Introduction
The Protea Pulse smartwatch is a design for a wearable watch designed to meet the diverse needs of several different types of users.
User Identification
Specifically, the Protea Pulse is designed to cater to three distinct types of users, each with their unique requirements and preferences :
1. Sarah
28 year old fitness enthusiast and personal trainer
I am seeking a watch interface that aligns with my active lifestyle. I prioritize health tracking features such as real-time heart rate monitoring, step counts, and calories burned. Additionally, I desire a watch that supports various workout modes with instant feedback, and it should be water-resistant to accommodate my swimming sessions. Customizable fitness goals and challenges are essential for my motivation and progression. I am excited to explore how the Protea Pulse smartwatch can meet these specific requirements and elevate my fitness journey to new heights.
2. Emily
22 year old fashion blogger
I need a smartwatch interface that caters to my specific needs. Having a large and easily readable display is crucial for my comfort, as I rely on quick glances to stay organized and on top of my schedule. Medication reminders and an emergency SOS feature are essential for my well-being, as they provide peace of mind and ensure I don't miss any important alerts or appointments. Simplicity in navigation and intuitive controls are paramount, as I need to be able to easily and confidently interact with the watch interface, even in hectic situations. I am eager to discover how the Protea Pulse smartwatch can meet these specific requirements and help streamline my busy professional life.
3. Mr Johnson
70 year old retired senior citizen
I need a smartwatch interface that caters to my specific needs. Having a large and easily readable display is crucial for my comfort. It allows me to quickly glance at important information without straining my eyes. Medication reminders and an emergency SOS feature are essential for my well-being. They provide me with peace of mind, knowing that I won't forget to take my medication and that I can quickly call for help in case of an emergency. Simplicity in navigation and intuitive controls are also important to me. I want to be able to easily navigate through the watch interface.
Design
Below is the breakdown of the limitation of the design, the structure of the watch as well as the physical buttons the watch will have
Limitations
Fundamental Constraints :
1. Design no larger than 270 x 270 pixels
2. In order to match a typical smartwatch face, the designs may only be square or round in shape
3. Due to the small display size, the text and graphics must be easily readable on the smartwatch screen
4. Limited input methods: Tapping, swiping, using physical buttons and voice input.
General Design
The design will include the following
1. Scrollable Menu
Limitation 1, 2, 4
The menu consists of list items instead of a grid.
This decision was made based on the following:
Three button options are easier to click on than four small grid items.
Icons might not be enough to inform users of the features.
Enhanced accessibility: A list format allows for clear presentation and easier access to specific functions
Opting for a list instead of a grid also allows users to customize and reorder the items based on their preference and what they find most important. Such a feature would be difficult to implement if the buttons were in a grid instead.
2. Scroll Up and Down Button
Limitation 4
Here is an image to clarify the physical structure of the scroll dial :
The above watch is an example of a wristwatch that has a dial. While this kind of dial could be used to scroll up and down the menu, it doesn't allow for easy access to the other buttons. This kind of dial will also require two fingers to navigate through the menu.
Instead, the scroll up and down button will be a sideways dial like the one above that doesn't require two fingers for navigation and is much easier to grip onto.
3. Start/Stop Voice Activation Button
Limitation 1, 3, 4
The button is the only one on the left side of the watch. This is done to ensure easy accessibility and distinguish it from other buttons. This means that anytime a person needs to access the button, they know exactly where it is and won’t accidentally turn any other buttons on. This is especially useful if the user may be visually impaired.
Important Note : This is a feature that will trigger the watch to use Natural Language Processing (NLP) to understand what the user is saying and act accordingly. This is a much better alternative to using commands that the user would have to memorise. Using NLP significantly lowers the computational load the user would have needed in order to use this feature.
Important Note : when voice activation mode is triggered the watch will send out an audible notification to confirm that users can now use their voice to control the watch
4. Blinking Green Light
This light switches on when voice command mode has been activated. It's next to the voice activation mode button so that users can understand that they are related. Since there will be audible confirmation of voice command mode being activated, there should also be visual confirmation so that if a user is looking at the watch they can see when voice command mode is activated. Using a blinking light instead of a use user interface components on the screen ensures that the screen isn't cluttered.
5. Enter Button & Back Button
Limitation 1, 3, 4
It is expected that the primary action (submitting or entering) will occur more frequently than the secondary action (going back). For this reason, the enter button is located towards the top of the screen, while the back button is positioned accordingly.
Design Iterations
Iteration 1
Iteration 2
Iteration 3
Figma Prototype
