Product & ux design case study on smart device app

Table of Content

• Table of Contents
• User Management
• Features
• Extra Additions to the app based on insights from users and brand stakeholders

One morning on way to work, Joel realises that he might have left the A/C on. He was already in his bus and could not travel back home to switch it off. Personas are descriptions of particular hypothetical users whose goals and characteristics represent the needs of a larger group of users.

Since this had a very separate research and design approach, So I will be writing a separate case study on how we designed & implemented wellbeing and eyecare functions into our smart app & device. As a team, we have decided to observe a number of people using their smart home devices on YouTube. This approach enabled us to gather different insights based on the type of video observed such as review, comparison, unboxing and first impressions. Furthermore, it also has some more benefits and optional or volunteer features for users such as Fitness functions, eye care assessments, a Presentation controller & phone camera remote. Choosing a diverse set of products allowed us to gather data on understanding how users interact with smart home devices in general.

Table of Contents

In the dashboard, the user can see an overview of energy usage, most energy consumption devices in each place at home and total spendings. The background color changes as user swipes for different places at home. Smart home device users need a way to manage and control multiple smart home devices conveniently with their mobile phones. The company is interested in creating an interface that helps users to easily access and control these products from a mobile app or website. I think that the learnings from the Sweet Home design process affect the way I will approach similar projects in the future. In my market studies and initial user interviews, I discovered commonalities among users insights that helped me to find issues users ran into while working with such smart devices.

Our Wi-Fi-enabled, smart systems integrate seamlessly with today’s cutting-edge home automation systems, savi... This is Kasper, global Content Manager at oHouse, Korea's #1 home decor ecommerce and inspiration platform. We are looking for a competent copywriter , capable of editing and transforming home-tour forms, submitted by users, into great pieces of content. We strive to feature a diverse representation of identities and design styles for our home tour contents. Therefore, we value editors who are skilled at identifying our users' individual traits and edit contents accordingly.

User Management

Sometimes it seems there is an easy way ahead and we can have the easiest desired designs to work but it's important to establish a connection between the company, product vision, and stakeholders. It's okay to roll back and reshuffle things even when your research is solid. Because we as designers do not always have to focus on the user’s behavior and expectation, Sometimes we just have to serve something new, fresh and unexpected.

Needs are changing over time and the assistant has to address those in order to help users adopt the product into their life. Smart home devices like tado°, a smart thermostat to control your heating system, are installed permanently in the home. But often they have a hard time really engaging their users in the long run. I liked trying different techniques to gather more information about smart home users, how they interact with these devices and what they wished to have in such apps. If a user has an account with already setup devices, he can opt to log in.

Features

You can create an infinite number of scenes and schedule the devices to work accordingly. You need to create a scene and add devices and set timings for the same. The target users are homeowners wanting to track their energy management and corporate offices to automate devices on a larger scale. Using HAVEN, Joel can monitor which appliances are running. He can from a remote place turn any appliances ON/OFF saving cost of electricity and improving the life of the appliance.

The tool will need to give users the possibility to choose between certain options such as style of the redesign, quality, and privacy. Regarding the latter, that is because the app will also include a public wall displaying the last generated images, and a premium membership to keep... Culligan, the global leader in the water treatment, is the most recognized brand in the residential water treatment market. For over 80 years our customers have trusted us to provide them with the best water possible. More than ever, customers are concerned with the quality of water in their homes. Our products not only ensure soft, clear water and safe tap water for your home, but also provide an environmentally friendly alternative to disposal plastic bottles.

Mind Map

I need drawing for two one family attached homes on water front property. Need plan to show new and old bulk heads and elevation of land . UX Planet is a one-stop resource for everything related to user experience.

I set my self a limit of 15mins to draft the main screens of the app — making this a time boxed exercised ensured I didn’t obsess on the detail. Creating the mind map allowed me to to link and show relationships between the products and the actions our users would want to take. After our Brain writing session, we dot voted on the best features for our personas. They have developed a range of smart home devices such as smart plugs, lights, sensors, cameras, alarms etc., which are targeted at high-end consumers.

