REDESIGNING OF AUDIOVOX HOMEBASE

Context: While designing the new version of the Homebase v2.0 we studied the issues present in the existing user interface and considered them while redesigning the new one. To check whether the new features were an improvement over the older ones, we performed the user testing where we discovered some issues which we solved while designing the physical prototype phase.

Homebase v2.0 is a device which is primarily designed to solve the problem of family communication. It is a device that assists users to exchange information within the family.

Objective:

Identify the loopholes in the existing product.
Enhance the existing features to build market value and to make it relevant in today’s new and evolving technology.
Can solve the purpose of family communication.

Demo

THE CHALLENGE

The goal was to enhance the existing product Homebase v2.0 which was designed to serve the purpose of family communication. During the designing process we considered the true needs and expectations of users, establishing a baseline of user performance, and identifying potential design concerns to be addressed in order to improve the efficiency, productivity, and end-user satisfaction.

THE SOLUTION

We realized that we needed a logical evaluation and down selection technique to design the final product.
We used a touchscreen laptop for a physical prototype, we would like to explore an alternative option like Arduino for more freedom in design demonstration.
The experience of creating a video demo was a valuable tool in expressing different scenarios

MY ROLE

I worked as a Product Researcher on this project. And following are the actions for which I was responsible for:

Study the current system and spot the errors in it.
Suggest the features which can build the market value of the current system.
Technologies through which families can communicate.

THE PROCESS

User Testing and Evaluation

Wireframes & Prototype

Brainstorming Session

Identifying the User needs

Understanding the

Application

PRODUCT RESEARCH

After discussing with the team and by considering the needs of the current generation we decided to go with the following features:

A Whiteboard for inter-family communication
A shared calendar
Family photo frame along with a picture snapping bot
Alexa and Google Assistant integration

Existing Features in the current system:

Built-in microphone and speaker for recording and playing back audio messages.
Digital calendar with an ability to add event memos.
Includes multiple mounting options; hang on a fridge or set atop a counter.

Features suggested by us:

Family Calendar where everyone can share his or her schedule.
Notes- act as a sticky note where a user can add the note using the stylus.
Digital photo frame which will display the candid photos captured by the bot.
Voice assistant integrated with Alexa and Google.

IDEATION PHASE

PENCIL SKETCHES

FINAL SKETCHES

The finalized form factor of a slate/tablet

Rolling bot with wheels and a camera in the center

The prototype that we were about to create needed to be portable, mountable on refrigerators and needed a mechanism that would enable it to be placed on any surface like kitchen platform, tabletop, dining table, bedside table, etc. We took inspiration from tablets for the form factor, but add a hinge to it in order to enable it resting on surfaces. The touchscreen is OLED and hence consumes less power compared to the screen on the previous model. We’ve also made the touch screen to detect simple note taking objects like a pencil or any kind of stylus.

STORY-BOARDS

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

Home Screen showing the last message on a note.

Screensaver of the photos, these photos are mainly of the user who is using the tablet by using facial recognition.

All the notes from the past and it has the feature of selecting the one which we want to pin on the main screen.

Synchronized family calendar which shows the schedule of all the family members showing the free dates so that they can arrange some event or trip or get together.

A photo gallery showing the photos captured by the rolling bot.

We introduce the voice command in the product we designed. Here the user can ask the product any kinds of questions for example climate, songs, etc.

EVALUATION

We performed a cognitive walkthrough to identify understanding the system's learnability for new or infrequent users and further tested it with 4 participants of age 20-30 to further get insights into the user experience.

We derived the following insights from the testings:

Integrate support for controlling IoT objects at home.
Need for including video calling.
Make subtle changes to the design to make it user-friendly for kids.
More stylus options in whiteboard for a more realistic experience of notetaking.

Key Insights from User Testing

Need to include video calling.
Integrate support for controlling house IoT
Modify the design to make it user-friendly for kids
Stylus options for a more realistic experience of whiteboard
Vibrant Interface

PRODUCT DEMO

To show the working of the product, Audiovox Homebase we group of two people made the video and explained the application of an Audiovox Homebase.

Demo Video