Beats Pill
Gestures and LEDs - User Study
Overview
Investigated opportunities for Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) education by observing natural user interactions with Beats Pill speakers in prescribed scenarios. The goal was to understand how users interact with the interface, notifications, and device settings.
Challenge
Users often skip learning resources when setting up new products.
Needed to identify natural vs. prescribed interactions for new features.
Explored how users perceive and respond to LED behaviors and notifications.
Solution
Conducted usability testing with interactive prototypes to observe real-world interactions.
Simulated real-life setup, troubleshooting, and feature discovery experiences.
Documented user sentiment on LED behaviors, notifications, and Bluetooth settings to improve the user experience.
Process
User Testing Environment
Simulated a general room setup with an armchair and table.
Participants interacted with an iPhone prototype, Beats Pill+ speakers, and an LED prototype.
Testing Methodology
Phase 1: Natural Gestures – Participants chose their preferred gestures for specific functions.
Phase 2: Prescribed Gestures – Participants followed guided instructions to complete tasks.
Phase 3: LED Prototype – Users provided feedback on LED behaviors paired with tones for specific functions.
Video recordings captured user interactions and subjective feedback.
Guided Scenarios (20-30 min sessions)
Setup New Pill – Observed first-run experience.
Tips Notification – Assessed user response to notifications before/after workouts.
Bluetooth Settings – Evaluated how users discover and troubleshoot product features.
Tools
Devices: iPhone with interactive prototypes, older Beats Pill as a prop, LED prototype.
Software: Video recording tools for usability testing.
Partners
Research team, product designers, and hardware engineers.
Learns
Most participants preferred skipping in-depth learning about features during setup, wanting to enjoy the product immediately.
Half of the participants explored settings to configure buttons, discover features, or troubleshoot.
Most participants did not use Tips as a primary source for learning about their device.
LED feedback was critical in user experience, with mixed reactions on its effectiveness in communicating device status.
Impact
The study provided valuable insights into user preferences, guiding feature design, onboarding improvements, and notification strategies for future Beats products. 🚀