They are written illustrate narratives, created based on survey , data points, interviews, personas empathy maps. Smart home residents tend to own multiple smart devices and want them to work together under a single app. They also want an option where devices could be scheduled to run by the user and be automated accordingly. An another feature most of them desired was sharing the access of devices and to have admin control over them.

All the detailed info can be accessed in the fitness section of the app. Completely dropped the illustration approach to communication and embraced the beauty of hyperrealism after testing the new approach. Eyex should act like an environment for our phone apps, slightly like smartwatches. Creation of interactive control with certain applications, especially the device app. Titan Eyex is a pair of smart glasses manufactured and brought via the best optical brand in India i.e., Titan Eyeplus.

I took a step forward and prepared wireframes to focus on usability and ensure that the app is built according to goals. Also, I had the chance to ask for feedback much sooner in the process. The first step was to analyze the competitors and get familiar with the existing Home Energy products, their pros and cons, and user’s reviews.

Sweet home; smart home energy monitor a UX case study by Sepideh Sabour UX Collective

Table of Content

• Device Control
• Build Your Team’s Design System with Figma
• How might we increase long term engagement with the smart thermostat tado° through new features?
• How to convert paper prototypes into Sympli screens
• Smart Home App: UX Case Study
• How I Helped DIY Brand My Father’s Small Business

Both the temples had separate batteries (This was a hardware constraint as one temple had touch-enabled tech also along with speakers for interaction and communication with phone and laptop). The spectacle’s design objective was to be used daily like a normal frame. It's lightweight, Comfortable, and one of the best USPs is that No one can figure out that it's something beyond ordinary specs with a built-in tech. Besides temperature, other components like air quality are essential for staying healthy and comfortable. Our indoor air can be up to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. Nevertheless, an unhealthy indoor environment is an often overlooked problem.

Tracking the cost of energy consumption in real-time will allow users to watch as their electricity consumption and costs increase or decrease. The energy consumption statistics can be used to manage the number of units of energy used in a day, month or year. Real-time cost tracking will provide approximate cost by usage instantaneously. The 3 main features Controlling devices , Managing energy and Multi-User Management of the application has been showcased in the On-Boarding screens to bring the user interaction of the application. To understand how different types of users control their smart home devices. Solutions such as appliances switched off, smoke alarms and motion detectors.

Device Control

All the detailed info can be accessed in the fitness section of the app. Completely dropped the illustration approach to communication and embraced the beauty of hyperrealism after testing the new approach. Eyex should act like an environment for our phone apps, slightly like smartwatches. Creation of interactive control with certain applications, especially the device app. Titan Eyex is a pair of smart glasses manufactured and brought via the best optical brand in India i.e., Titan Eyeplus.

It uses open ear technology to transfer sound directly to the inner ear. It also allows you to listen to music, and take phone calls. Let the user make adjustments by interacting with a list of smart items or by interacting with the room in AR mode.

Build Your Team’s Design System with Figma

Users can create automation with routines, to streamline their lives and also be sure that they’re conserving energy and saving money. Once I had an understanding of the different actions you may want to take, I completed a site map to understand the information architecture of the app then started sketching. The storyboard is for our existing user persona — This demonstrates a frustration our user has and the journey to buying a product that resolves his problem. As a group, we used the Brain writing technique to ideate as many features as possible using our How Might We Questions.

But after all every one of those products manages to keep in touch without annoying the user. However, Home Energy Monitors connect to your circuit breaker. They allow you to track your energy consumption with much finer detail, put the ax away and cut your energy consumption with a scalpel instead. There are 3 access levels that includes admin, user and guest. Admin will be the primary owner who will provide access to maintain security.

How might we increase long term engagement with the smart thermostat tado° through new features?

Your video is being processed, We’ll let you know when it's ready to view. The observations and feedback were noted down, where the user stated that the app was easy to navigate with a simple and easy to use UI. Only minor struggles were found by the user and they were noted down to further improve the App interface. It's a Social media marketing project where a person must have knowledge of marketing through different social media platform.

Needs are changing over time and the assistant has to address those in order to help users adopt the product into their life. Smart home devices like tado°, a smart thermostat to control your heating system, are installed permanently in the home. But often they have a hard time really engaging their users in the long run. I liked trying different techniques to gather more information about smart home users, how they interact with these devices and what they wished to have in such apps. If a user has an account with already setup devices, he can opt to log in.

