Exploring new possibilities for the future of smart homes

Role

Product Designer

Responsibilities

UX Strategy UX Design UI Design

Duration

6 months

Year

2024

Methodology

Double Diamond

Tools

Figjam
Figma
Google Forms
Google Meet
Zoom
Optimal Workshop
Lookback
Maze

Samsung SmartThings

Free home automation app that connects smart devices, and is compatible with hundreds of other brands through Works with SmartThings and Matter protocol.

Problem

The home automation market is growing horizontally and vertically within the basic behaviors of a house and even the most customized and advanced behaviors. The main point of the project is exploration, the ambiguity of technology, and the possibilities of a future that may be distant from reality.

The focus is on what we have not yet tested, what is missing, what is the next step?

Objectives

The main objective is to understand possibilities, innovative experiences, updating, and customization of residential behavior.

The challenge is to imagine scenarios, create a forecast, and deliver results before the user's need.

Role

Product Designer

Responsibilities

UX Strategy UX Design UI Design

Duration

6 months

Year

2024

Methodology

Double Diamond

Tools

Figjam
Figma
Google Forms
Google Meet
Zoom
Optimal Workshop
Lookback
Maze

Samsung SmartThings

Free home automation app that connects smart devices, and is compatible with hundreds of other brands through Works with SmartThings and Matter protocol.

Problem

The home automation market is growing horizontally and vertically within the basic behaviors of a house and even the most customized and advanced behaviors. The main point of the project is exploration, the ambiguity of technology, and the possibilities of a future that may be distant from reality.

The focus is on what we have not yet tested, what is missing, what is the next step?

Objectives

The main objective is to understand possibilities, innovative experiences, updating, and customization of residential behavior.

The challenge is to imagine scenarios, create a forecast, and deliver results before the user's need.

Product

Descoberta

Focus points

Definição

Focus points

Focus points

Desenvolvimento

Focus points

Focus points

Focus points

Entrega

Focus points

Focus points

Focus points

Produto

SmartThings

Pontos focais

Pontos focais

Pontos focais

Personalização

Permitir que os usuários priorizem os tópicos que lhes interessam

Permitir que os usuários priorizem os tópicos que lhes interessam

Permitir que os usuários priorizem os tópicos que lhes interessam

Facilidade

Desenvolver tecnologias que auxiliem as pessoas a otimizar o uso do seu dia

Desenvolver tecnologias que auxiliem as pessoas a otimizar o uso do seu dia

Desenvolver tecnologias que auxiliem as pessoas a otimizar o uso do seu dia

Responsabilidade ambiental

Desenvolver produtos e serviços que reduzam o impacto ambiental e auxiliem as pessoas a tomarem medidas em prol do planeta

Desenvolver produtos e serviços que reduzam o impacto ambiental e auxiliem as pessoas a tomarem medidas em prol do planeta

Desenvolver produtos e serviços que reduzam o impacto ambiental e auxiliem as pessoas a tomarem medidas em prol do planeta

Democratizar o acesso

Tornar a tecnologia para residências inteligentes mais acessível e disponível

Tornar a tecnologia para residências inteligentes mais acessível e disponível

Tornar a tecnologia para residências inteligentes mais acessível e disponível

Scenario

Home automation

Overview

Overview

Overview

Market

Growing demand for smart and connected homes

Growing demand for smart and connected homes

Growing demand for smart and connected homes

Innovation

Home automation systems are a key area of innovation in the sector

Home automation systems are a key area of innovation in the sector

Home automation systems are a key area of innovation in the sector

Focus

Products aim to offer convenience, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency, allowing remote control by users

Products aim to offer convenience, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency, allowing remote control by users

Products aim to offer convenience, comfort, safety, and energy efficiency, allowing remote control by users

Expectations for the future

Smart living spaces that adapt and respond to the preferences and needs of their users

Smart living spaces that adapt and respond to the preferences and needs of their users

Smart living spaces that adapt and respond to the preferences and needs of their users

