UX Researcher/ Design Consultant
Website and Mobile App
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.
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.
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.
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.
Goal: Understand user pain points and provide design solutions to make the SNC display more user-friendly.Participants:
5-7 HVAC technicians who used Metasys daily. Recruitment was challenging due to technicians' schedules, so I joined their Lunch and Learn sessions to increase participation.
Methodology:Task Analysis & Interviews: Observed technicians performing tasks like live trend setup and data interpretation, and asked follow-up questions to understand their frustrations.
Pain Points Mapping: Used Miro to cluster common issues technicians faced with navigation and data management.
Trend Screen Interpretation:
Technicians struggled to quickly interpret building data, leading to potential mismanagement of systems like HVAC.
Impact: Delayed responses in adjusting critical systems like temperature control.
Complex Graph Navigation:
Switching between views required multiple steps, causing frustration.
Impact: Slower reaction times and increased risk of errors when reviewing system data.
Live Trends Setup Confusion:
Users had difficulty initiating live trends, which should have been a core feature for real-time system monitoring.
Impact: Inconsistent monitoring of critical building systems.Data Points
Management:
Users found it difficult to compare data points, making troubleshooting more challenging.
Impact: Inefficient problem-solving for building maintenance tasks.
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%.
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.
User-Centered Design: By focusing on the needs of HVAC technicians, we significantly improved the usability of the SNC Local Controller display, leading to faster, more efficient operations.Collaborative Process:
Working closely with the engineering and product teams ensured that the design solutions were technically feasible and aligned with Metasys’s goals.
Operational Efficiency: The improvements directly contributed to better building management, optimizing key tasks such as HVAC adjustments and energy efficiency monitoring.
