Boxer HD+2

In this project I took a User Interface Designer and Assistant of Project Manager.

First of all, I review the previous model (Boxer HD+) and its services. And then I specified additional features in detail. To prevent miscommunication, I arranged meetings for the new model’s detailed functions.  Fortunately, the counterparts from the client specified their requirements well. Thus, I could focused on the project team’s implementation status.

Based on the client’s requirements document, I made wireframe and took a brief tests, and revised the wireframe. I also tested the software with Quality Assurance member.

In this project, we skipped prototyping because we already had the devices that was implemented the previous software. In terms of graphic design, the client had Graphic designer, so he took all of the graphical designs.

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Context

I did not have enough time to matriculated UI(User Interface) and User Workflow(User Journey map). I had only three weeks to finish making UI specification documents. The real problem is, however, that the project was my first Set-Top Box project. I had none of knowledge about the Set-Top Box implementation.

The headquarter sent me and the project team to Sweden to solve time loss because of communication gap. In short, I had not enough time to do the project.

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Understand Project

As I mentioned in ‘Context’, I did not know about Set-Top box and broadcasting condition in the northern Europe. So, I started there.

Before I went to Sweden, I briefly reviewed terrestrial  broadcasting specification document (DVB-T2) and researched the broadcast companies’ market circumstance in Sweden. Fortunately, my team has the UI specification document for the previous model, and I reviewed it too. After that, I looked into the requirements document from the client.

Based on reviews and researches, the major changes between the previous model and Boxer HD+2 was on activeness in getting and consuming contents. Especially in Sweden, according to local employees and market research, TV viewers in Sweden tend to record their favorite contents in Set-Top box. This can be explicable due to the length of daytime: Scandinavia peninsula, where Sweden is located, has long night and short day because of the high latitude. And Swedish TV viewers had to find things to amuse their indoor-time. This led a lot of recordings and contents download.

For the reasons I mentioned above, I could understand better of what the client wants. My mission as a UI designer was on making UI that could sufficiently support their TV watching patterns.

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Design Direction

Because Swedish TV viewers record and download TV contents when they are watching TV or not watching TV, the top priority in development was on establishing powerful and well-managed TV records and downloads. And, After the contents stored to the Set-Top box, the contents should be comfortable to play videos. In addition, TV series such as Drama usually broadcasts weekly routine, such TV contents would be able to be recorded weekly bases.

Here is the priority:

1. Establishing Powerful Record and download performance : The most essential factor to support the service. Also, it should be supported by hardware (fortunately, we had enhanced hardware).
2. Designing a recording/downloading conflict solving system : When viewers recorded contents, it might be limited to record or download for some reasons. The software should solve these conflicts as what the users expected (mental model). To do so, setting priority rule between contents downloading and recording would be done. And then, scheduling contents would be followed.
3. Designing a contents management system : After users stored their contents, well managed media control system would be needed to enjoy these contents.
4. Preparing unexpected circumstances : Sometime, the broadcasting system accidentally shift or delay their broadcasts without notice, so the system should be prepared for the situation.

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Service Flow

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Design wireframes

I already had basic UI directions. I could specify the directions in detail with my colleagues. They gave me tips for technical structure and performance, and limitations.

Also, the client gave me reference Set-Top box, and the project team and client met once in a week. So I could correct my working direction.

The UI specification document was made for developers and graphic designers. The document covered from the Set-Top box’s initiation to operational exceptions:

• Remote controller specification
• Basic UI guidelines
• Installation
• UI Interfaces while watching : recording, EPG(Electronic Program Guide) and etc.
• Media management
• Contents recording priority
• Recording/Downloading conflicts

The project team could implement software in time, and then graphic designer made us key screens.

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Heuristic Validation Test

I checked the key screens and confirmed them.

After final implementation, the project team tested the device in actual environment.

test cases was based on UI specification document. If there was abnormal operation, the abnormal operation was graded as its severity.

the quality assurance tester and I tested repeatedly, and the project team could get critical errors.

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I got 3 weeks and came back to South Korea. Although few follow up was left, but the business trip was successful: the project team could shorten the project days and client satisfied by the product’s performance.

You can find the actual device here :

Homepage, reviews, user guide

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