Experience-driven Engineering in IoT: The Importance of User Experience for Developing Connected Products People Love

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the factors we have seen as influential in building contemporary tools specifically through the lens of connected devices and experiences. The Internet of things (IoT) provides a radically improved way to see how our tools/devices actually perform in the field and if customers use, abuse, or do not understand them. The complexity associated with designing a connected product or experience often causes its architect to focus almost exclusively on the enabling technology itself as opposed to the actual design and end user experience—the value or utility—that they create it for. We walk through fundamental design principles. This paper provides principles, frameworks, recommendations, and resources to ensure human-centered and user experience-led design for the IoT.