InstaHub Miscalibrated Sensor Management
InstaHub Miscalibrated Sensor Management
InstaHub Miscalibrated Sensor Management
Enhancing HVAC system efficiency through highlighting miscalibrated thermostat sensors and alerting crucial actions
InstaHub is a B2B electronics company with a multi-sensor datalogger that provide building analytics web application to help building managers stay informed on potential building inefficiencies.
This application addresses crucial aspects of energy conservation by displaying building/room vacancy, lighting waste, and heating/cooling waste.
InstaHub is a B2B electronics company with a multi-sensor datalogger that provide building analytics web application to help building managers stay informed on potential building inefficiencies.
This application addresses crucial aspects of energy conservation by displaying building/room vacancy, lighting waste, and heating/cooling waste.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Lead Product Designer
Timeline
Dec 2023
Dec 2023
Contributions
User Research
Task Analysis
Wireframes
High Fidelity Mockups
User Research
Task Analysis
Wireframes
High Fidelity Mockups
Tools
Goodnotes
Figma
Slack
Zoom
Goodnotes
Figma
Slack
Zoom
Context
Context
Context
💼 Overview
Working on InstaHub's Energy Waste Analytics web application is one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences. I have learned a lot, and I continue to learn numerous new things about the building management industry. Despite being a small team and only being part-time, I collaborated closely with the CEO and developer to deliver visual designs in a start-up environment. The task was to create a web page that allow building managers to easily identify thermostat sensors that are miscalibrated.
Working on InstaHub's Energy Waste Analytics web application is one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences. I have learned a lot, and I continue to learn numerous new things about the building management industry. Despite being a small team and only being part-time, I collaborated closely with the CEO and developer to deliver visual designs in a start-up environment. The task was to create a web page that allow building managers to easily identify thermostat sensors that are miscalibrated.
👩💻 Role
I was the sole designer on this ad hoc project, responsible for conprehending the user needs, designing the UI, UX, and rendering high-fidelity mock ups. I drove decision making and carved out all the edge cases.
I was the sole designer on this ad hoc project, responsible for conprehending the user needs, designing the UI, UX, and rendering high-fidelity mock ups. I drove decision making and carved out all the edge cases.
🕒 Timeline
Over a tight three week timeline, I had four creative reviews where users gave feedback and critiques, and CEO Michael gave higher-level business direction. I roughly had only one week of total design time.
Over a tight three week timeline, I had four creative reviews where users gave feedback and critiques, and CEO Michael gave higher-level business direction. I roughly had only one week of total design time.
Project Brief
Project Brief
Project Brief
Precise HVAC temperature readings prevent unnecessary heating or cooling. Traditional HVAC systems rely on thermostat sensors to gauge ambient temperature and regulate heating and cooling. However, these sensors can sometimes be miscalibrated, leading to inaccurate temperature readings and inefficient energy usage. The objective is to leverage InstaHub's data logger to identify and address miscalibrated sensors in thermostats, ensuring accurate temperature control.
Precise HVAC temperature readings prevent unnecessary heating or cooling. Traditional HVAC systems rely on thermostat sensors to gauge ambient temperature and regulate heating and cooling. However, these sensors can sometimes be miscalibrated, leading to inaccurate temperature readings and inefficient energy usage. The objective is to leverage InstaHub's data logger to identify and address miscalibrated sensors in thermostats, ensuring accurate temperature control.
⚡️ The Challenge: To develop a system that identifies miscalibrated sensors promptly, providing warnings and alerts for timely corrective actions.
⚡️ The Challenge: To develop a system that identifies miscalibrated sensors promptly, providing warnings and alerts for timely corrective actions.
Design
Design
Design
I had to learn about the HVAC system and miscalibrated sensors in order to develop an outline for the information I'm displaying. After discussion with stakeholders, I devided to organize the information with 5 key variables:
Set Point - The temperature the user wants the system to be at
Display - The temperature the thermostat reads (may be inaccurate)
Actual - The actual temperature recorded by InstaHub's datalogger
Difference - The temperature difference between Display and Actual
Count - The number of times the thermostat sensor has been miscalibrated
I had to learn about the HVAC system and miscalibrated sensors in order to develop an outline for the information I'm displaying. After discussion with stakeholders, I devided to organize the information with 5 key variables:
Set Point - The temperature the user wants the system to be at
Display - The temperature the thermostat reads (may be inaccurate)
Actual - The actual temperature recorded by InstaHub's datalogger
Difference - The temperature difference between Display and Actual
Count - The number of times the thermostat sensor has been miscalibrated
DESIGN
Sensor History
I also mocked up how an alert would look like when viewing more details. The image below illustrates the information display for a sensor history.
I also mocked up how an alert would look like when viewing more details. The image below illustrates the information display for a sensor history.
DESIGN
Edge Cases
When designing, it was important to cover all the edge cases of a miscalibrated sensor.
When designing, it was important to cover all the edge cases of a miscalibrated sensor.
Final Solution
Final Solution
Final Solution
Result
Result
Result
After some rounds of reviews and iterations, we tabled the project to focut on our analytics page. Although it has yet to be sent to development, I'm excited to continue to refine the page and learn more on how to show complex data in an easy to comprehend way without overwhelming the user.
After some rounds of reviews and iterations, we tabled the project to focut on our analytics page. Although it has yet to be sent to development, I'm excited to continue to refine the page and learn more on how to show complex data in an easy to comprehend way without overwhelming the user.
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
💡 You win some and you lose some
This project game me valuable experience for a quick turn over. However, with a shorter time line and limited resources, designs may not turn out the way you wanted. Furthermore, you may spend many hours on a project that may not be pushed to market.
This project game me valuable experience for a quick turn over. However, with a shorter time line and limited resources, designs may not turn out the way you wanted. Furthermore, you may spend many hours on a project that may not be pushed to market.
⚙️ Let the system guide you
Throughout the project, I was able to speed up my design process by using components I created for other projects. This was great in reducing rendering time and staying consistent with other pages within the web application, reducing user confusion.
Throughout the project, I was able to speed up my design process by using components I created for other projects. This was great in reducing rendering time and staying consistent with other pages within the web application, reducing user confusion.