To understand the demographic of users who currently use and don’t use smart home devices to build detailed personas. It illuminates the path that users would take in order to complete a task or navigate through the app. The user flow was developed based on the user research results, user personas,empathy map and scenarios. Users can see energy usage in details, with statistics showing which and when a device has been using lot’s of energy, and how much each of them cost. Also, the user can see which places at home are high energy users. The goal of showing results for different places and energy types is to give correct data about total spendings.

One morning on way to work, Joel realises that he might have left the A/C on. He was already in his bus and could not travel back home to switch it off. Personas are descriptions of particular hypothetical users whose goals and characteristics represent the needs of a larger group of users.

My Device tab — Presentation Mode, Phone camera remote, find my device feature

After learnings from existing smart sunglass “Fastrack vibes” concerning the ergonomics, shape, form & materials were already improvised. Apart from that the new design was very sleek, and lightweight and was made considering the Daily usage and rough lifestyle. We were tasked by the company to build a mobile app with the following agendas. The below creative will show the physical product’s capabilities in terms of technology, features, and details. The assistant should over time get to know the user and learn to show interesting content, send notifications in the right moment and reach out with relevant information. A “longterm product“ does not have to be used everyday, there can be less frequent routines for usage including up and down times.

Quality of copywriting is more important than years of experience. We prefer a candidate who is passionate about home design and well-acquainted with design terminology an... We prefer a candidate who is passionate about home design and well-acquainted with design terminology and st...

Smart Home App: UX Case Study

We will see how to use classical heuristics to determine the parameters of the algorithm and how to interpret the partitioning obtained. Finally, we will apply DBSCAN on a real data set and we will illustrate its use for the detection of outliers. Hi there, I'm looking for someone to help me write 10 video script/ideas for TikTok. If this sounds like you please get in touch for an immediate start! Please attach at least one example of content you have made or scripted before on tiktok or IG reels.

I set my self a limit of 15mins to draft the main screens of the app — making this a time boxed exercised ensured I didn’t obsess on the detail. Creating the mind map allowed me to to link and show relationships between the products and the actions our users would want to take. After our Brain writing session, we dot voted on the best features for our personas. They have developed a range of smart home devices such as smart plugs, lights, sensors, cameras, alarms etc., which are targeted at high-end consumers.

On seeing the status of the A/C he quickly updates the status and switches off the device saving electricity and preventing any electrical mishap. Joel is a photographer and often travels to distant places for work. In morning rush, at times he forgets to switch off some appliances causing rise in electricity bill as well as increasing chances of electrical mishap. Dr. APJ abdul Kalam’s full name was Avul PakirJainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. He completed his school education from Schwartz higher secondary school at Ramanathapuram. After that he studied his Degree education from Saint Joseph College in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

The Scenario Storyboard created here are based on data collected from the survey and from the personas created. To illustrate the practical application of automatic classification with DBSCAN. First, we will observe the behavior of the algorithm in a synthetic case involving k-means failure.

How to Buy Foreclosed and Bank-Owned Homes

Table of Content

• Buying a Foreclosure from a Real Estate Agent is a Good Idea
• You're now leaving Chase
• Risks of Buying Foreclosed Homes
• Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Foreclosed Home?
• What You Need to Know Before You Buy Property in New York

While not necessarily common, it is possible to use an FHA loan to purchase a foreclosure property. Pre-approval letter ready to go before you make an offer, just like with any other home purchase. It’ll assure the lender that owns the property that you’re a serious buyer. Once you assemble all of the relevant documents to apply for pre-approval, keep them handy, even once you have your letter in hand.

Even though our broker partners have seen short sales get approved by the bank within two weeks, the process can often take months and months. The most frustrating part of a short sale process involves getting various parties to actually respond. That means the listing agent will only earn 3% even if he or she found a direct buyer.

Buying a Foreclosure from a Real Estate Agent is a Good Idea

If the buyer is represented however, the bank will typically agree to pay 3% to each broker, for a total of 6% commission. Mortgage loans can be competitive, so pre-approval, particularly from the bank selling the property, can be a benefit. In general, foreclosure only occurs when there are no other options. If it’s even more, then some of those offers may be in cash, which may also require you to pay more to compete since banks love receiving payments entirely in cash. The advantage of buying an REO property is that the bank may fix the worst problems and even procure a real estate agent who excels at helping. If the foreclosure auctions end without the home being sold, then the home becomes a "real-estate-owned" property.

