Problem Statement

Our homes should be places of comfort and relaxation, yet many people find it challenging to keep them clean and organised due to a lack of time and energy. The demands of modern life often make household tasks feel endless, and this can lead to feelings of frustration and even conflict, especially when responsibilities are unevenly shared among household members.

There is a clear need for a solution that helps people efficiently manage and share household responsibilities, reducing stress and creating a more harmonious living environment.

Why This Matters?

• Empowers users to create a tidier, more comfortable home environment.

• Helps optimise time and energy, easing the burden of household management.

• Minimises conflicts by improving communication and collaboration between household members.

Market Research

The Future of the Smart Home Industry

The smart home industry is rapidly expanding, driven by technological advancements and increasing consumer demand for more connected and convenient living. According to market research, the global smart home market is projected to grow from $101 billion in 2023 to $633 billion by 2032, representing a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.9%.

Key Drivers of Market Growth

1. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
   Rising energy costs and a global focus on sustainability are prompting consumers to adopt energy-saving smart devices, such as thermostats and lighting systems.

2. Security Innovations
   Homeowners increasingly value smart locks, cameras, and alarm systems to enhance household security.

3. Convenience and Automation
   Smart devices simplify daily life with automation, voice assistants, and seamless integration, creating a more efficient living environment.

Opportunities Ahead

The continued expansion of the smart home market presents significant opportunities for improving user experiences. These include:

• Designing more intuitive systems that simplify onboarding and daily usage.

• Addressing interoperability challenges by developing unified control platforms.

• Building user trust through robust privacy and security measures.

Conclusion

The smart home industry is poised for remarkable growth, reflecting a significant shift in consumer preferences towards smarter, safer, and more sustainable living environments. Addressing the key challenges will be crucial in making smart home technology accessible and valuable to a broader audience.

Source: Fortune Business Insights

Competitive Analysis

Wireframes

Sketch

Digital

Hi-fi

Usability Testing

Though my goal was getting 3 participants, I conducted Usability Testing with 2 participants due to lack of time and budget. I referred to NNgroup's UT method "Think Aloud".

More About Think Aloud
- Article
- Video

Rainbow chart

Prototyping

What I learned

1. Limited User Testing Samples

   • The user testing phase suffered from an insufficient sample size. While the goal was to recruit 8 participants, I was only able to secure 2, largely due to the difficulty of finding users who met the target demographic criteria. This limitation was further compounded by restricted access to relevant communities and the lack of resources to offer incentives.

2. Extended Project Timeline

   • As a self-initiated project, the absence of strict deadlines resulted in a prolonged timeline. Without a defined endpoint, the project became overly flexible and, at times, lacked a sense of urgency, which negatively impacted its progress and efficiency.

3. User Testing Conducted on High-Fidelity Mockups

   • User testing was conducted at the high-fidelity mockup stage, which presented challenges. Ideally, usability testing should have been performed during the digital mockup phase, allowing design feedback to be incorporated before investing heavily in detailed visuals. Testing on fully designed mockups made it more difficult to adapt the design based on user feedback, resulting in a process that felt like forcing users to fit into a pre-established framework rather than genuinely addressing their needs.

4. Lack of Onboarding

   • User testing revealed a significant gap in the onboarding process. As a designer, it became evident that I had an inherent understanding of when, where, and how the product should be used—a perspective not shared by first-time users. Furthermore, the onboarding experience varies greatly depending on individual user characteristics. This experience reinforced the importance of designing with the assumption that users are encountering the product for the first time. Creating a clear and intuitive onboarding process is essential to ensure users can quickly adapt, highlighting the need for user-centred rather than designer-centred design.