END-TO-END OWNERSHIP
Role — Researcher & Designer
Methods — User testing, workflow analysis, competitor analysis, prototyping
Duration — 8 weeks
Problem statement
Existing floor-cleaning workflows created opportunities for user error and inefficient machine behaviour. The challenge was to design a control panel and interaction system that reduced operational mistakes while remaining intuitive for experienced cleaners.
EXISTING FLOOR CLEANER CONTROL PANEL
MY responsibilities
UNDERSTANDING EXISTING WORKFLOWS
I mapped existing machine workflows to identify friction points, uncover opportunities to reduce operator error, and establish the interaction requirements for the new control panel.
Unsafe interaction states
Users could activate the brushes while the machine was in “parked mode”, creating unnecessary error potential.
Battery inefficiency
The vacuum could remain active while the squeegee was raised, causing avoidable battery drain.
OUTCOME
The workflow analysis established the interaction requirements for a safer and more intuitive control panel.
INTERFACE CONCEPT
This initial concept combined workflow analysis, stakeholder feedback, and insights from previous field research to shape a safer and more intuitive operator experience.
USABILITY TESTING
This usability study gathered early feedback on the control panel, handle controls, and interaction flows. Participants completed predefined tasks using paper prototypes and competitor products to identify areas of friction, confusion, and user error.
Participants
8 participants with moderate floor-cleaning experience.
Operational workflows
Participants completed predefined cleaning workflows based on common operator tasks.
Prototype
Paper prototypes were used to rapidly test interaction flows before development.
Comparison products
Testing included the new concept, the existing machine, and two competitor products.
Control panel indicator icons were not clear due to colour and size.
Excessive button complexity increased user error during operation. All participants pressed the on/off button multiple times and did not identify the + & - buttons.
Users expected to cycle through settings using a single-button interaction pattern.
Placing primary controls outside the main control panel created confusion and increased operating errors.
These findings informed a series of UI refinements, simplifying interactions and improving system feedback.
Iterative ui refinement
The control panel evolved through multiple iterations, incorporating insights from usability testing and stakeholder feedback.
FINAL INTERFACE
The final interface balanced operator usability, system feedback, and manufacturing constraints before being delivered to the electronics team for implementation.
1 - Prioritised controls
Power and water controls were emphasised through size and colour.
2 - Clear system feedback
Indicator icons were grouped within a dark bordered area to improve visibility and system clarity.
3 - Secondary information
The hours meter was intentionally deprioritised, as it is primarily relevant to product owners rather than operators.
workflow refinement
Alongside the UI development, I refined operational workflows to reduce user error and improve key machine interactions. Below are two example workflows developed throughout the project.
Reducing operator error
Introduced new interaction logic that prevented common operating mistakes identified during field research.
Supporting uninterrupted cleaning
Designed a resume workflow that reduced unnecessary restart actions while preserving operator safety.
interactive prototyping
Interactive prototypes were created to validate workflows, communicate system behaviour to stakeholders, and refine interactions before firmware implementation.
What was prototyped
Main operating workflow
Start-up safety sequence
Quick-start workflow
Water flow adjustment
Overscrub mode selection
Vacuum over-run behaviour
WHY IT MATTERED
Faster stakeholder feedback
Remote reviews
Early iteration
OUTCOMES
Design decisions validated
Firmware requirements defined
Stakeholder alignment achieved
Interactive prototyping reduced uncertainty before development, allowing workflows and interaction behaviours to be validated with stakeholders before firmware implementation.
PROJECT IMPACT
Contact
Interested in working together?
I'm always happy to chat about research-led product design, UX opportunities, or simply exchange ideas about building better products. If my work resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you.