From Obstacles to Opportunities: The Evolution of the Shark Clean App
OVERVIEW
The SharkClean app is an integral part of SharkNinja's smart home ecosystem, allowing users to control and monitor their Shark robotic vacuum cleaners remotely. The app serves as a hub for scheduling cleaning sessions, adjusting cleaning modes, and receiving real-time notifications about the device’s status. The ecosystem is designed to offer a seamless and user-friendly experience, making home cleaning more efficient and customizable to individual needs.
CHALLENGE
SharkNinja encountered significant challenges with the SharkClean app, marked by poor user ratings and legal issues stemming from iRobot patent disputes. These issues required urgent updates and a comprehensive app overhaul to address user dissatisfaction and legal compliance, aiming to restore user confidence and strengthen the app's market position.
SOLUTION
Our solution involved a comprehensive redesign of the SharkClean app to enhance usability and seamlessly integrate with the new hardware, simplifying the interface and ensuring consistency between the digital and physical experiences. User insights drove the redesign, resulting in a more intuitive, user-centered app that effectively addressed key pain points.
MY ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TOOLS
Figma
FigJam
Miro
Zeplin
Jira
TIMELINE
6 Months
PROCESS
Surveys & Interviews
Ideation
Whiteboard Workshop
Wireframes
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Hi-Fidelity Screens
APPROACH
I began with a comprehensive deep dive into identifying and understanding users' pain points by mapping out detailed user journeys from the existing app and hardware. Concurrently, I facilitated casual whiteboard workshops focused on understanding how impending hardware changes would impact the user experience within the SharkClean app. These sessions allowed the team to brainstorm and discuss potential challenges and opportunities, setting the stage for more informed design decisions.
APPLICATION MAPS
IMPACT MAP
SIMPLIFIED USER FLOW
SURVEYS
How generally satisfied are you with the SharkClean application?
Can you walk us through your typical experience using the Shark Clean app, focusing on any challenges or difficulties you encounter?
Can you walk us through your typical experience using the Shark Clean app, focusing on any challenges or difficulties you encounter?
INSIGHTS
The sessions revealed several critical insights. It became evident that the interface needed to be more intuitive, with clearer guidance and feedback at each step of the user journey. The workshops also underscored the importance of aligning the app's design with new hardware constraints, as users were particularly sensitive to inconsistencies between physical and digital interactions. To validate these findings, I conducted user interviews and surveys, using the gathered data to create detailed user personas and empathy maps. This ensured that our designs were deeply rooted in real-world user needs and experiences.
PERSONAS
Michael Chen
“Having a smart, reliable vacuum helps me focus on what’s important - my family and hobbies. I want technology that works for me, not the other way around.”
AGE
42
OCCUPATION
Software Engineer
LOCATION
Austin, TX
STATUS
Married
About
Michael is a software engineer living in a suburban house with his spouse and two children. He is passionate about technology, especially gadgets that automate daily tasks. On weekends, he enjoys DIY home projects and spending time outdoors with his family.
Personality Traits
Innovative: Enjoys finding new solutions for everyday problems.
Detail-oriented: Appreciates products that offer customization and precision.
Family-focused: Prioritizes spending time with family over household tasks.
Tech-enthusiast: Always keen to try out the latest gadgets.
Goals with SharkClean App:
To automate home cleaning, allowing more quality time with family.
To control and monitor the cleaning process remotely for convenience.
To ensure a safe cleaning environment for his young children.
USER NEEDS
A user-friendly app interface for easy control and monitoring.
Features that allow customization of cleaning schedules and routes.
Reliable and safe operation of the robot vacuum, especially in areas frequented by children.
PAIN POINTS
Limited time for cleaning due to professional and family commitments.
Previous frustrations with complicated or unreliable smart home devices.
Concerns about the safety of automated cleaning around his children’s play areas.
Sarah Martinez
"I need a cleaning tool that fits into our busy family life - something that works quickly and safely without adding to my already full plate."
