Nusa, smart workspace solution at the intersection of hardware and software
Timeframe
4 Weeks
Role
UX Design
Team
Chris, Andy, Laws
Type
Pre-Vision
*Please keep this project within the recruiting company
0/7 Introduction
After MX Vertical has been on the market for three years, we have an opportunity to create a new, updated higher-tier experience to users with the latest and greatest in design language——offering them a new flagship experience.
1/7 User Challenges
Insights from young women highlighted an opportunity for reimagining digital well being for modern-day workers.
The word "Ergonomic" has negative baggage
The current ergonomic stereotype points to people who are older, ill, have an exiting real pain. We know that this is simply not the only case where ergonomics can be helpful.
They wish they'd known before they had pain
Everyone wishes they had known about ergonomic products earlier, before they experienced physical pain. but they don't want the clinical mindset that so often comes with a "prevention"message.
Awareness is the hardest part
Users point to several related problems including little passive knowledge about the products, little understanding pf prevention, and no identity with the product ambassadors they encounter.
2/7 Design Principles
Based on our insights, developed design principles that served as the core values of our design.
3/7 User Experience
Came up with experience vision: "Feel better to do better" and mapped out how to improve user pain cycle accordingly.
Prevent
Focus on how we can prevent discomfort + pain from even beginning.
Evolve
Remove the negative perception of "ergonomic" leaving behind the old stereotype.
Awareness
Increase awareness in an engaging and authentic way, that reaches the right audience.
4/7 Sketches & Ideation
Create three design solutions based on our design principles, including a collaboration with Headspace which focuses on one's mental well-being.
Initial Sketches
Concept I: Fatigue Warning
A simpler version of Nusa that meets the requirements of keeping one healthy during long hours of work.
Status Tracking
👣
Track how long user has been using the mouse without breaks.
Prevention
✋🏼
Display colors from green to red to indicate levels of warnings (red is the most severe).
Necessary Warning
⚠️
Remind users to take a break through mouse vibration and blinking LED.
Logo LED blick
Display Warning Level
Remind through vibration
Concept II: Activities Reminder
A smarter way for WFH workers to take breaks between work while managing to keep track on their daily tasks.
Notify Breaks
⏰
Users set a suitable time frame should work without breaks, and get notify to rest when the time is up.
Break Activities
☕️
An activity icon will pop up suggesting what users can do during the break. It'll remind them of their daily tasks or provide inspirations.
Stress Release
🧘
Users are able to not only improve their physical health but also their mental health through the stress release activities we guide them to do.
Display Icon
Display Icon
Activity Icons
Concept III: Beyond Screen
Beyond the basic functions of Nusa, we thought about how much personality we could give the smart assistant to accompany users in workflow.
Text Display
💬
Display texts on dot screen to create room for showing diverse messages and serve as an extended screen from computer.
Companionship
🤝
An activity icon will pop up suggesting what users can do during the break. It'll remind them of their daily tasks or provide activities inspirations.
Link with Application
🎶
Link with application like Spotify to enable secondary control of the app, such as showing the song played, slide or tap on mouse screen to rewind and pause.
Set Time
Display Signature Emojis
Welcome Users
3/7 Final Design
Zooming out from the design scene, we concluded on three features that capture the essence of Nusa (inviting, modern, personal) before pursuing the next step.
Touch button that seamlessly appear on hover.
Slide bar that allows sliding to customize values (timer...).
Light ring to display colors with different levels of warning.
8/8 Takeaways
What I learned from the project as a junior UX designer.
Dig deeper into user's mentality and refine our focus
If we had only focus on how users normally deal with pain and not on how they perceive the concept and word "ergonomic" even at the beginning, we could've never thought to put in extra effort to familiarize them with the experience.
Thinking on-the-fly v.s. grounding in facts
Ideation is a big part of this project since we are doing something that hasn't existed. However, there should be a subtle balance between allowing your creativity to fly and pulling yourself back to the research insights. I find the former very intriguing and the later very reassuring.
A new try, collaborating with industrial designers
This is my first time collaborating with industrial designer on creating experiences across tangible product, screen interface, and offline journey. It was really interesting to look into different ways to research on the touch points altogether such as having users draw out their day like comics.
