My Role

UX Researcher + Design Consultant

Platform

Website and Mobile App

Background

The Metasys software is a powerful building automation system that integrates various facility systems, such as HVAC, security, and fire alarms, to provide centralized control. The SNC Local Controller is a crucial part of this system, used by facility managers and technicians to monitor and adjust building systems. However, the 2x2 inch display was challenging to use, causing delays and errors in daily tasks.

Research Objective

To enhance the usability of the SNC Local Controller display, ensuring it becomes an intuitive, efficient tool for live trending and scheduling tasks, crucial for managing building operations.

The Challenge:

Facility managers and technicians were facing issues with:

Complex navigation on a small 2x2 inch display.
Difficulty interpreting data from building systems, such as HVAC and alarms.
‍Inefficient task completion, particularly when setting up live trends and scheduling.

These challenges not only slowed down operations but also increased the potential for errors in managing critical building functions like energy efficiency and climate control.

How I Led the Research:

My Role: I led the user research and design process to uncover pain points and propose solutions for improving the interface.
Team Collaboration: Worked closely with product and engineering teams to ensure that the design improvements were aligned with the system’s goals and capabilities.
‍Tools: Miro for affinity diagramming, MarvinAI for session transcription, and Microsoft Teams for communication.

Research Plan:

Tasks I tested with the Users:

Task

Focus

Trend Screen Interpretation

Walkthrough on reading and interpreting Trend Screen data

Understanding key data points and graph interpretation

Graph View Navigation

Guide through the Graph View

Exploring data trends and identifying key information

List View Navigation

Walkthrough of the List View

Comparing data in a structured, easy-to-read format

Starting a Live Trend

Demonstrate how to start a Live Trend from any screen

Quick access and initiation of data tracking

Managing Data Points

Learn how to grab and switch between two points after starting a Live Trend

Effective data comparison and analysis

Feature

Design Solutions:

I collaborated with the product and engineering teams to implement the following solutions:

Simplified Navigation
Solution: Reduced the steps needed to switch between data points and views.Outcome: Navigation became 30% faster, allowing users to access key information more easily.‍
‍Clearer Visual Cues for Live Trends
Solution: Added more intuitive icons for starting live trends.Outcome: Setup times for live trends were reduced by 40%, making real-time monitoring more reliable.
Enhanced Data Management:
Solution: Implemented a dropdown interface for easier data point comparison.Outcome: User confidence improved, reducing data management errors by 25%.

Results & Impact:

30% faster task completion. Improved interface flow allowed technicians to complete key tasks more efficiently.
25% reduction in user errors. Clearer visual cues and simplified navigation led to fewer mistakes during operations.
40% faster live trend setups. The improved interface enabled quicker real-time monitoring, critical for maintaining building efficiency.

Re-imagining the Metasys App and Device User Experience