LightGuide
LightGuide is an augmented reality (AR) company, on a mission to innovate the industrial assembly process through light-projected text, visuals, and animation.
Settings IA Redesign
This research project was conducted to innovate the organization of the settings feature of the LightGuide app to more accurately match the users’ mental model. There are many different features organized under labeled tabs within the settings, and it was important to understand what the user expects to see when they click on each tab. Creating harmony between the settings information architecture (IA) and the users’ mental model and will allow them to quickly adjust different elements they would like to modify within a LightGuide project.
Skills Used: contextual inquiry, affinity diagramming, personas
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01 - Understand user’s mental model of the settings feature
02 - Understand user’s pain points with the feature
03 - Formulate design recommendations to improve usability of the settings feature
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We were looking to collect qualitative attitudinal data for this project to understand how to improve the ease of navigation. Because the primary users of the settings feature in the LightGuide app are internal engineers, interviewing the engineers in-office where they typically use of the feature was most valuable.
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The two primary personas are internal engineers who program the LightGuide customer projects, and plant managers who may need to troubleshoot the program on-site.
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We recruited
3 software engineers
3 integration engineers
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Interviews were done in-person with each participant. Myself and my UX Designer colleague took turns interviewing and taking notes. The current settings design was made available on a laptop to reference in specific questions.
The interview protocol was about 15 questions, starting with a set of questions to understand the participant’s job role and how/when they use the settings feature, as well as a set of questions targeted at what the participant expects to see in each tab and their typical pain points.
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Data from the 6 participants were synthesized into an affinity diagram to extract the key findings, which were used to formulate the design recommendations.
Personas
Interview Protocol
Participants were asked a series of questions about their role at LightGuide, how they interact with the settings feature, and the pain points they experience. Some of the key questions asked during the interview session are highlighted below.
What is your position at LightGuide, and what tasks within your role require use of the settings?
Walk me through your most recent experience using the settings. What goal were you trying to achieve and what were the steps involved?
Have you ever had a problem using the settings, such as a feature you couldn’t find? If so, how did you attempt to solve the problem?
What do you like most about the current design?
Imagine you are the designer and can do whatever you want in the redesign of the setting. What features would you like to add in or change?
Data Analysis
Feedback from all 6 participants was synthesized in an affinity diagram to extract the main findings.
*blurred for confidentiality