UX Strategy

Project goal

Build a future where we have smart homes, with greater environmental sustainability, quality of life and security

Strategies

  • Facilitate users' daily lives by providing control, security, and more quality time

  • Maximize home operational efficiency

  • Facilitating users' daily lives by bringing control, security, and more quality time

  • Maximizing home operational efficiency

  • Facilitating users' daily lives by bringing control, security, and more quality time

  • Maximizing household operational efficiency

Tactics and scenarios

  • Make life easier for people

  • Promote more comfort and quality of life

  • Reduce household expenses

  • Reduce time spent on household tasks

  • Promote more sustainable habits

  • Facilitate people's lives

  • Promote more comfort and quality of life

  • Reduce domestic expenses

  • Reduce time spent on domestic tasks

  • Promote more sustainable habits

  • Make people's lives easier

  • Promote more comfort and quality of life

  • Reduce household expenses

  • Reduce time spent on household chores

  • Promote more sustainable habits

Market research

86%

They expressed some concerns about the health of their home

42%

They say gadgets offer a better overall life experience

55%

They claim they would never go back to living in a house without smart technology

Usuários

Tendência

Dados apontam aumento na busca por equipamentos smart mais específicos para saúde física e mental

86%

Expressaram alguma preocupação com a saúde da sua casa

42%

Dizem que os gadgets oferecem uma melhor experiência geral de vida

55%

Afirmam que nunca voltariam a viver em uma casa sem tecnologia smart

47%

Concordam que o futuro das casas e dos idosos seria melhor com a tecnologia doméstica saudável

User expectations

User X

Survey

Practicality in day-to-day activities, comfort, quality of life

User Y

Survey

“[...] interaction between me and the house to the point where the house memorizes my daily activities and reminds me or advances these activities”

User W

Interview

Even for my physical and mental health, it is important that I am active, be an active being in my home, wherever I am. And I think that, if many things like that, in this intelligent aspect, they are making the person increasingly, in quotes, lazy, less thoughtful, less active at home, I consider it dangerous.

User Z

Interview

In the beginning, discovering all the potential of these products is quite complicated, you have to study, watch reviews, read manuals, learn, really dig into it

Information

Positive impact

Smart homes need to make a positive impact on people's lives and the environment

Smart homes need to make a positive impact on people's lives and the environment

Smart homes need to make a positive impact on people's lives and the environment

Customization

Customizing automations is essential in a smart home

Customizing automations is essential in a smart home

Customizing automations is essential in a smart home

Autonomy

The interconnection of devices multiplies the possibilities of autonomy in the smart home

The interconnection of devices multiplies the possibilities of autonomy in the smart home

The interconnection of devices multiplies the possibilities of autonomy in the smart home

Purchase decision

Products focused on security and health have more technical selection criteria than other segments

Products focused on security and health have more technical selection criteria than other segments

Products focused on security and health have more technical selection criteria than other segments

New technologies

Three focal points of the new technologies are security, efficiency and quality of life

Three focal points of the new technologies are security, efficiency and quality of life

Three focal points of the new technologies are security, efficiency and quality of life

Artificial intelligence

Companies have been exploring the use of AI for various areas and different objectives

Companies have been exploring the use of AI for various areas and different objectives

Companies have been exploring the use of AI for various areas and different objectives

Health and well-being

These segments are not yet well integrated into the smart home ecosystem, companies have been working on them in isolation

These segments are not yet well integrated into the smart home ecosystem, companies have been working on them in isolation

These segments are not yet well integrated into the smart home ecosystem, companies have been working on them in isolation

Efficiency and safety

These two segments are well-developed and feature more advanced resources

These two segments are well-developed and feature more advanced resources

These two segments are well-developed and feature more advanced resources

Sustainability

Sustainability is a need for users and the market itself in a scenario of environmental crisis and scarcity of non-renewable resources

Sustainability is a need for users and the market itself in a scenario of environmental crisis and scarcity of non-renewable resources

Sustainability is a need for users and the market itself in a scenario of environmental crisis and scarcity of non-renewable resources

