The internet of things (IoT) is a fantastic concept that has brought a revolutionary change in the world of technology. Some of the examples of IoT are Smart Lock, Smart Toothbrush, Smart Bulbs, and so on. User Experience for Developers.
According to Statistica, we currently have around 23 billion interconnected devices. The number of interconnected devices will be over 75 billion by 2025 as per estimates.
Image Source: Statistica
The explosive growth of interconnected devices has led to a massive volume of unstructured digital data. The study has found that data production will be 44 times higher in 2020 in comparison to 2009.
The vast data production has also led to the increasing popularity of Big Data to manage the massive volume of data. And, the prevalence of Big Data has led to an impressive increase in the demand of R Programming Language, which was nowhere at the time of its invention (a programming language specifically for data analysis and modeling).
Internet of Things is the future. IDC predicts that the investment in IoT will rise from $674 billion in 2017 to over $772 billion in a matter of a year.
Image Source: Business Insider
The average pay of an IoT engineer in the USA is well over $110k per year. If you want to cash in the massive opportunity in the world of IoT, you must know how to offer the best possible user experience in IoT devices. In this article, we will discuss just that.
top 7 Ways to Enhance User Experience
In the modern world, the programmers should think by keeping themselves in the place of their consumers. Let’s cut down your long thinking task and allow me to show you exactly what steps you can take to significantly enhance your user experience for IoT devices.
1. Stop over-complicating your UX
Sometimes we could overcomplicate user interface in the name of adding more features. Never make a mistake of adding things to your UX that has nothing to do with your core product offerings.
For example, adding an informational search feature in a tea maker can prove to be a distraction, but replacing that search feature with a specific tea menu could make a product better. Every single element should revolve around the core offerings of a product.
See also: Future of IoT || Internet of Things controls everything
2. Effortless onboarding process
It could be frustrating for users to keep on dealing with passwords and multiple authentications when they are trying to switch devices. For instance, moving from smartwatch to a smartphone or any other devices should not include repeated complicated authentications.
The best example of a smooth onboarding process could be a nest. It takes little to no time for users to go through the authentication process. They can control all of their connected nest devices from web to smartwatch to smartphone via a single mobile application. Only a simple mobile authentication gives the user complete control over the connected devices.
3. Make the most out of the Machine Learning feature
IoT-enabled machines have sensors that make them able to capture numerous types of data, such as weather, air moisture, temperature, product motion, and so on. If you can make your product deliver the most out of the collected data, you can amplify your user experience.
There are things that a machine can decide for itself based on past experiences to improve the user experience. For example, you can make an air conditioner adjust the temperature by comparing the preferred user temperature and outside weather.
It is also a good idea to give users an option to enable or disable automation.
4. Seamless Cross-device Transition and Communication
Use the cloud to provide consistent top-notch performance. The cloud-based apps will keep all your connected devices up-to-date. Because of this, the users do not need to waste their time, trying to configure system elements of interconnected devices. It will create seamless transitions, concerning system elements.
We can again go back to Nest example. Nest’s cloud applications help in collecting real-time information from various devices and storing it, allowing users to get access to the updated information in an instant via its app. Furthermore, Nest users are also able to view motion-related activity captured with its security cameras for the past three hours.
5. Personalize
People want to feel special and giving them personalized experience will provide them with that feeling of importance. IOT-enabled products can analyze the users’ past behaviors to provide them with a customized experience. For example, a smart car assistant can learn from the previous patterns and suggest users the best route to the destination.
6. Don’t just focus on on-screen user experience
IoT-enabled products are not limited to the on-screen user experience. Besides the screen, the developers should also keep other things in their mind, such as sound, movement, gestures, and so on.
Only focusing on on-screen experience can often make things complicated for users. They hate it. Also, focus on making the device usable with the least training. They should be able to use the devices’ basic features after a few minutes of reading a manual.
For instance, Knock is a small and powerful device that eliminates the use of the screen. The users need to knock, and the machine automatically figures out what users are trying to convey by knocks.
7. Think about the whole IoT ecosystem
An IoT-enabled device is not an individual device with a sole purpose. It should fit into the ecosystem of connected devices. According to the estimation made by Cisco, there will be around 3-4 connected devices per head by 2020. Make sure that the IoT device does not end up creating an ecosystem of its own, instead of working together in a combined ecosystem.
Image Source: IoT Analytics
Over to you:
The customers are getting more and more demanding. Just offering a smart product is not good enough for you to satisfy your customers. To capture a decent market share, it is a must for you to provide the best possible user experience.
According to the study, around 86% of customers are ready to pay a higher price for improved user experience. By making a few small adjustments (shown in the above section of this article), you can not only get sales but also maximize your profit. I hope you’ve found value in this article.
See also: Looking to the future with AI machine learning and IoT
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ABOUT AUTHOR :
Danish Wadhawa
He is passionate about technology and love to write new things about technology.
danishwa@wadhwa.me
Featured image credit: Free-photos/Pixabay
