TV remote control UX research journey: From paper prototypes to fully functional remote Miriam Donath September, 2017
TV remote control UX research journey:From paper prototypes to fully functional remote
MiriamDonathSeptember,2017
Intro
• AlthoughUXresearchofdigitaluserinterfaceshasbeenmoreprevalentthanUXresearchofphysicaldevices,physicaldeviceshavealwaysintriguedme.• InthispresentationIwilltakeyouthroughsomeremotecontroluserresearchactivitiesIconductedtocompletelyredesignacableTVremotecontroltoaccompanyanewTVuserinterface.• Istartedwithpaperprintoutsandendedwithafullyfunctionalremote.• Iwillhighlightthechallenges,triumphs,andlessonsIlearnedalongtheway.• Thelevelsoffidelityweusedhelpedusmatchthebusiness,technology,andtimeconstraintswehad,andtheresultsofourresearchinfluencedthedesignoftheremoteandultimatelymadeiteasierandmoreintuitivetouse.
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Stage1:Paperprintoutremotes
• Inrecentyearsremotecontrolshavebeenmadeshorter,withfewerandfewbuttons.• Inordertogetfeedbackonremotecontrollength,weincorporatedpaperprintoutsofremotecontrolsofdifferentlengthsintoUXresearchsessionswewereconducting.• Thisallowedustogetsomebasicfeedbackbeforewehadaccesstohigherfidelityoptions,whichwouldgiveusersabetterideaoflookandfeelofpossibleremotes.• Italsoallowedustoseethetypesofissuesparticipantsperceivedasbeingimportant,suchassizing,visibilityofbuttons,color,texture,labeling&brightnessofbuttons,andbackslopeofremote.
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Stage2:Moldedplasticprototypes
• Moldedplasticprototypeswentastepbeyondthecardboardprototypesinthatitallowedparticipantstogetabetterideaofwhatanewlydesignedremotecontrolwouldfeellike,includingowhethertheycoulduseitwithonehand,ohoweasilytheycouldfindspecificbuttons,andowhetherthethicknessoftheremotewassuitable.
• Italsohadheft,whichwaslackinginthepaperprintouts.
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Stage3:Survey
• Duringthedesignprocess,buttoniconographyandlabelingemergedasanareaneedingfeedback.• Specifically,therewasconcernthatthefunctionalityofoneofthebuttonswouldbemisunderstood.• Alsotherewere2designchoicesforacertainbuttonicon,andwewantedtoknowwhichwouldbeunderstoodmoreclearly.• Asurveywith100respondentsgaveuscleardataonwhichdirectiontorecommendthedesigngo.
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Stage4:Cardboardprototypes
• Thenextstepbeyondpaperprintoutofremotecontrolswerecardboardprototypes.• ThisallowedUXresearchparticipantstogetabetterideaofhowthelengthofremotecontrolswouldfeelintheirhands,however• allremoteshadthesamethickness&similarlookofmaterial• theyhadnoheft• thebuttonscouldn’tbepressed,• andtheremoteslookedmoresimilartoeachotherthantheywouldinreallife.
• Whilethe2dimensionalitywasastepbeyondthesingle-dimensionalityofthepaperprintout,theystillrequiredasignificantamountofimaginationfromparticipants.
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Stage5:“Real”remotes
• Inadditiontocardboardprototypes,wewantedtogetfeedbackonremotescurrentlybeingusedbythegeneralpopulationofTVviewers.SoIcollectedaselectionofrealremotecontrols(e.g.,Xfinity,Tivo,etc.)andgotmoreaccuratefeedbackonremote:• length• thickness• material• colors,and• buttonplacement.
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Stage6:WorkingremotewithinteractiveUIprototype• Whilepaper,cardboard,andplasticprototypesgaveussomegoodfeedbackinitially,acriticalpartofusingaremotecontrolisthetactileandinteractiveexperienceitprovideswiththeTVuserinterface.• Therefore,inthisstageofresearch,Istartedusingafunctionalremotecontrol,whichwasprogrammedtoworkwithourinteractiveAxure TVprototypethatsimulatedlivevideo.• Thisuseofsimulatedlivevideoallowedparticipantstousetheremotecontrolinasnaturalawayaspossible.
• I rantheUIprototypeoffofacomputerandconnecteditviaanHDMIcordtoa42”screenTVsothatresearchparticipantswouldhavearealisticTVviewingexperience.
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Stage6:WorkingremotewithinteractiveUIprototype (continued)• IusedaFlirc USBdonglesothattheremotecontrolwouldworkwiththeAxure prototype.• Iusedaremotecontrolthatwasmuchclosertotheenvisionednewremotethanthecurrentremote,includingbuttonconfigurationandprofilesize.• ItwasaremotecurrentlybeingusedinSouthAmerica(thereforelikelytobeunfamiliartoresearchparticipants),andweupdateditwithbuttonlabelsthatmorecloselysuitedourneeds.
• Wereceivedcriticalfeedbackonbuttonplacementandiconographyduringthesesessions.
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Stage7:Finaltweaks
• Afteraninitialprototypeoftheplannedremotewasproduced,wehadparticipantsuseditaninteractiveUIprototypetogaugeeaseofuseinchangingchannels,akeycomponentofanyTVremotecontrol.• Thesesessionsresultedinrecommendationsregardingspacebetweenandbevelingofbuttons.
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