(An Article by Sherman Chen)
Okay, we have been sharing so much about the different kinds of hardware, electronic kits, STEM related products that we wanted to feature and showcase in a dedicated lab series, we haven't actually touch on a really important subject. When it comes to the Internet of Things, all the sensors we put in place, all the hardware we have hooked up, sending data and commands between devices, they have to be for a particular purpose. In some cases, we are sending the data back to a central web server node (say a Raspberry Pi). But beyond just sending data back to a web server for processing, we also need a way to represent that data and render it in a way that makes the most sense to whoever is looking at it. And that is what this article is going to focus on, we are going to look at some of the ideas that I have for future lab series that will focus a lot of the designing & construction of amazing User Interfaces for your IoT related projects. In the lab series that we are going to create and talk a lot about the different ways to design and architect the best possible User Experience (UX) as well as Customer Experience (CX). These two topics are so important because they form the foundation when you are trying to design develop a consumer product that is going to be used by people around the world, or even for people with special needs and so on.
Consumer Electronics Display - a Technology That Has Been Around for Awhile
Nowadays, if you were to take a walk around your house, it's more than likely that you will find some appliances in the kitchen that has a smart display, it could be your rice cooker letting you know the temperature in the cooker, the moisture level, the status of the rice perhaps. It could be the small display on your microwave that allows you to select various options. And most fridges today also include a very nicely designed display out-front that shows you the temperature inside, or when it is having a bad day, it will alert you via your smart phone about it, and also send an alert to the servicing team so they can quickly respond to the problem even before you dial their numbers.
Smart Displays are around us in our everyday lives, and that includes the smart watch, your fitbit devices, your smartphone, your touchscreen laptop and more. But how were they designed & engineered? If you were the one looking to develop a wearable electronics project that requires a display of sorts, how do you actually design a User Interface that promises the best UX/CX?
UX is an Officially Mandatory Requirement Now in Any Technology-related Projects
Personally, I have been advocating the use of better UX since before smartphones ever arrived on the market, and I have conducted hundreds of workshops, talks and trainings on how to create better user experiences. With the wave of IoT engineering hitting the region, I began my next phase in my journey, exploring how to help others design better interfaces for their consumer electronics or end-user displays.
These days, unlike from before, User Experience is no longer a nice to have feature in any project. In fact, it is considered an implicit requirement, something that doesn't require the need to point out. It's understood. As a pioneer in the field of User Experience in the region of Asia, I always saw it as a responsibility to help pave the way forward and to also lead others along on the right path. When we all start to understand what we need to do and how we should do it, we can potentially create a much better world around us and also a better life for those who can benefit from it.
Conducting Live Streaming Lab Sessions Surrounding Various Smart Display Makers
Therefore, we are excited to introduce that we are currently in the works of planning multiple lab series that would focus entirely on engineering better UX when it comes to smart displays. In the industry right now, there are a few major smart display brands that we can look at like 4D Systems, MikroElektronika, Riverdi, Matrix Orbital as well as Newhaven Display Solutions. There could be others, and I believe there is, but from my research over the last few months, these are the main makers that actually provide a lot of options to choose from. Which is also why, on onlinelabseries, we have the intentions of actually developing dedicated lab series that focuses on each of those brands. We have yet to reach out to most of those brands, but this article mainly shares what our plans are for the future.
From my experience of having worked with multiple different makers of displays in the past, I would say that there is actually a way to properly progress through the stages and levels to move from using a LCD to a capacitive touch screen like the Mikromedia + HMI displays.
If you seriously want to become really good at designing and developing touch displays with great UX, then it is really important for you to first understand the basics of using electronic displays, like the most basic LCD, and OLED displays. Once you have familiarise yourself on a much smaller screen, it will be easier to move up to the much larger ones.
How to Design a Consistent Experience for All Screen Sizes
One of the most important and fundamental lessons you should learn in User Experience design, is how to design a consistent experience no matter the screen size. There is a reason why I would recommend starting with something small. When you learn to understand and respect the constraint of the screen estate (dimensions/resolution), you will learn the most important first lesson - prioritising what you want to present to the user.
