As the sole UX/UI designer at company, I led the design of a mobile and web platform for InnoGlas SE, an industrial AR glasses application. This project aimed to enhance industrial operations with features such as remote assistance, AI detection, SOP guidance, and Microsoft Teams integration. Through a comprehensive design process—encompassing objective analysis, user research, ideation, and iterative design phases—I developed both low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes. User testing played a crucial role, yielding positive feedback that informed the final design. The product has since been successfully launched, receiving commendable market acceptance, positive customer feedback, and significant reorders. This project exemplifies a holistic UX journey, marrying complex industrial needs with intuitive, user-centered design.
Introduction of the InnoGlas SE AR platform markedly boosted task efficiency, with all participants reporting a notable decrease in the time required to complete routine tasks. On average, task completion times were reduced by 25%, demonstrating the AR-guided workflows' capacity to enhance operational speed.
A unanimous improvement in operational accuracy was reported by the participants, credited to the AR platform's precise, real-time overlays. The observed decrease in error rate averaged at 35%, highlighting the AR technology's role in mitigating operational errors.
The AR platform's integration into daily operations was met with universally positive feedback. Every participant expressed a strong interest in ongoing use and advocated for the platform's wider adoption within their respective teams.
Elevate industrial operational efficiency and safety through the integration of AR technology, aiming to streamline complex processes, enhance real-time collaboration, and improve task accuracy, thereby increasing productivity and reducing downtime.
The competitor analysis revealed that InnoGlas SE is positioned in a market with well-established players. RealWear and Iristick are direct competitors, offering industrial AR solutions at premium price points, with features that cater to similar professional segments. Meanwhile, XREAL serves as an indirect competitor, targeting a broader audience with more affordable options, hinting at the potential for crossover appeal within consumer applications. This analysis underscores the need for InnoGlas SE to differentiate itself through unique features, competitive pricing, and by addressing specific user needs in the industrial AR space.
Insights: From the competitive scope analysis, it’s clear that RealWear emphasizes interaction features like video calling and voice commands tailored for remote efficiency, with a focus on adaptability in industrial environments. Iristick similarly offers basic interaction functionalities and prioritizes task efficiency with unique collaboration tools like live annotation, targeting specific workplace scenarios. XReal diverges by catering to a broader, non-industrial audience with an emphasis on intuitive interfaces for media consumption and gaming. The insights for InnoGlas SE suggest the integration of robust collaboration tools, enhanced adaptability and durability, and a balance between professional and personal uses to optimize specific workflow efficiencies.
Structure & Skeleton Analysis: Structures user experiences in software and information products through organized interaction and content. Determine interface and navigation design, enhancing usability and understanding in both software and information products.
Insights:The structure and skeleton review for the InnoGlas SE platform suggests a strategic focus on enhancing user interaction and operational efficiency. By adopting a clear cloud management interface akin to RealWear and streamlining the registration process, we can significantly improve the user experience. Additionally, incorporating efficient remote assistance with robust communication capabilities, coupled with voice command optimization as seen in Iristick, will ensure task efficiency. The platform will benefit from automatic data synchronization with clear indicators for progress and troubleshooting, along with the potential for device customization to meet diverse user needs. Lastly, comprehensive user training and support will be pivotal in maximizing the utility and adoption of the platform.
Surface Analysis: observe and learn competitor’s iconography and style, color scheme, typography, texture and images, layout and space, dynamics and effects as a reference to our product
Insights:The surface analysis of competitive products reveals a unanimous preference for simplicity in design, with a clear and intuitive layout of icons and text facilitating ease of use. The competitors utilize strong color contrasts and thematic consistency to enhance usability and brand recognition. However, limitations in personalization and the potential over-simplification of information point to areas for improvement. The adoption of dark mode by XREAL suggests a beneficial feature for prolonged use or low-light environments. In terms of design takeaways, incorporating elements such as XREAL's dark mode, along with the intuitive card-style layout and modularization from Iristick and RealWear, can help create an interface that is both aesthetically aligned with the brand and easy for users to navigate. The focus will be on maintaining clarity in iconography and providing clear interaction feedback to foster an empowered user experience.
SWOT Analysis of competitors and our product
In our quantitative analysis, we engaged 214 Southeast Asian participants in a comprehensive survey to derive actionable insights for the InnoGlas SE platform.