Exploration of discoveries

Exploration of smart home problems and user needs, based on the entire research process and carried out through the techniques of jobs to be done and how might we

Exploration of smart homes issues and user needs, based on the entire research process and carried out through the jobs to be done and how might we techniques

Mapping and prioritizing opportunities

  • Identify within the exploration made, which problems and needs can deliver more benefits and functionalities to users

  • Prioritize the opportunities found

  • Identify within the exploration done, which problems and needs can deliver more benefits and functionality to the users

  • Prioritize the opportunities found

  • Identify within the exploration done, which problems and needs can deliver more benefits and functionality to users

  • Prioritize the opportunities found

Exploration of the main opportunities

The problem and the solution

Main problem

I want to take better care of my health, to be a healthier person, as I'm having health problems, so I need to acquire a system that helps me to take care of my health

Possible solution

Creating a health functionality in the smart home system that integrates health device and gadget data, performs a detailed real-time analysis, and provides user care suggestions

Main hypothesis

The creation of a health functionality in the smart home system that integrates health device and gadget data, performs real-time detailed analysis, and provides care suggestions to the user will result in an improvement in the user's health, because we know that with intelligent technologies there are many possibilities to be explored that can help the user make decisions and have healthier behaviors

Visual exploration

Identificando soluções em 8 minutos

  • Crazy 8's com 3 usuários e designer do projeto

Validating the functionality with users

  • Wireframes of the 3 main screens of the new feature

  • Moderated test with 5 users

  • 1 exploratory scenario of the feature

  • 3 tasks

UI development and validation

  • 16 screens of the new feature

  • Unmoderated test with 5 users

  • 1 exploratory scenario of the feature

  • 4 tasks

Design

  • Embed the main health features already existing in the market

  • Integrate wearables and health devices into the SmartThings ecosystem

  • Suggest data-based health care and assist users in this process

  • Assist in adopting healthier habits

  • Store health records and generate reports

  • Assist in controlling medication administration and monitoring health conditions and diseases

  • Enable the creation of smart routines focused on user health

  • Enable screen customization, selection, and inclusion of new variables

  • Embed the main health features already existing in the market

  • Integrate wearables and health devices into the SmartThings ecosystem

  • Suggest data-based health care and assist users in this process

  • Assist in adopting healthier habits

  • Store health records and generate reports

  • Assist in controlling medication administration and monitoring health conditions and diseases

  • Enable the creation of smart routines focused on user's health

  • Enable screen customization, selection and inclusion of new variables

  • Embed the main health resources already available in the market

  • Integrate wearables and health devices into the SmartThings ecosystem

  • Suggest data-based health care and assist users in this process

  • Assist in adopting healthier habits

  • Store health histories and generate reports

  • Assist in managing medication administration and monitoring health conditions and diseases

  • Enable the creation of intelligent routines focused on user health

  • Enable screen customization, choice, and inclusion of new variables

Next steps

UI

  • Other screens needed for the functionality implementation

  • Care and variable deletion confirmation messages

  • Error messages

  • Onboarding screen

  • Notifications

  • History and reports for exporting to PDF

  • Other screens required for functionality implementation

  • Deletion confirmation messages for care and variable

  • Error messages

  • Onboarding screen

  • Notifications

  • History and reports for PDF export

  • Other screens needed for the functionality implementation

  • Deletion confirmation messages for care and variable

  • Error messages

  • Onboarding screen

  • Notifications

  • Exportable PDF export history and reports

UX

  • Expand the details of monitored health data

  • Health tips based on user behaviors

  • Customize notifications

  • Preliminary health questionnaire

  • Health progress monitoring

  • Expand the detail of monitored health data

  • Health tips based on user behaviors

  • Customize notifications

  • Preliminary health questionnaire

  • Health progress monitoring

  • Expand the detail of monitored health data

  • Health tips based on user behaviors

  • Customize notifications

  • Preliminary health questionnaire

  • Health progress monitoring