AGE
38
OCCUPATION
Stay-at-home mom
LOCATION
Orlando, FL
STATUS
Married
ABOUT
Sarah is a dedicated stay-at-home mom living in a bustling household with her spouse and three children, ages 3, 7, and 12. Her days are filled with managing the household, caring for the kids, and juggling their various activities. She's not particularly tech-savvy but appreciates products that are straightforward and make her life easier.
Personality Traits
Nurturing: Deeply committed to her family's well-being.
Practical: Seeks straightforward solutions for daily tasks.
Organized: Manages a tight schedule and numerous household responsibilities.
Resourceful: Finds creative ways to balance home life and chores.
Goals with SharkClean App:
To maintain a clean home environment despite a hectic schedule.
To easily control and schedule cleanings around family activities.
To find a reliable cleaning solution that requires minimal supervision.
USER NEEDS
An uncomplicated app interface for hassle-free operaxtion.
Flexible scheduling options to accommodate the family's varying routine.
A reliable and safe cleaning experience, especially in a home with small children.
PAIN POINTS
Limited time for cleaning due to the demands of caring for young children.
Frustration with complicated or unreliable household appliances.
Need for a child-safe and efficient cleaning solution.
EMAPTHY MAP
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
To ensure our Shark Clean app redesign was competitive, I conducted a detailed analysis of industry leaders iRobot and Neato Robotics. This benchmarking helped identify best practices and key trends in robotic vacuum apps, allowing us to understand their strengths and innovate beyond them to better meet user expectations.
Functionality
• Offers detailed scheduling options.
• Users can control the Roomba remotely.
• Advanced models support mapping functionality, allowing users to set virtual barriers and specific room cleaning.
• Provides maintenance alerts and detailed cleaning reports.
User Feedback 4.6/5
• Positive feedback often highlights the app's ease of use and effective mapping capabilities.
• Criticisms usually focus on occasional connectivity issues and difficulties with the app remembering floor plans.
Functionality
• Users can start, stop, and schedule cleanings.
• It allows the setting up of 'no-go' lines for navigation control.
• Offers regular software updates to enhance functionality.
• Some models include personalized cleaning maps and multi-floor planning.
User Feedback 2.1/5
• Users appreciate the 'no-go' lines feature for its accuracy.
• Some users report issues with the app losing connection to the vacuum or not saving cleaning maps.
Conclusions and Opportunities
• Enhancing UI/UX design to match or exceed the level of intuitiveness and aesthetics offered by iRobot.
• Incorporating advanced features like detailed mapping and customizable cleaning options while ensuring reliability and ease of use.
• Addressing common pain points seen in competitors, such as connectivity issues and memory problems, to offer a more stable and dependable user experience.
DESIGN SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
As the team updated and created new high-fidelity designs and prototypes, we also developed a comprehensive design system. This system ensures that all team members—including designers, external collaborators, and developers—consistently use the correct components, colors, fonts, and other design elements. By standardizing these elements, our design system not only streamlines collaboration and accelerates development but also future-proofs our application for seamless enhancements and expansions.
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
Utilizing Agile sprint-based iterative design, I developed high-fidelity wireframes that underwent rigorous testing with our extensive internal user base. Throughout this process, the team continuously validated my designs with stakeholder feedback, ensuring that every iteration aligned closely with user needs. This approach helped maintain a user-centric focus, making the Shark Clean app not only intuitive but also highly responsive to user feedback.
Striking the right balance between adhering to legal standards and delivering a smooth user experience was a multifaceted and gratifying endeavor. Our triumph was underscored by the debut of an app that fulfilled every legal criterion while significantly enriching the user-centric aspect of its design – a clear indication of our team's dedication to uniting regulatory requirements with our unwavering dedication to superior user experience.
This diligent effort was reflected in the app's ratings, which soared from a modest 3.2 to an impressive 4.8, marking a substantial uptick in user satisfaction.
