Enhancing the visual experience of an enterprise AI Assistant for the BMW Group
Elevating user experience and enhancing the visual design of collaborative virtual workspaces developed for global internal stakeholders of the BMW Group.
Project Type: Client Project at BMW Group as part of the SCADpro Innovation Studio team
Timeline: 3 Months (September-November 2023)
Team: Team of 18
Methods & Tools: Semi-Structured User Interviews, Stakeholder Interviews User Stories, Visual Frameworks, Archetypes, Concept Testing
Software: Miro, Powerpoint, Adobe Illustrator, Teams, After Effects, Unreal Engine
Role & Contribution: As the lead User Researcher, I developed and executed a rapid research plan for a generative research study. Collaborated with a team of 10 designers to drive research activities. I Co-designed the design principles and presented findings to clients.
CLIENT BRIEF
To generate design concepts and integrate emotions into the visual experience of BMW’s future collaborative virtual workspace for global employees.
THE CHALLENGE
BMW’s initial attempt at designing their AI powered virtual collaborative lacked the emotional element. Our challenge was to evaluate the current design and conceptualize improvements to enhance the visual experience.
OUR APPROACH
Through a rapid generative research study, our team identified needs of key stakeholders in the car production process. Our research informed crucial design decisions with Archetypes helping build personalized workspace environments and design principles and experience framework informing the design of interactive AI Assistant form, sound and voice personality.
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BACKGROUND
A vision for the future of work at the BMW Group
The BMW Group envisioned the future of it’s workplace through a central AI-powered platform that enables global stakeholders scattered across North America, Europe, and Asia involved in the car design process to enhance productivity and speed up the car production process. The complex vehicle development process involves multiple inter-departmental stakeholders scattered across geographies. Each stakeholder group has varied processes and behaviors in terms of collaboration and communication. According to the vision articulated by client stakeholders, a central virtual platform which is immersive and integrated with AR/VR technology can help simplify the communication chains and enable faster collaboration thereby speeding up the production process.
PROCESS OVERVIEW
Our cross disciplinary team of design researchers, illustrators, interaction, motion, sound and technical 3D designers collaborated over a course of three months to research, design and present findings and design deliverables to clients.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Before the joining the project, I familiarized myself with BMW’s brand & mission, product range, recent launches and innovation ventures through news articles, company website and other credible sources about automotive industries. This helped me understand the values of the company that seep through the design of all their products, strong focus on brand, the emotional connect with their customers as expressed in their motto: We exist to move the Body, Heart & Mind.
After being appointed the Research Lead at the end of the first week, I devised a research plan for generative research study that would guide design decision making throughout the course of the project. View brand study report
Process snapshots from collaborative Miro Board (for representation purposes)
RESEARCH IMPACT
Aligned fragmented teams to drive cohesive efforts and data driven decision making
The research team utilized the north star framework, design thinking workshops to evaluate successes, failures and ideas with cross-functional teams in order to have constant communication with different teams, communicate findings and drive data driven decision making design development
Identified key issues with the current design and recommended a direction that incorporated emotional design, which was successfully implemented and led to the desired outcome, securing client buy-in for implementation
Our research resulted in strategies and recommendations that offered a structured approach to integrating emotions into the visual design through tangible design elements like form, color, motion. Insights were communicated visually through archetypes, visual frameworks and design principles.
MY CONTRIBUTION
RESEARCH PLAN
Developed a rapid research plan for a generative research study. Defined research goals and narrowed the scope of the project to ensure project completion on time and for client satisfaction.
RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & SYNTHESIS
Collaborated with cross-functional team members 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.
TEAM ALIGNMENT
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.
DESIGNING & PRESENTING PITCH DECKS
Collaborated with the visual design team and researchers to lead content development for 4 client decks.
Planned presentation scripts and presented findings to client stakeholders.
Wrote final client report to document entire process and outcome.
LEARNINGS
Speak the stakeholder’s language: One of the biggest takeaways from the project was learning the importance of curating insights in a format that is both digestible and tailored to each stakeholder, depending on the purpose of the communication. Crucial team bonding time should not be taken for granted no matter how fast paced the project is. It is important to get to know team members and their styles of communication, strengths, weaknesses and collaboration styles within a short timeframe is essential for highly productive output.
Have a Plan B and C: I learned the importance of planning for worst-case scenarios. Things can always go wrong, especially in research, where participant recruitment challenges are a common hindrance. Planning for such scenarios helps ensure the project runs more smoothly.
