BMW X SCADpro | Emotional AI Assistant
Generative UX Research | Immersive 3D Environments | Visual Design
🔒️Under NDA | Full project only accessible to hiring managers
OVERVIEW
This collaborative partnership involved the research and design development of an Emotional AI Virtual Assistant for BMW.
Along with a team of 20 multi-disciplinary designers, we worked on the research, technical and visual design development of an AI Assitant for stakeholders specified by the BMW Group. As design consultants, we collaborated closely with our client representatives to deliver a successful output.
This collaborative partnership involved the research and design development of an Emotional AI Virtual Assistant for BMW.
Along with a team of 20 multi-disciplinary designers, we worked on the research, technical and visual design development of an AI Assitant for stakeholders specified by the BMW Group. As design consultants, we collaborated closely with our client representatives to deliver a successful output.
MY ROLE
UX Research Lead
RESEARCH METHODS:
Subject Matter Expert Interviews, Stakeholder Interviews, Secondary Research, Archetype Building, Affinity Mapping, Concept Testing
RESEARCH TYPE:
Rapid Research, Foundational/Exploratory UXR (Attitudinal)
UX Research Lead
RESEARCH METHODS:
Subject Matter Expert Interviews, Stakeholder Interviews, Secondary Research, Archetype Building, Affinity Mapping, Concept Testing
RESEARCH TYPE:
Rapid Research, Foundational/Exploratory UXR (Attitudinal)
TIMELINE
10 weeks: Sep-Nov 2023
Research (10 weeks)
TOOLS:
Figma, Miro, Trello, Illustrator, Procreate,
10 weeks: Sep-Nov 2023
Research (10 weeks)
TOOLS:
Figma, Miro, Trello, Illustrator, Procreate,
MY CONTRIBUTION AS RESEARCH LEAD
- Developed a rapid research plan for a generative research study of 2 weeks. Defined research goals and narrowed the scope of the project to ensure project completion on time and for client satisfaction.
- Defined the vision for the project utilizing the North Star framework, an enterprise design thinking method to align cross-functional stakeholders on a unified vision for the project.
- Collaborated with a team of 10 designers to drive research activities such as secondary research, participant recruitment and user interviews.
- Utilized affinity mapping and thematic analysis to analyse and translate user insights.
- Designed the ideal experience framework and 4 user archetypes.
- Co-designed the design principles.
- Collaborated with the visual design team and researchers to lead content development for 4 client decks.
RESEARCH GOAL
Evaluate current design
What’s making the current design less visually appealing and not have a human appeal to users?
Understand AI and Emotions
What are the ways in which emotions can be integrated into the design of the AI.
Understand user needs
What are the preferences of user stakeholders in terms of aesthetics and collaboration styles.
Evaluate current design
What’s making the current design less visually appealing and not have a human appeal to users?
Understand AI and Emotions
What are the ways in which emotions can be integrated into the design of the AI.
Understand user needs
What are the preferences of user stakeholders in terms of aesthetics and collaboration styles.
PARTICIPANT RECRUITMENT
Convenience sampling
Leveraged our university faculty and connections to find leads based on our screening criteria. Participants included faculty who had previous experiences in the automotive industry and understood the processes in the automotive industry.
Convenience sampling
Leveraged our university faculty and connections to find leads based on our screening criteria. Participants included faculty who had previous experiences in the automotive industry and understood the processes in the automotive industry.
DATA COLLECTION
Stakeholder Interviews
Interviewed client representatives who visited the campus for introductory presentations to gather requirements, understand expectations and goals.
Secondary Research
We analysed input from research & business reports, studies and articles to explore relevant areas.
User Interviews
Conducted one-on-one in-depth semi-structured user interviews with 4 subject matter experts.
Stakeholder Interviews
Interviewed client representatives who visited the campus for introductory presentations to gather requirements, understand expectations and goals.
Secondary Research
We analysed input from research & business reports, studies and articles to explore relevant areas.
User Interviews
Conducted one-on-one in-depth semi-structured user interviews with 4 subject matter experts.
LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS
Lack of access to actual users
We could not conduct interviews with the real users of the product as the BMW team is scattered across the globe and across multiple time zones.
Team members had zero or limited research experience
Most of the team were not familiar with user research methods and did not understand the value and need for research in general.
Lack of access to actual users
We could not conduct interviews with the real users of the product as the BMW team is scattered across the globe and across multiple time zones.
Team members had zero or limited research experience
Most of the team were not familiar with user research methods and did not understand the value and need for research in general.
SYNTHESIS
Utilized affinity mapping and thematic analysis to generate insights from user interviews and secondary research using Miro.
Utilized affinity mapping and thematic analysis to generate insights from user interviews and secondary research using Miro.
RESEARCH IMPACT AND OUTCOME
- Created an Ideal Experience framework to communicate the user story and strategize on development of design deliverables in a clear and digestible way.
- Developed 4 user archetypes to clearly categorize user needs.
- Devised design principles based on trend research, best practices and user research insights to guide visual design development.
- Reported recommendations for design output through engaging presentations resulting in positive feedback from clients and buy-in for implementation of design deliverables.
REFLECTIONS
The project was filled with challenges, from working with a large team of people from different design disciplines to working around challenges in conducting contextual research for a user group with limited access.
It provided for a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the practical application of prioritizing action plans to work according to time constraints while concsiously addressing client requirements.
The project was filled with challenges, from working with a large team of people from different design disciplines to working around challenges in conducting contextual research for a user group with limited access.
It provided for a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the practical application of prioritizing action plans to work according to time constraints while concsiously addressing client requirements.