Sleep soundly with an app that lets you know you are secure.

Introduction

ShutDown is a prototype for a mobile web application that allows users to easily install Bluetooth devices on elements that secure their home. Ease of use was at the forefront of the design.

Discovery Stage

The needfinding stage was based on one of three different design briefs, Time, Change and Glance. I decided to pursue Change, which explores how technology can help people and may change their behavior to meet their goals.

My idea evolved from wanting to solve the problem of having too many remote control to wanting to create a centralized place for people to control elements in their home. How did this happen? It was during the interviews. I did my interviews with people in their home. While I discovered that the remote control problem did seem to be an issue for the people I spoke to, it was not what they had at the top of their minds. During these conversations it surfaced that people wanted to have control over things like their lights, their doors, camera it was all leading to securing the house. I also turned out that it was during the night, before bed that they had to go around and check things. Then it all come together.

But, there was another issue… It need to be really easy to use. Much of the feedback I got back was the apps these days’ pack to much in and were too difficult to set up.

So the problem was clear I need to develop and app that would EASILY allow users to install new items and control the items in their homes that mattered to them.

Initial Storyboard

Remotes

ShutDown

Solving the Problem

I was determined to create a solution that not only tackled the security issue but also the “Easy” issue. My goal was to provide easy navigation. Limit the number of touches a person would need to accomplish each task. Move through the app with ease. So I started with thinking thought the workflow of the app. How would a peron first open the app, what would they see, how would they get from the start screen to the action screens, how would they add new devices?

So I started with the lading page, which was also going to be the navigation. I provide big buttons that were easy to click. I added icons to visually reinforce the button text. I also added a way for the users to add new navigation categories.

Secondly I thought through each panel, what would be an easy way to turn on and off items while giving the user a que about their current state? I decided to combined it all in to easy to click buttons.

I also wanted it to be super easy to add a new device to the panel. So the idea is you would add it by Bluetooth. Once the deceive was detected the user could simply select and add.

Among other design decisions, I wanted to have a camera so the user could visually inspect their property, especially for those times you wake up and say “I think I heard something?”

Conclusion

In conclusion the app aimed to concur both the problem of being able to “Shut Down” items in your house once you have gone to bed, and promoting ease of use. I hope that you find that it did both.