Experience Design makes interacting with appliances a pleasure
It’s fascinating how our daily routines have changed in recent years, with many tasks made easier and more enjoyable by simple and clever apps on mobile devices. Real-time driving directions, restaurant suggestions when you’re hungry and quick updates from friends can make a difference.
With LUNAR’s latest project for Siemens Home Appliances — Germany’s No. 1 brand for household appliances and the leading provider of built-in appliances in Europe — we wanted to bring this kind of terrific experience into the home. And we think we have a game-changer.
Did I really turn the oven off? Have I got enough eggs and milk in the refrigerator? Is the washing machine still running?
With homeConnect you can get answers to formerly nagging questions because all of your home appliances are wirelessly linked together and can be accessed and operated from anywhere. That’s not just convenient; it saves time and energy, too.
We based homeConnect on consumers’ changing everyday needs and personal values. We created a simple interface that shows the status of household appliances on a smartphone or tablet while allowing the user to intervene into a process – turning off the oven, doing an egg count in the fridge – at any time from anywhere.
homeConnect lets you monitor your home energy usage while suggesting tips for saving energy. When you’re shopping for groceries, homeConnect uses cameras integrated into the fridge to show you what’s there, and photos are saved every time the door is opened and closed. We love it.
Transparency and clarity were decisive criteria in our design process, and the homeConnect interface seems like a natural and seamless extension of an appliance’s basic functionality. Individual components, such as the physical control elements, keys and display-controls, blend with the design, and give the user an intuitive control of their appliances.
The interface’s engaging combination of helpful advice and practical time-saving tools create an emotional connection to the appliances that pays off as users discover new ways to improve their lives.
Simplicity and a focus on user needs were at the heart of our work on homeConnect, an approach we use for every user experience we design. Ultimately, we believe the best interface is both intuitive and joyful.
We think new systems like homeConnect will positively transform users’ everyday lives by making tedious and laborious tasks more efficient, and by giving users more flexibility and time for the things they love.
The homeConnect concept will make its public debut at IFA in Berlin, the global trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, from 02-07 September 2011. Come see it at the Siemens booth in Hall 1.1.
