To simplify interactive steps from tall hierarchical infotainment music system automotive framework.
HONG QI H9 Infotainment system
Hong Qi, as a luxury car in the new era, still upholds the brand style of solemnity and business. Therefore, based on maintaining its brand style, we focus on solving the problem of too much hierarchy of the H9 model's infotainment system. Based on rebuilding the information structure, we have also incorporated a more emotional design to make it more accessible and safer for the driver, both on and off the road.
Client • HONG QI
Role • User Research, UX/UI Design, Usability Test, Interaction Design
Duration • 3 Months
Type • in-vehicle infotainment system, Group Project
What’s the context?
The HONG QI needs to make a safer and easier for the in-vehicle infotainment system. In the past period of time, following by the continuous increase of features and resize of screens, the operation has become more complicated. The HONG QI knows that its connection to users is vital for the future.
Three main problems of the original design
1. The "View More" feature complicates operations and presents less information: (new release, albums, and album category are displayed in the same interface, with too little information displayed - additional layers are needed to display detail and more information).
2. Different types of favorite music albums increase the information hierarchy and complicate the operation: (view the details and play the favorite music (self-create, favorite, album) require an additional step).
3. The Bluetooth connection interface layer is too deep, and the USB play layer of the local playlist layer and below is unreasonable.
Validating &
Research
Main Goal
1. Understand an individual’s behavior when using an Infortainment system
2. Analyze competition with the same concept system and understand its advantages
3. Identify what the most important to the in-vehicle infotainment system
Methods
Desktop research
Competitive analysis
User Interview(6)
Survey
INSIGHTS
1. Important information is prioritized. High information density with a simple and clear structure is the most important for a large screen. Drivers prefer to have as much information as possible displayed directly and with fewer steps.
2. Unlike traditional cars, with the addition of the third-party API concept, de-local has become a major trend.
3. In the process of using in-car music, drivers tend to play their preferred playlist, while single repeat mode has a lower priority, thus based on this, we prioritize the main features of the in-car music system.
4. It is recommended that in-car system operations should be limited to three steps. It covers not only the number of taps from the main navigation page to the target page but also the number of re-operations being performed after waking up the screen again (e.g. changing the playlist being played).
5. The category names in the original "network/Discover" take up part of the horizontal page, resulting in that the overall page presents only one line of the complete playlist.
Define &
Ideation
First Rebuild information architecture
We want to optimize the overall layout of the information on the page. After researching the horizontal screen interaction hotspots, we decide to place the music navigation bar of the first layer, which is used frequently, vertically on the left side, and consider optimizing the "category " to free up more space.
At the same time, we started brainstorming to solve each problem based on the principle of giving priority to increasing the density of first-level information.
Ideation for three main problems
1. The "Network" layer is split into two parts: "Smart Recommendations" and "Music Library".
The "Music Library" allows drivers to discover singles and albums that fit their preferences. The "View More" layer has been removed. By using the tab category bar, the names of the categories are presented at the top, and the scope and density of the information presented on the page are increased.
2. Different types of favorite music increase the information hierarchy and complicate the operation. Optimize the "My" layer(My library), put the folders of similar songs (local playlist, my favorite singles, play history) at the top of the page; group the folders of similar playlist and add a tab option at the bottom. Allow all folders to be quickly played in the same interface
3. Delete "Local" from the navigation bar, change USB play to the local playlist folder, and merge with "My" layer, with Bluetooth connection page to be placed in the left hidden navigation bar.
Usability Test
In the discussion of the initial design, a small number of issues remained unresolved, thus we launched a usability test. This included the placement of the mini-player, the reasonable size and placement of these icons, and whether the full-screen operation still has a problem.
Build&
Refine
Style Guide
Thought: In consideration of keeping in line with the brand's style, the usual light and shadow effects of luxury cars are combined with the more modern and flat design effects of current trends. The information is highlighted while maintaining the original brand style.
MY LIBRARY
SMART RECOMMENDATION
MUSIC LIBRARY
SEARCH
FULL SCREEN PLAYER
HONG QI is aimed at the high-end market, we hope to maintain the consistency of commercialization and brand style, while also enhance its emotional design. Therefore, for the needs of the brand, emotional design should continue to be improved supported by the current technology.
Improvements & Next Steps:
Reflections on emotional design
Scenario mode under emotional design includes but is not limited to:
1. Using the wipers to measure the amount of rain and sense the weather, the system will automatically pop up a push asking whether to enter the relevant weather scene music playing.
2. Under child mode, the driver can set the entertainment screen closer to the children to enter the anti-touch mode to prevent children from indulging in electronic devices. The screen will automatically play children's songs and other entertainment programs.
3. Sport mode: When the driver turns on the sport mode, the system will play sporty rhythm music automatically.