Bosch Security Systems
Introducing “Design Thinking” in an engineering first organization.
What is Bosch Security Systems?
Bosch Security Systems is a business unit within Robert Bosch North America, which focuses primarily on creating Security system and Fire Alarms.
The company was moving in a direction with more focus on User centred design, and experimenting with Residential security and automation systems.
What is my role at Bosch?
UX Intern, Digital products
I was a part of the effort to break into the Residential systems, focusing on the design of a e-paper keypad and a mobile app for the home security and automation system. Additionally, I helped shape the design of the cloud-based Installer app which is used to program the security products over the internet.
Project List
Web App
The web app was a one-stop shop for all services provided to Bosch customers. The major functions I worked on were:
Customer resource management: Keeping track of all customers, billing and inventory information.
Installer App: A web version of the programming software that let the customers create security files and write it remotely over cloud.
User management: Creating a dashboard to view, manage and edit user access to security systems.
Mobile App
The Mobile app was a new project focused on the residential system. The user could perform the following functions on the app:
Control devices and trigger scenes: The user could trigger devices, and create scenes with an IFTTT format.
Live video: If the user had cameras, the video could be streamed to the mobile app via the internet.
Alarms and event history: The user gets a notification in case an alarm is triggered, they could also trigger an alarm and alert authorities, in addition to getting a list of all events in history.
Keypad
The keypad was a hardware device with an e-paper display. The hardware design was complete, and my work was focused on reducing the number of screens on this device. The main functions of the keypad were:
Arm the security system home or away
Disable the security system
Web App
This was the most challenging project, with the development underway. With the resistance in changing directions, I was asked to recreate the project using code and make 5 of the changes with the most impact. It was shared with the senior management and approved immediately, also increasing my internship by 6 months. Here are some of the major takeaways from the project:
After: Walkthrough of the Customer web app I designed.
Code for Design
Using code for design helps convey the feasibility but is not ideal as more time is spent on debugging than on the design itself. And while the handoff is easier, the design code is not used for shipping the finished product.
Platform dependency
The original design of the programmer was created for PC. Utilizing the power of HTML, CSS & JS was the key to creating a better architecture. Leveraging the interactivity of HTML helped create a cleaner and more powerful interface.
User Research
In the beginning, I did not have access to customers to understand pain points, to overcome this, I got certified in servicing security systems and read customer service reports. That enabled me to create an interface that tested well with customers.
Mobile App
This project only existed as a concept at the time when I joined the team. The tasks I was given were:
Recreate app: Since the screens existed in photoshop, I had to recreate the designs in illustrator to create files that could be handed off to the developers.
Design and feature updates: I created a new consistent icon set that was used throughout the app. New functions were added like a support feature to alert the authorities without alerting home intruders (similar to the silent alarm). Motion graphics were also created to create a delightful experience.
Testing and design iterations: The designs went through 7 rounds of usability testing, which was coordinated across business units by sharing a test script and prototype. Finally, we landed on a design that tested well with our audience.
Keypad
This was the most gratifying project I have worked on. Having a background in engineering definitely made a difference in this project. The use of the e-paper display added some interesting challenges like bitmap icons, slow refresh rates and the use of a piezoelectric buzzer for audio feedback. Here are some of the major takeaways from the project:
Walkthrough of the Keypad design arming and disarming the system
Updated hierarchy
I created a menu-based hierarchy, decreasing the number of screens to a third of the original number. This resulted in more efficient use of space and lower time on task for users.
Inaudible feedback
While conducting a usability testing session, we found out that the frequency programmed on the keypad for feedback was inaudible for people over a certain age. It was updated and tested with a broader audience to ensure good usability.
Bad refresh time
The refresh rate was too low for the e-paper ink display, which caused user irritation during usability testing. After understanding the mechanism of the display, I recommended doing a half-refresh, which tested better with users.
Looking back at my internship, I’m proud of the following achievements:
I started a design culture in an engineering-first company.
I shipped 5 global products working in a multicultural team spread across the globe following agile methodology.
