I created a UI design for a companion mobile app for Emporio Armani hybrid smartwatches. With the app users can pair and customize their hybrid smartwatch experience.
Design
Opportunity
In 2015, Fossil Group saw that traditional watch sales were in rapid decline. There was an opportunity to give watches new life by integrating smart technology. This led to the birth of the hybrid smartwatch. Fossil Group partnered with with an external agency for the first generation of products.
In 2016, Fossil Group planned to release 2nd gen wearables and companion apps for six of its brands. The agency created a white label user experience for the companion app. The app enabled users to connect a brand’s hybrid smartwatch or fitness tracker and configure different features. Features included step and sleep tracking, notifications, and second time zones. The agency delivered an unbranded app that was customizable for each brand. Fossil Group’s brands held unique personalities whether they were simple, quirky, or luxurious. Fossil hired me and others to help express each brand’s unique personality in their apps.
What was the
Problem
Emporio Armani (EA) was 1 of 6 brands scheduled to release wearables and a companion app. EA had limited experience in app design and operated from a fashion perspective. They were ready to come alongside Fossil in setting a precedent in this new space where fashion and technology intersected. EA was one of the two brands assigned to me. The brand was the pinnacle of modern luxury, but also had a bold edge. They were trendsetters, not followers. The UI needed to be unique, but scalable alongside the UX of the white-label app.
What was the
Solution
I created a modern design, aimed at the Millennial, but not afraid to be set apart with bold colors and style.
I created a UI that paralleled Emporio Armani’s modern design trends. I was inspired by the Emporio Armani Sounds app to create the diamond pattern. The imagery was successful in communicating luxury without being out of touch with modern trends. I incorporated retro neon colors to balance the dark palette, and appeal to their Millennial target audience. It added depth to the brand personality and reinforced EA’s edge. I also considered how the design would serve as a backdrop for EA’s hybrid smartwatches in-app. I used neon colors to draw attention to parts of the app users spent time reviewing data or configuring the device. I leaned on the neutral colors for information, or to let the smartwatch images stand out.
Impact
When the app launched, Emporio Armani experienced overwhelming success. Their devices were selling out online every time inventory refreshed! Customers rated the app 4 out of 5 stars on the App Store and 3.7 out of 5 on Google Play.
Great Watch
I truly enjoy this watch! And the app is easy too use and perfect for what it is!
Great App
It’s a great, clean app that’s easy to use and includes a mini user manual. I run it on an IPhone 5S.
Satisfied
Good simple app.
What was my
Process
Project Goals
- Build a uniquely branded user interface on top of an inherited app user experience.
- Bring a predominantly fashion-focused brand up-to-speed with today's technology.
- Give the app user experience meaning through key "brandable moments", predetermined by the strategy team.
My Role
I was responsible for the entire UI design for the Emporio Armani Connected app. I was trusted to take ambiguous input and assets and create a branded, meaningful experience for EA hybrid users. I had the autonomy to apply creative processes and own the relationship with brand managers.
Steps I Took
I spent several weeks researching the brand, collecting material from internal stakeholders. I scoured the web to find any digital assets I could leverage to communicate my ideas. I ran design iterations by my peers, and presented my ideas to the internal client. Concepts were filtered until the best candidate was selected, which I moved forward and iterated on. My prior experience in development helped me manage my team’s expectations on the front-end work. My influence curbed expectations away from unrealistic designs. The Emporio Armani team was considerate and valued my expertise. Their trust in my work influenced how they approached marketing their hybrid smartwatches.
I designed hundreds of screens in Sketch accounting for various states. The screens were uploaded to an InVision prototype to review and approve internally. I used Zeplin for our development team to provide approved screens ready to be built. Once we received manufacture samples of the Hybrid Smartwatch, I was able to QA beta app builds. The development team in Vietnam would check in builds overnight and I provided feedback. I communicated with them through threaded comments in Zeplin and JIRA tickets. Once all teams approved of a beta build, the app moved to production before to product shipments. I was responsible for providing support for app store assets and last minute hot fixes.
Challenges
Before I joined, another designer went through two rounds of design and review with stakeholders. The stakeholders were frustrated and dissatisfied with the results. When I was brought in to design new UI concepts, I felt a lot of pressure to please stakeholders. The fashion industry sets a high bar of brand value and worthiness, and I had to reach it without sacrificing functionality.
Sometimes simple requests proved challenging, like asking for style guides and app-ready assets. Most of the reference material I received were low-quality device specs and pre-production print material. There were repeated requests for style guides, and we often had to provide examples of what we were looking for.
Another challenge was balancing brand customization with usability. When we inherited the app, some areas were identified as customizable per brand. However, as we worked with brands, we quickly discovered how difficult it was to manage differing expectations. The development team felt a large burden of scope and asked us to help dial things back. I helped the strategy team re-establish boundaries and guardrails to avoid putting the launch at risk.
As we got closer to launch, a challenge that came up was uncertainty that customers would “get” hybrid smartwatches. We learned that the packaging would have very limited information on how to use the device. As a solution, I proposed we add a mini User Manual in the Support tab of the app. It has been mentioned in user and technical reviews as a welcome addition.
Introducing the
Final Product
We launched the EA Connected companion app in the fall of 2016 alongside a handful of hybrid smartwatches.
Brandable Moments
The team worked with 14 brands to create utility apps for their hybrid smartwatches. Each app had the same functionality, but offered unique branded experiences. We carved out areas of the app for brands to customize without risking usability. One of those areas was the home screen for housing information about user’s devices. By optimizing this screen to offer a high level of customization brands could connect with users in a way that was meaningful to them.
Lessons and
Outcomes
How I continue to grow as a designer and a person.
Taste of Leadership
After launch, I was commended for my design leadership. I was asked to provide UX support to improve our full portfolio of hybrid smartwatch apps for a few months. When the leadership team realized there was far more hidden potential, I assumed ownership of new user experiences on Fossil Q. These new experiences would roll out on other brands like Emporio Armani at a later date. By this point, our team had grown and I handed off the user interface design and maintenance to other designers (Shout out to Larry Li). For about a year, I was still in charge of helping maintain EA Connected. In the first quarter of 2018, the UI transitioned to Marie Libres.
Balancing Brand and Business
Many teams we worked with held their respective brands in high regard. They wanted equal or more influence over the app direction than other brands. I learned to carefully weigh the the business goals of Fossil Group against each brand’s perspectives and value. This enabled us to identify areas of the app that could be customized without compromising the integrity of the experience. But I also developed empathy toward brand ambassadors who wanted the brand to be represented accurately in the new age of wearable technology.
Demographic Insights
This effort taught us more about the audience. We learned that 87% of consumers were males between the ages 25–34. The majority lived in either China or the United Kingdom. Our active monthly user increased 2,320% in 18 months after launch.