Intervals — Redesigning the timepiece
A method to know the time implicitly
Analysis of Current Watches
Current watches are intrusive when trying to notify the owner of the time. Beeps or any sort of notification such as an alarm can distract people around. Lighting up of the watch can be distracting as well. Looking at the watch abruptly can induce a wrong notion of one wanting to end a meeting or a conversation. Keeping track of time in a meeting can be hard without looking at one’s watch or phone.
A scenario in depth — Meetings
Analyzing the meeting scenario in depth — people tend to want to know how one is running in terms of time to wrap the meeting without extending one’s limit. But, looking at the watch can pass off as being rude or wanting to end the meeting. Alarms or setting timers can be a hindrance to the flow of the meeting and can annoy people around. Even indicators such as lights or LEDs that light up can distract people around.
Using Intervals to redesign the experience
An interval is the interim period between two distinct times.
Redesigning the meeting experience
Just before the meeting, the user decides to set the interval on the watch. This would allow the user to keep track of time. How? The watch provides gentle subtle nudges between periods of the interval.
The user presses the crown. The user is taken to a settings page where the interval option could be selected.
This can be done by turning the crown to the desired position.
Here, the user selects ‘Set Interval’. On selecting, the user is taken to a screen where there exists an option to select the interval time.
This value can be selected by turning the crown again.
On selecting the interval, the user is provided with a feedback from the system denoting the selected interval. The smaller crown has to be pushed to activate the interval at any given time.
The status of the interval is displayed on the main screen on the watch on top portion of the screen.
In the meeting room, the user has no need to look at the watch to know the time. The watch would very discreetly alert the user every 15 minutes (or based on the interval set).
The watch vibrates thereby alerting the user about the time.
People around are not interrupted in the process.
Explaining the Intervals interface
The interval time between one alert and the other can be set based on the user’s preference.
The interface screen the user can set the interval using the crown which affords turn-ability.
The interface provides a feedback to the user on setting the interval. The user is directed back to the main time screen after a brief display of the feedback from the system. To activate the interval nudges, the smaller crown on the side of the dial has to be pressed once.
An indication on top of the screen displays the interval set between nudges.
This is displayed in order to provide a visual cue to the user about the system status in terms of the intervals.
Every fifteen minutes (or the user-set interval) — the watch automatically and very subtly — nudges the user by vibrating pleasantly in a subdued manner.
This will not be heard by people around but will make sure the owner of the watch keeps track of time.
Intervals — A concept design
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