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate.

You're now leaving Chase

Additionally, steer clear of neighborhoods that have too many abandoned properties since that will drive down the value of your home. Make sure to include a "subject to" clause in your negotiations so that if you discover your home's value to be less than what you're paying for it or if the cost necessary repairs are too high. So, having a professional title search can really save you from a big mess. If you're lucky, the type of property that you’re looking at has simply been uninhabited. Although, sometimes the number of days goes up because the borrower has several ways to delay the decision .

Furthermore, because banks will continue to pay property taxes, common charges or maintenance until the property is sold, the main priority for banks is to get rid of their REO properties. The seller will try to convince the bank that the property is in horrible condition, and re-iterate to the bank what a terrible borrower he or she is. Missed mortgage payments are considered one of the absolute worst things you can have on your credit report. Once the owner is more than 30 days late on the mortgage payment, the owner’s credit score will become negatively impacted. The effect on the owner’s credit score will become worse for each additional month that the payment is late. While not encouraged, this owner can make the mortgage payment at any time up to March 15th without incurring a penalty.

Risks of Buying Foreclosed Homes

You can’t get away with mailing the check, or even initiating an online payment on the 15th. The funds need to be with the bank by the 15th in order to not incur a late fee. Let’s take for example an owner whose next mortgage payment is due on March 1st.

In the U.S. just last year, 624,753 homes were subject to foreclosure – a number 8% lower than the previous year. Buying a home can feel like an uphill battle, particularly for young adults still navigating the job market. However, for those of all income levels, purchasing a foreclosed home can offer compelling opportunities. In some cases, foreclosed homes can offer an opportunity to save on home prices in order to gain the home of your dreams – provided you understand the ins and outs of the process.

Buying a foreclosure at any point before the judge makes a decision is called buying a property while it’s in pre-foreclosure. You may be able to buy a property for less than the normal market price. Banks or loan companies typically set the asking price below the normal rate for a foreclosed home because they want to sell it for the remaining mortgage balance owed by the previous owners. This means that you have an opportunity to purchase a high-quality home for less than the typical asking price for surrounding homes in the area. You can put the money you save toward repairs or other home expenses.

The sale proceeds are then used to pay off the mortgage and any other liens on the title, such as delinquent property taxes. Working with an experienced real estate agent and an attorney can be critical to closing on a good deal. Research and due diligence are required to ensure that you're getting a good deal on a foreclosed property. In a regular home sale, buyers and sellers are typically both motivated to close a deal, and that benefits negotiations on both sides.

Some lenders won’t lend below a certain dollar amount, because the profit potential on a lesser loan isn’t worth the risk. Finding a foreclosed home depends on where exactly it is in the foreclosure process. Properties in the early stages of foreclosure or offered in a short sale may still be owned by the original homeowner or held by a bank or government. In the state of New York, lenders and banks need to file lawsuits in order to proceed with the foreclosure process. While much of the buying process for a foreclosed home is the same as any other property purchase, property investors may find the purchase process to be more nuanced in certain ways. Our affordable lending options, including FHA loans and VA loans, help make homeownership possible.

The Section 502 program subsidizes loan payments used to buy a modest residence in a rural area. In local multiple listing services, the foreclosure status of a property may not be highlighted; the fact may only be stated in the property description. Foreclosures are not the only way to find undervalued properties in New York.

Sheriff's Sale Auctions

You could make an initial bid at a price that’s at least 20% below the current market price, or even more if the property is located in an area with a high incidence of foreclosures. Banks pay off any liens attached to a property before reselling it. If there’s damage, repairs by the owner aren’t part of the equation—but, as used-car and vintage furniture aficionados know, “as is” translates into a discount. The federal Veterans Administration has a mortgage guarantee program that is open to current service members, veterans, and surviving spouses. According to Military.com, the loans can be used to buy repossessed properties, although a bit of advance preparation is needed. These properties are often managed by the institution’s REO department.

