Spire Haptic Feedback
In Production App.
Looking at your phone is a known trigger for anxiety. Spire has about four distinct notifications to convey to the user. Would users prefer to learn vibration patterns to avoid the need to check their phone?
My Role
UX Design
Design Research
Arduino Programming
Who I worked with
Firmware Engineer
iOS Developer
UX Designer
Product Manager
Problem
Users must look at their phone to determine which notification Spire sends. In addition, we heard some users wanting stronger vibrations, other softer, and set out to find the solution.
Opportunity
Our vibration circuit allowed for much creativity and easing through Pulse Width Modulation.
On the market
Apple used several patterns but did not take advantage of PWM.
Alert
Heartbeat
Quick
Rapid
SOS
Staccato
Symphony
Exploration
Wiring our unit up to an Arduino, I could test out ideas and get feedback from coworkers.
Motor Strength:
250
0:02s
Motor Strength:
250
0:02s
User Testing
Initial
We recruited people at all ends of our demographic to observe their responses to the various patterns. We learned the importance of allowing users with adjustment levels because of such a variation of preference. We came across some users that could not tell the difference and others that could not feel anything.
Positive Impact
Only patterns that users responded positively to were used.
Validation
3 Distinct patterns stood out as both easily distinguishable for people and relating to the meaning behind the notification being communicated.
Final Patterns