When you learn to understand and respect the constraint of the screen estate (dimensions/resolution), you will learn the most important first lesson - prioritising what you want to present to the user.
I won't give away too much in this article, except that there will be a lot more I can showcase and explain during the actual lab series itself. At one point or another, you might find digital displays around you at home, in the car, or at work that belongs to one of the following brands that we intend to showcase in the coming weeks/months.
4D Systems
(Website: https://www.4dsystems.com.au/products)
No. of Lab Sessions: approx. 48
Duration: Roughly 11~12 months (approx. 48 weeks)
Related Companion Articles: approx. 96 articles
One of the very first brands that I actually bought my smart displays from, 4D Systems. They are based out of Australia, and from what I can tell, majority of the major electronics distributors in Asia also carries them. On top of that, I do know of a few smaller electronics distributors and resellers selling their products as well. Personally, I love their range. Suffice to say, they have a very good coverage of products.
MikroElektronika
I have bought a few displays from MikroElektronika previously. Frankly, not to be biased, but they are truly one of the best brands when it comes to smart displays. But one thing that I still lack from them are actually the smaller sizes. And it would be good to have a good balance of both the resistive touch versions and the capacitive touch versions. The best way to showcase a UX-based display lab series, is to build different projects and show how they look on different screen sizes. Well, if the electronics distributors that I've reached out to does decide to sponsor our lab series, then I can say that we are pretty much covered. Until then, I'm going to hope and expect something good to happen.
No. of Lab Sessions: approximately 25 ~ 30
Duration: Roughly 6 ~ 7.5 months (24 ~ 30 weeks)
Related Companion Articles: 50 ~ 60 articles
Riverdi Displays
(Website: https://riverdi.com/)
No. of Lab Sessions: approximately 15 ~ 20
Duration: Roughly 4 ~ 5 months (15 ~ 20 weeks)
Related Companion Articles: 30 ~ 40 articles
Another really important maker that I must mentioned is Riverdi Displays. I bought one of their products previously through MikroElektronika as well. Likewise, I am constantly wishing for the moment when I can get my hands on all the different sizes and type (resistive vs capacitive), so I can actually start running sample applications on the different screen sizes to showcase them and how to work with their products.
Matrix Orbital
(Website: https://www.matrixorbital.com/)
No. of Lab Sessions: approximately 36 ~ 40
Duration: Roughly 9 ~ 10 months (36 ~ 40 weeks)
Related Companion Articles: 72 ~ 80 articles
I have not bought or used Matrix Orbital's display products before, but to be fair to the general audience and target users, I think it's fair to say that the company does seem like a viable option when it comes to exploring possible smart display makers. If you are looking to build a prototype or product, certainly can consider their range of products. Plus, having another dedicated lab series surrounding their products would be really helpful to those who's considering their purchase decision with Matrix Orbital.
Newhaven Display Solutions
(Website: http://www.newhavendisplay.com/)
No. of Lab Sessions: approximately 36 ~ 40
Duration: Roughly 9 ~ 10 months (36 ~ 40 weeks)
Related Companion Articles: 72 ~ 80 articles
Here is also another brand of display that I haven't worked with before, but after taking a look at their product catalog, I must admit that I am impressed and the brand itself really does look promising to explore as a dedicated lab series. With the wide range of options to choose from, I can only imagine what an exciting lab series it's going to be. Question is, would they be willing to partner with us to create that lab series?
Conclusion
So, we have taken a look at some of the brands which we would like to showcase in a separate dedicated lab series, plus we have also shared how we want to advocate better UX design and help you, a budding maker, engineer, or even as a team within your organisation to create the next generation of consumer user experience. If you think that these range of lab series is something that can benefit yourself or you team, make sure to share it with people you know and help us to spread the word. We thank you in advance for your support!