Insights:The data from the survey highlights crucial user preferences and pain points, revealing a strong demand for intuitive connectivity and seamless integration with commonly used communication tools. Users emphasized the need for reliable, high-quality connections and the importance of interoperability across various devices and platforms. Additionally, feedback indicated a desire for streamlined processes and user-centric training resources, guiding the further refinement of InnoGlas SE’s features to better align with the users' workflow and enhance their on-the-job performance.
Our qualitative analysis encompassed in-depth interviews with operator users in the semiconductor field, yielding rich, contextual insights into their daily interactions with AR technology and specific user experience needs.
Reveals InnoGlas SE’s intuitive interface and AR features notably enhance quality control and efficiency, with its remote assistance capabilities being a significant asset. Areas for improvement include comfort for long-term wear and more responsive voice commands, while overall integration with existing systems and performance in various lighting conditions meet industry standards.
The potential user of industrial AR glasses could be a manufacturing worker who needs real-time data and operational guidance to improve work efficiency and safety.
The User Journey Maps for Arjun Patel and Emily Sanderson provide a holistic view of the user experience, detailing each stage of engagement with the InnoGlas SE model, from initial awareness to loyal advocacy, along with the opportunities and challenges encountered along the way.
How might we develop a user-centric interface for InnoGlas SE industrial AR glasses that streamlines complex manufacturing processes, enhances real-time decision-making, and fosters seamless remote collaboration, ultimately elevating both the efficiency and safety of workers in high-tech industries?
Throughout the ideation phase for InnoGlas SE, we meticulously amalgamated user input and competitive intelligence to devise an overarching strategy. This strategy aims to elevate manufacturing operations, augment decision-making with advanced AR capabilities, and bolster remote collaborative efforts. We meticulously cataloged an array of potential features for integration, all while carefully navigating the multifaceted landscape of Physical, Cultural, Technological, and Economic constraints to ensure a tailored, accessible, and cutting-edge solution for our diverse user base.
In the ideation phase, we strategically categorized user needs by considering a spectrum of constraints—Physical, Cultural, Technological, and Economic—prioritizing them to ensure our design aligns with user expectations and practical implementation. We transformed these prioritized needs into a comprehensive survey, articulated through both positive and negative questioning, to gauge user sentiment ranging from enthusiasm to aversion. Utilizing the nuanced KANO model, we meticulously analyzed the survey responses to classify features into distinct categories: Attractive, One-dimensional, Must-have, Indifferent, Reverse, and Questionable, enabling us to refine our feature set for optimal user satisfaction and product viability.
This information architecture diagram outlines the structured layout of content and features within the Mobile and Web platform, serving as a roadmap for its design and navigation.
The development of the low-fidelity wireframes for the InnoGlas SE platform was a collaborative effort, conducted via virtual team meetings to ensure alignment between UX design and project management goals. This phase served as a foundational blueprint, where we established the core layout and interaction flow, setting the stage for iterative refinement and stakeholder feedback.
The High-Fidelity mobile application is developed on the foundation of the Low-Fidelity version, collaboratively designed with the team's input. This mobile iteration empowers users with AI detection capabilities, provides step-by-step SOP guidance, and integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Teams. Additionally, the application offers users the ability to create personal accounts, access device information, and enables the viewing of another individual’s AR glasses display directly on their smartphone.
Transitioning to high-fidelity prototypes, we introduce detailed, interactive designs that closely resemble the final AR experience, complete with visual elements, animations, and a more refined user interface. This stage allows us to conduct in-depth usability testing, ensuring the final product will be both engaging and intuitive for users.
For submission to prestigious accolades including the French Design Award, International Design Awards, and the London Design Award, a concept version was meticulously crafted. This version achieved remarkable success, securing victories across all the aforementioned awards.
For the InnoGlas SE industrial AR platform, we are committed to a philosophy of continuous improvement, guided by iterative design and delivery. Recognizing the dynamic nature of user needs and technological advancements, we actively solicit customer feedback and conduct periodic user testing to inform our development process. This approach ensures that each iteration of the platform not only addresses current user challenges but also anticipates future demands, thereby delivering a product that remains at the forefront of AR technology. Our commitment to iteration and delivery, based on direct user insights, underscores our dedication to enhancing operational efficiency and accuracy through innovative solutions.
