Amazon (2019 – 2021) - New interactions with Alexa
The challenge
Amazon constantly looks for new innovations, but finding true value can be challenging. We helped them in translating ambiguous ideas into shareable experiences, aiding internal decision-making processes on where and how to develop value.
My impact/role
As a team lead I’ve done several projects with the innovation team Lab126 within Amazon. Amazon's fast-paced environment required swift project turnarounds, placing additional pressure on our internal processes. As a team leader, this called for rapid decision-making and effective storytelling to be able to present a great end product. The success of our first project led to a second project and a nice dinner with a satisfied client.
Team
Team Lead + Product Designer (me)
Interaction Designer
Software Developer
Embedded Engineer
Time frame
On average 8 weeks per project
Insights
A small, focused team that doesn't waste time on unnecessary meetings can compete effectively with a larger client team. This is one of the valuable aspects of consulting. At that moment this was an important insight for me as a novice team lead.
We managed to make the interactions much livelier in comparison to their current product, while using the same materials. This enhanced the user experience without increasing the cost, which was crucial because this device was one of their best selling products. We did this by doing lots of low-fi experiments to find creative ways to control light within a limited amount of space.
While voice interaction offers flexibility, it can pose challenges. Unlike typical human conversations, the absence or unfamiliarity of non-verbal cues can impact usability significantly. Mitigating that using other modes of interaction was interesting.
-
Landscape of ideas
Often the brief from the client is pretty open with lots of interesting directions. I then condense all ideas, questions & research into a landscape of ideas to act as a starting point.
-
Sketch it
When directions are chosen I illustrate the ideas, either in a detailed sketch or a more comprehensive storyboard. This then acts as a baseline for what to actually prototype.
-
Prototype development
Within this phase it’s where the Handmade team excels, making the right decisions on what to actually build and what to fake to create a convincing experience within a limited amount of time.
For Amazon I’ve built physical models, custom PCB’s, dynamic mock-ups for video shoots and developed new interaction design patterns. -
Delivery
The success of a prototype is not just how well it’s built, the hand-over process is equally important if you want to leave a positive lasting impression. This was an essential part of my role where I presented the final deliverables to the client and delivered the prototypes including an extensive manual and “What to do if things break” document.