (any pets?)
How and when do they regulate the temperature in their rooms
How much time do they spend in their bedroom? How do they spend that time? (reading, yoga, meditate, entertainment, etc.)
When and why do they interact with the windows & curtains
What does their bedroom setup look like? (what all they have in their room, room dimensions)
Interpretations
The interview data was then analysed by first transcribing all the user statements and observations. The interviews were then discussed with the team and insights, design ideas and breakdowns were added.
Affinity Mapping
We followed a bottom to top approach to consolidate the data from interpretations and create affinities. This allowed us to draw clear, contextual conclusions regarding how users use their bedrooms, their habits and activities in the bedroom.
Some of the affinities from the group of 20+ affinities
Work Model
For a more thorough understanding, we created physical work models to visualise the insights we got from the inquiry.
Key Insights
Use of electrical appliances and other components (windows/curtains) depends on daily routines, time of day, weather, seasons or other conditional requirements
Users may or may not exhibit cost consciousness but ignore it when it comes to usage habits.
People would like to keep their professional and leisure spaces separate.
People take additional measures for better safety/security in their rooms from theft, pests and other unwanted elements.
People have other appliances plugged into their room sockets.
Some users are passive when it comes to manual daily actions (like opening windows for ventilation) while some of them like to take up that responsibility and manage actions in their room.
Users negotiate needs vs preferences and exhibit divisions in control / power.
People need to get faulty appliances repaired conveniently and quick.
Checklist
Users struggle with controlling appliances because of “tough-to-access” switchboards.
Design systems to prioritize protection, mobility, accessibility, cleanliness, and rest for users with medical conditions.
Minimize interference and disturbance caused by noise, light, or movement.
Help the users deal with emergencies or urgencies related to their spaces.
Address the multi-step process of dealing with mosquitoes.
Balance privacy preferences with the need for natural light and ventilation.
Help the users keep a track of their energy consumption.
Address users that are reluctant to take responsibility of opening and shutting doors, windows or curtains of their room and still wish to ensure ventilation.
Conceptual Model
For a more thorough understanding, we created physical work models to visualise the insights we got from the inquiry.
Revised Design Brief
Design an equitable bedroom automation system that is accessible and affordable for Indian families with middle to upper middle class income levels, which helps them control appliances and elements in their room easily, reduce effort for them and save time and energy consumption while prioritizing features such as safety, comfort and accessibility- that they can incorporate into their routines easily.
Product Vision
Our vision is to enhance the quality of life for individuals in the upper middle class and middle class by offering a retrofit automation solution that seamlessly manages and monitors appliances in the bedroom, simplifying daily routines and providing greater convenience.
Product Definition
Our product comprises of a retrofitted hub, which connects and controls household appliances and other room components, paired with a mobile application that enables users to effortlessly monitor and customize automation settings. The hub is IoT based with offline autopilot mode.
Personas
Primary persona
Dharmendra | 27 yrs
He is a 27 years old restaurant manager with 3 years of experience. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Hema in a 1BHK apartment. He works 9 AM to 10 PM. He is not very tech-savvy but uses basic tech devices like smartphone, AC, smart TV.
Secondary persona
Tony | 14 yrs
He is a 14 years old, studying in 9th grade, He lives in Kochi with his parents and a younger sister. He stays in a two-story house, and he shares his room with his sister. he is tech savvy and uses a smart phone he has come across home automation systems and AI.
Usability Goals
We set and prioritised usability goals using the Usability Goal Setting Tool by Prof. Anirudha Joshi to set product aims and expectations.
Top Priority Goals
User should take less time to learn: (e.g. in < 10 minutes, in < 2 hours practice, in < 2nd attempt).
User should be able to navigate quickly and easily.
Product should clearly communicate its conceptual model.
Product should automate routine tasks / minimise user task load.
Information architecture: Information should be well aggregated, well categorised, well presented.
Our evaluation based on the Usability Goal Setting Tool is available here.
Wireframing
hub
application
Visual Identity
Designing
hub
application
Evaluation
Think Aloud Protocol : Users were asked to complete some tasks and asked to think aloud as they did so. We observed their actions and whether they needed any nudges.
User Tasks
You are sitting down to work in your bedroom. Set the focus mode to Work using the app.
You have installed a new smart bulb in your room. Add the smart bulb to the Homie system.
Before heading to bed, you need to adjust the settings for your air conditioner and fan in the bedtime automation.
You need to make an automation for the night lamp to turn on if you wake up in the middle of the night.
You are planning to watch a movie, turn on the leisure mode in the hub.
findings
Some users were confused as they did not receive feedback after completion of certain tasks.
Some users found it difficult to access buttons to add devices.
Some users found the flow to add and edit automations too hectic.
There was no consistency between some buttons across the application.
Design Changes
Visibility of System Status Improvement
An intimation feature is introduced to inform users about task completion.
Focus mode setting based on the ‘knob’
Added a minimal interface, which resembles the physical version of the product, as the earlier version was different from the hub’s interface.
Improved accessibility for adding devices
Added buttons for adding appliances as the earlier version was confusing and had minimal accessibility.
Enhanced user flow in setting up an automation
Integrated ‘appliance settings’ page to ‘automation pre-set’ page to avoid an extra unnecessary page.
Improved consistency for all add buttons across the app
Uniform and simplified 'add ' buttons were implemented consistently throughout the app to ensure users encounter familiar visual cues, reducing confusion.
Final Design
CAD Model
Created 3D CAD model to visualise the hub in 3D space and how the hub reflects the brand identity. Modelled in Fusion 360.
Project Details
course project
DE 319: Interaction Design Process and Methods
Guide
Prof. Anirudha Joshi
project duration
3 weeks
acknowledgement
I want to thank our mentor Pallavi Rao for her valuable suggestions and guidance throughout the project. I am also thankful to Anumeha, Anuj, Manu, and my classmates for their constructive suggestions and support.