TV remote control UX research journey:From paper prototypes to fully functional remote

MiriamDonathSeptember,2017

Intro

• AlthoughUXresearchofdigitaluserinterfaceshasbeenmoreprevalentthanUXresearchofphysicaldevices,physicaldeviceshavealwaysintriguedme.• InthispresentationIwilltakeyouthroughsomeremotecontroluserresearchactivitiesIconductedtocompletelyredesignacableTVremotecontroltoaccompanyanewTVuserinterface.• Istartedwithpaperprintoutsandendedwithafullyfunctionalremote.• Iwillhighlightthechallenges,triumphs,andlessonsIlearnedalongtheway.• Thelevelsoffidelityweusedhelpedusmatchthebusiness,technology,andtimeconstraintswehad,andtheresultsofourresearchinfluencedthedesignoftheremoteandultimatelymadeiteasierandmoreintuitivetouse.

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Stage1:Paperprintoutremotes

• Inrecentyearsremotecontrolshavebeenmadeshorter,withfewerandfewbuttons.• Inordertogetfeedbackonremotecontrollength,weincorporatedpaperprintoutsofremotecontrolsofdifferentlengthsintoUXresearchsessionswewereconducting.• Thisallowedustogetsomebasicfeedbackbeforewehadaccesstohigherfidelityoptions,whichwouldgiveusersabetterideaoflookandfeelofpossibleremotes.• Italsoallowedustoseethetypesofissuesparticipantsperceivedasbeingimportant,suchassizing,visibilityofbuttons,color,texture,labeling&brightnessofbuttons,andbackslopeofremote.

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Stage2:Moldedplasticprototypes

• Moldedplasticprototypeswentastepbeyondthecardboardprototypesinthatitallowedparticipantstogetabetterideaofwhatanewlydesignedremotecontrolwouldfeellike,includingowhethertheycoulduseitwithonehand,ohoweasilytheycouldfindspecificbuttons,andowhetherthethicknessoftheremotewassuitable.

• Italsohadheft,whichwaslackinginthepaperprintouts.

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Stage3:Survey

• Duringthedesignprocess,buttoniconographyandlabelingemergedasanareaneedingfeedback.• Specifically,therewasconcernthatthefunctionalityofoneofthebuttonswouldbemisunderstood.• Alsotherewere2designchoicesforacertainbuttonicon,andwewantedtoknowwhichwouldbeunderstoodmoreclearly.• Asurveywith100respondentsgaveuscleardataonwhichdirectiontorecommendthedesigngo.

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Stage4:Cardboardprototypes

• Thenextstepbeyondpaperprintoutofremotecontrolswerecardboardprototypes.• ThisallowedUXresearchparticipantstogetabetterideaofhowthelengthofremotecontrolswouldfeelintheirhands,however• allremoteshadthesamethickness&similarlookofmaterial• theyhadnoheft• thebuttonscouldn’tbepressed,• andtheremoteslookedmoresimilartoeachotherthantheywouldinreallife.

• Whilethe2dimensionalitywasastepbeyondthesingle-dimensionalityofthepaperprintout,theystillrequiredasignificantamountofimaginationfromparticipants.

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Stage5:“Real”remotes

• Inadditiontocardboardprototypes,wewantedtogetfeedbackonremotescurrentlybeingusedbythegeneralpopulationofTVviewers.SoIcollectedaselectionofrealremotecontrols(e.g.,Xfinity,Tivo,etc.)andgotmoreaccuratefeedbackonremote:• length• thickness• material• colors,and• buttonplacement.

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Stage6:WorkingremotewithinteractiveUIprototype• Whilepaper,cardboard,andplasticprototypesgaveussomegoodfeedbackinitially,acriticalpartofusingaremotecontrolisthetactileandinteractiveexperienceitprovideswiththeTVuserinterface.• Therefore,inthisstageofresearch,Istartedusingafunctionalremotecontrol,whichwasprogrammedtoworkwithourinteractiveAxure TVprototypethatsimulatedlivevideo.• Thisuseofsimulatedlivevideoallowedparticipantstousetheremotecontrolinasnaturalawayaspossible.

• I rantheUIprototypeoffofacomputerandconnecteditviaanHDMIcordtoa42”screenTVsothatresearchparticipantswouldhavearealisticTVviewingexperience.

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Stage6:WorkingremotewithinteractiveUIprototype (continued)• IusedaFlirc USBdonglesothattheremotecontrolwouldworkwiththeAxure prototype.• Iusedaremotecontrolthatwasmuchclosertotheenvisionednewremotethanthecurrentremote,includingbuttonconfigurationandprofilesize.• ItwasaremotecurrentlybeingusedinSouthAmerica(thereforelikelytobeunfamiliartoresearchparticipants),andweupdateditwithbuttonlabelsthatmorecloselysuitedourneeds.

• Wereceivedcriticalfeedbackonbuttonplacementandiconographyduringthesesessions.

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Stage7:Finaltweaks

• Afteraninitialprototypeoftheplannedremotewasproduced,wehadparticipantsuseditaninteractiveUIprototypetogaugeeaseofuseinchangingchannels,akeycomponentofanyTVremotecontrol.• Thesesessionsresultedinrecommendationsregardingspacebetweenandbevelingofbuttons.

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