Our high level brief was to develop the UI, Interaction patterns and physical design prototypes as a proof of concept for a low cost wearable device (99 USD price point).
At Microsoft I was part of a team designing and developing new products; to innovate experiences across multiple devices and modes of UI. As well as smart speakers and phone concepts, flexible displays I worked on a prototype for a wearable
The value proposition, Interaction and Industrial Designs we developed were very well received. We delivered a software prototype of a user interface that was optimised for such a small screen. However the experience we wanted to deliver was too heavily compromised due to the poor refresh rates (response times) of eink technology at the time.
Competitor research and customer feedback exposed an opportunity to develop a wearable device that had a long battery life and low price tag. Research from our Industrial Design and Engineering teams led us to explore the e-ink , as used in Kindle ereaders, as a display technology. At the time wearables were beginning to flood the market with dubious or limited use cases, our aim was to create something that really complimented everyday scenarios.
A number of principles were fleshed out to come up with meaningful interactions and the ‘Glance & Go’ strapline was developed
We developed ideas around a user experience of prompts and assistance based on sensing your ‘mode’ i.e. Are you at work, socialising, commuting, exercising. We mapped out dozens of everyday scenarios and refined how a smart assistant could effortlessly compliment what you are doing.
