Dial-01 smart speaker

modernizing analog.

dial-01 smart speaker

background:

having dealt with some sensory loss in recent years, I’ve found that tactility and analog ways of experiencing the world have enhanced my relationship with products around me. With this project, I aim to test whether tactility-focused design has the potential to be successful among wider consumer audiences in the smart speaker market

team:

myself

tools:

Rhino, Figma, Adobe CS, Miro

timeline:

September - December 2023

step 1: research

I conducted interviews with multiple user and stakeholder groups to determine wants and painpoints of existing smart speakers on the market

what’s important to users?

satisfying physical experiences like buttons, knobs, and dials that give users a sense of accomplishment

customizability options that allow users to personalize their product cosmetically and functionally

look and feel : forms and materials that evoke durability and approachability

affinity mapped interview data

with this data, i created user personas to have a more concrete idea on the specific goals and frustrations of different types of consumers.

what’s important to stakeholders?

brand loyalty : stakeholders want to create positive emotional associations with their brand and products

finding new avenues for increased demand and YOY revenue that separates them from competitors

both user and stakeholder goals are centered around emotional associations. being able to meet user goals in the design process will lead to the fulfillment of stakeholder goals.

how might we create a product experience that is more satisfying and personal in order to speak to user emotions and generate brand loyalty?

problem statement:

market analysis:

function

i did some brief research into existing smart speakers to gauge baseline features and specs. here’s what I found:

built-in ui color themes
voice assistant accent
companion app
haptic strength
sound profile

potential areas for personalization:

potential areas for satisfying tactility:

knob/button detent haptics
volume/selection controls
play/pause controls
materials
surface finish

almost all smart speakers have the same capabilities.

the only features that are different speaker to speaker are sound quality and assistant ecosystem.

so how can we make our product stand out?

by incorporating more space for personalization and satisfying tactile experiences.

market analysis:

form

where it’s at:

the shapes of most smart speakers on the market aim to move towards futuristic, amorphous forms and away from more blocky, traditional ones.

but why?

hi-fidelity speakers which were associated with longevity, quality, and sonic performance by users are most often found in the shape of a box.

there’s something about the substantiality of the box shaped speaker that evokes durability and reliability.

where we want it to be:

keywords from research:

approachable

reliable

durable

analog

tactile

personal

the speaker’s form should feature simple controls (like the dial on the nest thermostat) and should be inviting for the user to interact with (like an arcade game).

approachability – inviting and simple to understand

durability/reliability – people form connections with products that they can depend on

the form should take inspiration from the reliability of high fidelity bookshelf speakers while also incorporating elements like visible bolts and control knobs for durability.

analog/tactility – if we’re making the product feel more tactile, it should look the part too

materials, finishes and textures are vital in giving a product it’s “unique feel”. using a material like aluminum invites users to touch its surface while having knurled textures on knobs not only offers a luxurious feel but also communicates where the user’s hands should go.

personalization – how do we make the product feel unique to each user?

we can’t make the form of each speaker different, so material does the heavy lifting here. the unique ways users interact with it will change how it looks. think selvedge denim or metal patina.

execution

initial concepts

form sketches

cad iterations

companion app lo-fi mockup (customization screen)

built in ui lo-fi mockup