Purpose:
TV has been in every household worldwide for so many years, and everyone is using this product daily. This product helps users get connected with the rest of the world and can be used as a learning tool and entertainment.
TV's technology has been advanced throughout its invention, and mostly the focus was on its hardware such as the size of the display, performance of display, curvature, thinness, backlight, lifetime, etc., but remote controls still have a lot of rooms for improvement.
Problems & Points:
Remotes are easily misplaced.
Remotes frequently need their batteries to be replaced.
Voice command recognition on remotes is unreliable.
Multiple remotes are needed to control multiple devices such as changing TV channels, controlling video games, etc.
One family member might hog the remote.
Kids might be exposed to content not suitable for their ages if parents can’t find remotes to switch the channel in time.
Too many unnecessarily buttons
Project goals:
Improve remote control usability.
Design a more intuitive user interface that satisfies many kinds of user groups.
Keep up with new generations' trends.
Design Process:
Collecting and analyzing information
Interview and personas
Ideas, wireframe, and more detailed sketches
Prototype
Ideation:
Since we usually carry our mobile devices, I would like to design an app on the phone that functions as a remote control for TV as a part of the solution.
The app will be designed in a way that users can customize and re-arrange the buttons as they please and add applications they use the most. Instead of typing, they can use voice applications on their cellphone. In addition, users could adjust and select the size, light, colors, text size of the buttons, as they like, so everyone in the household could have their own designed and personalized remote control.
This remote control app can also be connected to other applications on the phone so users can seamlessly integrate their phone and TV applications with their interests.
User persona:
TVs have a very large number of users and this product is being purchased and used for household, business, offices, bar, restaurants, etc.
Watching TV was very popular 50 years ago with the crowd that now are defined as Baby Boomers and Generation X. Any redesign has to be tested with them as they have the majority of experience with TV, and I have to make sure the redesign does not impact any features that are newly introduced. At the same time, Gen X is semi-tech savvy and would appreciate an improved user experience.
As for candidate characters and potential users, I picked
George 43-year-old accountant.
Storyboard
George spends his day at the office. Usually, He drives home for 40 minutes. He looks forward to getting to a tranquil, relaxing home after work with no extra stress and complications. Improve remote control usability.
As he gets home, his phone automatically syncs to the TV. He plays with his kids, eats dinner, and watches TV.
He can watch TV, change the channels with his phone while checking his messages about the next soccer game this weekend.
To search for a movie or a TV show, he can speak into his phone's microphone.