This is the grace period for mortgage payments, though keep in mind that the funds need to hit the bank’s account by the 15th. At that point, there will be a foreclosure auction at the local courthouse where investors will be invited to bid on the property with no contingencies nor an opportunity to inspect the property. Foreclosure refers to the entire process of a lender taking legal action to possess a property where the owner has stopped making payments on their mortgage.

A zombie title is a title that remains with a homeowner who believes they have lost the property to foreclosure. A sheriff’s sale is a public auction of property that has been repossessed and is being sold by court order in order to satisfy debts that are in default. The buyer is required to pay for an independent consultant to inspect the property and verify that the work meets program guidelines. If more extensive fixes such as building an addition or repairing structural damage are needed, a so-called "standard 203 loan" is usually the best option. Unlike the "limited" variation, homeowners must take out at least $5,000. If buying from a bank, you’ll need to sharpen your bargaining skills and start with a lowball offer on the property you want.

Buying a Foreclosed Home: How to Do It and Risks

Table of Content

• Short Sales
• What You Need to Know Before You Buy Property in New York
• How to Choose a Mortgage Lender in New York: Ultimate Guide
• Purchasing a Foreclosed Home

And from applying for a loan to managing your mortgage, Chase MyHome has everything you need. Prequalifying can save every homebuyer a lot of time and show a seller you're in a financial position to purchase a home. Government agency websites like HUD.gov provide prospective homebuyers with foreclosure listings in their area. For example, if the property appraises at $1 million, then a $950,000 offer might be acceptable as the bank understands that someone buying a foreclosure is looking for a deal. If the owner still hasn’t paid by the 15th, they’ll now be subject to a late fee ranging from 2% to 5% of the payment amount. As we mentioned, these late fees can accumulate so it’s always easier to get out of foreclosure in NY early.

Homebuyers may need to put up only $500 in earnest money, and the required private mortgage insurance may be canceled after your equity in the home reaches 20%. Besides paying mortgage insurance, borrowers typically pay interest rates that are a quarter of a percentage point higher than those on conventional loans. They may also have to fork over one or two points—upfront fees that are each worth 1% of the principal amount. Banks that have accumulated sizable inventories of foreclosed properties will be more inclined to negotiate on price. The longer the bank has held the property, the greater the odds that it will seriously consider low offers. The seller may offer additional incentives such as a reduced down payment, lower interest rate, or the elimination of appraisal fees and some closing costs.

Short Sales

Pre-foreclosures are typically listed in county and city courthouse buildings. In addition, many online resources, including Foreclosure.com, list properties that are in the pre-foreclosure phase. Finding foreclosures can be rewarding, yielding diamonds in the rough or real-estate fortunes sold below market value. Your offer will be taken more seriously if you can provide a proof of funds letter – this sets you apart from other buyers. This is because if foreclosures are popular in your area with other investors, the chances are that you will have to compete and a proof of funds letter adds gravitas to your offer. Make a mortgage payment, get info on your escrow, submit an insurance claim, request a payoff quote or sign in to your account.

You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. The moratorium on foreclosures due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended on July 31, 2021. Failing that, an all-cash offer, if possible, can give you a leg up. Eligibility for one of the federal financing programs such as a 203 loan, HomePath ReadyBuyer, or a HomeSteps mortgage, is a plus. A HomeSteps mortgage doesn’t require an appraisal at origination, which can be a major hurdle for those seeking a conventional loan. Any or all of these complications can mean a lot of paperwork for the buyer.

What You Need to Know Before You Buy Property in New York

Most auctions require payment in full via cash, cashier's check, or money order. If you win, you will be required to pay this amount in full – in most states; others permit cash to change hands the next day – in order to receive a certificate of sale. Be aware that if the home's owner files an objection and is not able to pay the amount owed in full, the property transfer will not go through. Never begin renovations or the moving process until you have a title in hand.

If the buyer is represented however, the bank will typically agree to pay 3% to each broker, for a total of 6% commission. Mortgage loans can be competitive, so pre-approval, particularly from the bank selling the property, can be a benefit. In general, foreclosure only occurs when there are no other options. If it’s even more, then some of those offers may be in cash, which may also require you to pay more to compete since banks love receiving payments entirely in cash. The advantage of buying an REO property is that the bank may fix the worst problems and even procure a real estate agent who excels at helping. If the foreclosure auctions end without the home being sold, then the home becomes a "real-estate-owned" property.

