UX Design · 2023 · Group Project

Smart Home
by Hornbach · ms.Gis

RoleUX Researcher · UX/UI Designer
TimelineMay – Jul 2023
ToolsFigma · Miro · Canva
ClientHornbach · ms.Gis
Platform
Mobile AppiOS · Android
Research
8 interviewsUser research sessions
Focus
Energy + WeatherSmart home control
Output
Figma prototypeUsability tested
Problem & Solution
The Problem

Smart home,
fragmented control.

Users with smart home devices from multiple manufacturers have no single place to control everything. Each brand has its own app, its own logic, its own interface. Energy usage is invisible, and weather-based automation is nearly impossible to set up.

  • No unified control across different device manufacturers
  • Energy consumption not visible or actionable in one place
  • Weather-based automation requires technical knowledge to configure
The Solution

One app,
all devices.

Smart Home by Hornbach is a manufacturer-independent mobile app that centralises control of all smart home products, with two key additions identified in user research: an energy management widget and a weather-based automation system.

  • Unified dashboard for heating, lighting, plugs, blinds, and garden systems
  • Energy widget, real-time usage tracking and savings insights
  • Weather widget, automatic device adjustments based on forecast data
Design Thinking Process
01

Discover

8 user interviews exploring current smart home usage, pain points, and energy management habits.

02

Define

Affinity mapping, personas, user stories, and key insights around energy and weather automation needs.

03

Ideate

Brainstorming sessions focused on energy saving tools and weather-triggered automation scenarios.

04

Prototype

High-fidelity mockups and interactive prototype in Figma, energy widget and weather widget flows.

05

Test

Usability testing with real users. Energy widget scored 73.3%, weather widget 51.7%, iterations followed.

Usability Testing Results
8 User interviews
73% Energy widget score
52% Weather widget score
5 Design phases
Deliverable

See the prototype.

Fully designed, clickable Figma prototype, all screens interactive.

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