Homie Security
A safer tomorrow
OVERVIEW
A user-friendly and intuitive mobile app that simplifies the fragmented management of various security devices
PROJECT TYPE:
Group academic project
MY ROLE
UX research, UX design, Usability Testing, Content design
DURATION
16 weeks
In an increasingly interconnected world, the need for a comprehensive and user-friendly smart security system is more pressing than ever. This project explores the journey of designing a solution that not only ensures privacy and security but also delivers a seamless user experience.
Background
There are several home security apps available that provide users with various features to enhance the security of their homes.
However, users have major concerns regarding privacy and security issues. Certain interfaces are not as user-friendly and multiple apps for multiple security devices create complex and fragmented experiences for users.
$39 Billion in household goods were stolen in 2021
80% of burglars stated they would enter only if the house did not have an alarming system
70% of burglars entered houses through doors and windows
Understanding the problem
Homeowners do not have a single reputable home security app that is easy to use and accessible from anywhere in the world. The main problem areas identified are:
Privacy Concerns
Security Needs
Fragmented User Experience
Smart home devices are often connected to the internet and collect and transmit sensitive personal information, making them vulnerable to hacking and data breaches.
Many smart home devices use sensors that can collect data on the user's habits, routines, and movements, which can raise concerns about privacy.
Another issue is that different smart home devices often don't work together, which can create a fragmented user experience.
User Personas
Persona 1: Stacy
Persona 2: Larry
Persona 3: The Flanders
Summary of findings
01
Problem Statement
How might we create an affordable, easy to navigate home security system that allows users to feel safer in their own homes?
Research Methodology
User Interviews
We conducted 7 user interviews that centered on users' current experiences with security systems and their preferences for an ideal security system application. We did an affinity diagramming exercise to identify common trends, themes and insights from users.
Simplistic and minimalistic seemed to be the common trends
ADT
Issues identified
Key Interaction 01:
New User Onboarding
Users wanted to view the explanation of the quiz
User weren’t sure what “What’s your budget for security?” meant
Users were confused by “How insecure you do feel”
Users wanted to change the quantities of the items in the preset packages
Users wanted to view information about the products that were in the preset packages
Users want customization options while purchasing security systems
Blink
Users weren’t sure what camera they needed to be looking for
Users wanted to navigate through the notifications tab to view date
Important items weren’t available at the top of the screen
What does the feedback mean?
Improvements and Fixes
Takeaways
An affordable system, easy to use and easy to maintain
Competitive Analysis
Different packages customized to customer needs
Security cameras are the most expensive packages
Customize alerts and remote alarm/disarm
02
Camera records based on movement
Notified by movement via phone or Amazon Echo
Speak through camera microphone and hear what is happening from the footage
Defining the MVP
Based on our user interviews and ideation sessions, it was revealed that were many commonalities in our design vision. We identified three key interactions for our product:
Personalized security : Helping users create customized security package based on their needs
Past recordings: A solution that can help users not only track everyday recordings but also past recordings
Viewing possible threats: help users to act on the potential dangers detected through real-time alerts
Initial sketches
A customizable security package based on a quiz that fits users’ needs
User is alerted with home screen notifications with options to respond to alerts accordingly
User can view live footage and older recordings easily using the calendar feature
User is prompted with options to respond to alerts based on severity
Usability Testing
We tested the prototypes of our three key interactions with 2-3 members of each user persona to evaluate:
User experience
Ease of use
Intuitiveness
Navigation speed and
Identify areas for improvement
Prototype we tested
Key Interaction 02:
Viewing Past Recording
Key Interaction 03:
Viewing Possible Threat
Users thought more information could be added to the screens
Users are not going to want to mark a recording as safe from their cell phone notifications area
Users weren’t sure if recording was marked as safe or not after clicking the button
Users didn’t like the press and hold action for the alert button, don’t want to accidentally click it
Next Steps
Comprehensive tutorial and support & Transforming User Experience with AI-Powered Support
Cross-platform compatibility
Explore potential business models, such as subscription-based services, one-time purchases, or freemium models.
Customizable color palette
The best designs come from collaboration: It was inspiring to see how each person was able to bring to the table a different perspective during the sketching sessions and discussions.
Research Skills: Conducting research to understand the home security market, user behavior, and competitor analysis were valuable research skills I learned and these can be applied in my future projects.
Iterate, iterate, iterate: I learned the essence of continuous improvement and iteration. It is important to be prepared to make multiple iterations or revisions to achieve the best possible outcome.
03
Camera records based on motion & motion detection phone alerts
Basic to advance packages as per needs
Easy to set up and manage
Stores videos & photos in the cloud with the subscription plan
Designs
A personalized dashboard to access live footage of cameras, sensor status, or view motion detection notifications
Ring