Home Security System

The home security system can be distributed into four scenarios, e. g., end user, customer service, dispatch and system administration. In this project, I focused on the interaction of end-user, and built up this security system for user to monitor their home.

This system provide end-users to control, check and reset all security sensors in house, no matter where they are. Through the internet, users can be noted and altered by Web and APP early and the system will connect it to relevant security center for protection.

Brainstorming
Date: 2013
My Role: Visual & UX designer
Category: UX Design
Member: PM: Scott Pan, Peggy Lai, Jin Chen, Eileen Lu
RD:Chris Ho, Peng Guan, Jun Yang, Ben Yang, Gang Yang
GUI:Judith Cheng
UI/UX designer : Dana Su, Lucia Lin

Clarify user need and construct the features

According to field studies and interviews which were arranged to explore demands and behaviors of home security system users, we noticed that users pursue a real time and intelligent system to protect their house.

What users said:

  • I like to understand my house situation at a glance.
  • I want to track my house situation at anytime from anywhere.
  • I want to customize the security mode when I'm doing something, like smoking, that may trigger the alarm.
  • Aids from neighbors are more effective than someone who lives far away. Therefore, one of co-contacts could be my neighbor.

Features

After integrating the above needs and the feedbacks of execution in security company, we proposed the key features of this project and constructed the system accordingly.

Brainstorming
Show status of each device

The real time status of all sensors and IP-cam’s view are delivered to end-user for condition comprehension.

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Modes of different scenarios

For both safety and comfort reasons, system can be switched to different mode of security that accommodates to the end-user’s pace of life and habits.

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Real time alert pushing

Each event and alert will be delivered to user’s mobile phone and email immediately. For preparation, the co-contacts will also get the information simultaneously.

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Mastery of information anytime, anywhere

End-users would like to know what is happening when they are away from home. To deliver the information, we designed an APP which can sync with the system and show the sensor’s status and camera’s view to user. User will not loss any information anytime,anywhere.

Functions and wireframe design

The functions extended from features were illustrated below:

  • Dashboard : directly provide the most important information to user
  • Status of Sensor : track the sensors
  • IP-cam live view : monitor and check the condition of house by live view
  • History list : deliver and review the alerts and notifications.
  • Account managerment : administer the contact person.
  • Mode setting and switching : customize the security mode and the securing sensors.
  • News and Q&A .
flow

We believe that a security system should deliver the most important information to user fast, accurate and clearly. For this purpose, the designed dashboard of Web is distributed to four areas which display live view of IPcam, real time status of selected sensor, brief of alerts and notifications and the news of service provider.

The main functions were designed on the tab, user can switch to each one for detail information. The pull-down menus of mode located in the left top of dashboard allows users to switch quickly. Furthermore, considering different behaviors, user also can create their preferred setting in security mode on the menu. For example, smokers can switch to the smoking mode to turn off the smoking sensor. Or, users can also select the away mode that provides a complete protection when nobody is at home.

The APP is designed as assistant of Web platform and provides service anywhere with internet accessibility. As an assistant, mobile APP is the extended display for user to catch information. Therefore, mobile APP shows similar contents as does the web. However, considering the usability and manipulation on mobile phone, we keep some detail setting in web version only and reduced the effort of manipulation in APP.

Final Design

Visual design
Brainstorming
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Brainstorming