What if we redesign TV Remote
This is a practice for our trainees to improve their design mindset. We are from Vietnam so we focus on TV remotes that Vietnamese people are using daily. The content below is the working notes of a trainee.
Project goals
- Improve remote control usability
- Design a more intuitive user interface that satisfy many kinds of user groups
- For me — learn how to conduct user research, collect and analyze data, create wireframe, prototype and interaction…
Overview
In electronics, a remote control is a component of an electronic device used to operate the device wirelessly from a distance (Wikipedia).
Day by day, people use TV for many purposes: watching popular channels such as VTV, VTC, HBO; playing games with Xbox and Play Station and so on. And common way to communicate with TV is the remote but a lot of TV remote have user experience problems and frustrate users.
Design Process
Research
- Market research: collect and analyze information…
- User research: interview, personas, empathy…
Ideas and wireframe
UI Design
Prototype
Field Research
Based on technology, we have Infrared Remote, Radio Frequency RM, Wired RM… but I want to focus on remote functions that users need. So we have 3 types below:
- Dedicated Remote: a remote is programmed to control a single specific device or several specific devices. I think it’s the most popular TV remote in Vietnam. What is your TV Brand? Sony, LG, Samsung or Panasonic. Obviously, you couldn’t turn on LG TV with a Sony remote. It is ‘dedicated’ to the TV brands, even TV models.
- Universal Remote Control: A lot of family in Vietnam live with multiple dedicated remote controls for multiple devices in their home: TV, DVD, speaker system, air condition…One method of reducing the number of remote controls is to use a Universal Remote Control(URC), also called a ‘library’ remote. It programmed by manufacture to control almost all common home devices before some setup steps . These Universal Library remotes are also good if you happen to lose, or break the original remote.
- Programmable Remote Control: Someone using the remote can program it either with codes to control devices or create more elaborate functions via a computer or mobile app using USB communication, or via BlueTooth, Wifi. Some URC could be programmed.
User Research
Market research
The older Vietnamese are, the more time they spend on TV.
I read product reviews about TV remote on Amazon and Best buy and figure out some problems
- Not compatible with devices
- Too many buttons
- Remote is over smart. I have to use another device to set it up.
User Interview
I have interviewed 5 people: 2 old men, 2 young people and 1 middle age.
Question set:
- How much time you spend on TV everyday?
- What is your frustrations with your TV remote?
- Which features do you want to add to your TV remote?
Define Problems and Pain points
- All of them have problems with TV remote battery.
- Two old men have troubles with buttons: too complicated and hard to remember
- Two young people don’t have much time to watch TV so they don’t really care. They only use to switch channels, increase and decrease volume.
- They want the TV remote to be rechargeable, have less buttons and a touch screen
Ideation
Synthesis and analysis
Most of remote have the same layout like this
- Power/source buttons
- Number buttons
- Navigation buttons
- Volume/channel button
- Media button
Some ideas
- Two old men feel complicated with this remote because there are many unnecessary buttons for them.
- TV remote can use rechargeable battery (via solar energy) to prevent battery problems.
- We also have touch screen to quick navigate to favorite channels.
- Voice control to be hand-free
I sketch the idea quickly and refine it
Then more detailed sketches with small cap to cover unnecessary buttons
Graphics UI
After 3 days research and sketching, I move on the graphics design phase. We have two versions:
With touch bar
Without touch bar
Another version
This is a fun project so we don’t spend time on production and testing.
Thank for reading!
Trainee: Duc Nguyen
Studio: Eggcellent Design
