Samsung Research - IoT and Wearables

I spent 10 weeks working with the incredible IoT and Wearables UX team at Samsung Research this summer. During this time I worked on strategies for new directions for the SmartThings automation platform and Galaxy Smartwatch, under the mentorship of Parag Nandi, Deepak Nathan and my manager, Satish Patil. Even though it was a remote internship, I got the opportunity to meet some amazing people and learn a LOT in a short time!

What I learnt (in a nutshell)

My Experience at Samsung

Although I can't discuss the details of my work because it comes under an NDA, I can say that my experience at Samsung taught me more than I thought I could learn in one summer. I got the opportunity to work on 3 different projects, ranging from really open-ended to really well-defined.

SmartThings - Automation platform for a smart home

In the first project, I worked on smart home automations and their impact on people’s lives. As part of the project I studied the various If/Then conditions needed to create automations and designed new scenarios around them. This meant working closely with the tech team at Samsung to understand the technological constraints that were involved in setting these conditions.

Working with the SmartThings platform remotely was definitely a challenge since I had never been in a smart home myself. But the internet, the Virtual Home option on the SmartThings app and my mentor, all came to my rescue!

Galaxy Watch - Managing everyday life straight from the wrist

For my second project, I worked with the Galaxy Smartwatch. I had to design for the everyday practices and aspirations of a watch user. This involved studying the design guidelines of Galaxy watches, creating user personas, affinity mapping and presenting high-fidelity wireframes. I learnt how to prioritise and present information on a screen as small as a watchface and how to design intuitive flows.

I went from knowing nothing about smartwatches - to designing concepts and even becoming a watch user myself - all in one week! For this project, I had to deliver concepts and wireframes in a tight timeline (1 week!) and present to the entire team. It was nerve-wracking, but also very rewarding.

Who is a Watch User?

This project involved imagining the personas of average watch users

A New Music Application for the Watch

My final project was the longest and most defined. I worked on a new music streaming application for the watch. Here I learned how to design the same thing for the computer screen and for the watch screen, without compromising on functionality in either case. I could see how different teams of the organisation work together to pull off projects and how content and intent is translated across a lot of people.

Approach

For this project I had to filter down the function of the music app from the web and mobile applications to a version more suitable for a smart watch. To begin conceptualising, I needed to understand 3 important aspects:

Once I had understood the entire scope of the solution, I began working on the Information Architecture, the UX flows and the Key Screens of the app. I learned how to apply the Design Principles of the Galaxy watch in my work. Over 4 weeks, I worked out the first time experiences, edge cases and out of box experiences of the app.

I got to present the screens and flows to the stakeholders and worked closely with the R&D team and a Visual Designer. The final result was a complete first draft - a reflection of the existing web and mobile applications but well-suited to the needs of a watch user.

In Closing

Working with a lot of people remotely was definitely new, especially when I had never met them before. The team, my mentors and manager were truly the most supportive throughout the overwhelming but exciting journey. Not only did I meet a bunch of inspiring people but I also designed for users at a much larger scale than I could ever imagine!