How to Choose a Mortgage Lender in New York: Ultimate Guide

A foreclosure is a house whose owners were unable to pay the mortgage or sell the property. As a result, the real estate lender assumed ownership and is now trying to sell it to recoup some of its costs. Freddie Mac provides liquidity to the mortgage market by buying loans from banks, pooling them, and selling them to investors as securities. Its HomeSteps program offers special financing for those who want to buy one of the foreclosed properties that it owns. A foreclosed property has gone through a process where the lending institution has tried to recover some of the outstanding funds from the property owner who has defaulted on their loan.

You could make an initial bid at a price that’s at least 20% below the current market price, or even more if the property is located in an area with a high incidence of foreclosures. Banks pay off any liens attached to a property before reselling it. If there’s damage, repairs by the owner aren’t part of the equation—but, as used-car and vintage furniture aficionados know, “as is” translates into a discount. The federal Veterans Administration has a mortgage guarantee program that is open to current service members, veterans, and surviving spouses. According to Military.com, the loans can be used to buy repossessed properties, although a bit of advance preparation is needed. These properties are often managed by the institution’s REO department.

How Does Foreclosure Work?

The length of the foreclosure process will vary depending on location. In New York specifically, pre-foreclosure can only be initiated when the property owner is 4 months behind on their loan repayments. Pre-foreclosures start when the lender files a default notice on the property, informing the owner that foreclosure will be pursued if they cannot repay their debt.

That means no matter what an inspector turns up, it’s unlikely to be fixed. First, make an offer that gives you room to deal with the unexpected, and try to include a home inspection contingency, which allows you to walk away from the deal if a major issue is found. If a borrower can’t come up with the funds to pay what he or she owes, a lender will issue a notice of default.

Buying After Foreclosure

This form will be sent to the mortgagee via a certified letter, and it typically gives a homeowner 90 days to pay off the most recent bill. The FHA designed its 203 loans to get around the reluctance of banks to finance high-risk REO purchases. By charging borrowers a mortgage-insurance premium, the FHA is able to guarantee loans made by private lenders who participate in the program. If you can pay for the property and any necessary renovations in cash, you’re in an enviable position. That’s why some buyers decide to team up with outside investors who can help them out on the front end and share any profits when the home goes on the selling block once again.

Real estate owned properties, or REO properties, are houses that have been seized by banks or other lenders from people who are unable to pay their mortgages. When real estate lenders offermortgage loans, they see them as an investment, because they will earn money from the interest on the loan. So to salvage their investment, banks foreclose on homes with unpaid mortgages and sell the properties at a foreclosure auction. There’s a subset of REO properties that are owned by the government. They are called Hud houses, and they often sell well below market value to eligible participants. However, selling it before the property goes to auction is the most common method to get out of foreclosure in NY.

You’re expected to make the decision right then and there, with a check for the contract deposit expected on the spot. Because you’ll be liable for any liens or unpaid taxes on the property, it’s extremely important to do your due diligence before attending the foreclosure auction. That means conducting a title search or condos and houses or a coop lien search for co op apartments. Furthermore, the fees have to be reasonable for a bank to accept a short sale. While the bank will pay mandatory NYC real estate taxes such as transfer taxes, they’ll usually push back on excessive broker commissions.

Most letters expire after days, and because foreclosures can take a while, if you want to you keep your house hunt active, you may need to reapply. However, costs can be highly unpredictable, and underlying damage could make a property undesirable. The buying process is often sluggish, which might spur second thoughts in the minds of some, while heavy demand for enticing foreclosed properties might push other hopeful purchasers away.

HomeSteps

The loans are for very low-income people who cannot obtain bank financing. A government-registered broker must be contacted to purchase a government-owned property. These auctions often occur on a city’s courthouse steps and are managed by local law enforcement authorities. The property is auctioned to the highest bidder at a publicly announced place, date, and time. Some financial institutions such as Bank of America also have web search pages for foreclosed homes. If you are prepared to take the risk, go into the foreclosure auction with a concrete plan and a non-negotiable maximum bid limit.