Examples of good, well thought User Experiences

Task for Micropsi (UX Product Designer role), July 2020

The products being created at Micropsi pertain significantly to enabling a better collaboration between machines and humans; between logic and intuition. How can we implement well thought interaction patterns so that human capabilities are augmented by the machine?

While a complete user experience of a product or a system can only be appreciated when it is “experienced” first hand, certain aspects of the design can be extracted to describe the thought and its value. What I have described below is a chosen collection of excerpts from various products that demonstrate a well informed design. Each example includes my commentary on the design’s functional value, and additionally why the particular example is relevant to the work at Micropsi from my understanding.

EXAMPLE 1: BAXTER INDUSTRIAL ROBOT

Adding a “face” to a robot is much more than giving it a human or anthropomorphic image. On a screen with a set of eyes, Baxter not only indicates the next step it will be performing, but also communicates its “confidence” in a certain task. As a result, this subtle and simple interface effectively makes the robot feel attentive and aware, and as a result brings about confidence and resassurance to the human around it.

Why is it relevant to Micropsi?

Working alongside robots that are autonomous or fast moving can be dangerous but more so they can feel unnatural or weird at times. Despite the fact that newer systems fitted with an array of sensors ensure that the robots are smart and aware, a big problem is about communicating that smartness to others. Implementing intelligent cues that create this bridge between humans and machines can bring about clarity and transparency, which in turn elevate the users experience as a whole.

EXAMPLE 2: SIEMENS COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEMS (CAS)

SIEMENS’ collision avoidance system uses sensing along with an implemented digital twin model to guide and control machine operations. It foresees collisions between the tool and the work pieces, and prevents them from happening.

However when the user wants to push and perform subtle tasks in this risk zone, the JOG mode lets the user take over free movement of the tool, but the CAS automatically throttles the speed of the movement. This allows the user to still perform the task at hand, but with a much more finesse.

Why is it relevant to Micropsi?

Autonomous safety mechanisms are invaluable in preventing catastrophic incidents. However, at the same time, a blanket protection system can be a barrier when it comes to allowing for humans ability to perfom subtle and finessed actions. This system is an example of how human abilities can be augmented with machine’s intelligence.

(Recommend watching the video from 3:25 to 4:16 )

EXAMPLE 3: DJI MAVIC PRO APP

The control systems in place for setup and manuevering in DJI Mavic’s apps is one of the most complex yet intuitive I have seen in commercial product. It excels in thoughtful interface design in all parts of the experience - from setup to live “in-flight” controls. I have included 3 excerpts from the app that demonstrate those values.

Why is it relevant to Micropsi?

From my understanding of your product so far, I can expect atleast setup and operation as two key modes of interaction, and that is also in parallel with DJI Mavic’s. The setup of the robot is complex by nature, but with information architectures and intelligent controls, it can really set that experience apart - making the product more accessible as a result.

Appropriate applications of graphical UI

Well arranged and explained complex controls

Lastly, I would of course welcome you to view other projects on my portfolio, as I believe they too demonstrate examples of good UX design. Especially relevant could be a control system I helped design for autonomous forklifts (password: portfolio2020)