Case Study
Integrating a Smart Multi-Sensor Device
Project Overview
I designed and led WebstaurantStore's IoT platform redesign, launching our first low-cost smart device, VersaTile. I helped transform the dashboard and unit management experience through hands-on UI/UX design, driving a 25x increase in active users while setting a foundation for our expanding product ecosystem.
Status
Contribution
Year
Product
Audience
Skills
Problem Statement
We faced significant challenges in driving adoption and engagement with our premium refrigeration units, particularly among customers balancing operational costs and existing equipment. Through a strategic analysis of user pain points and technical constraints, we identified three key areas impacting adoption and growth:
Cost Barriers
Adoption was limited due to the high upfront and maintenance costs of premium refrigeration units, especially for customers already using functional equipment.
Friction in Activation
The registration and setup process for legacy systems created user disinterest and added unnecessary complexity, further deterring engagement.
Platform Limitations
An outdated interface and lack of scalability hindered our ability to integrate advanced hardware features from our latest manufacturing partner, resulting in reduced user engagement and stunted growth.
We used these challenges as an opportunity to rethink our core systems, making them more adaptable while creating a consistent user experience across our entire product line.
Research
The initial phase focused on comprehensive discovery and knowledge gathering. I collaborated closely with the Research and Development team to gain a deep understanding of our equipment's technical capabilities and limitations, and our user personas. These sessions, combined with insights from Customer Service, provided valuable context about user needs and system constraints.
Equipment malfunction-related losses account for approximately $6,000-$10,000 per incident
Food Industry Association
Staff spends 20-40 minutes daily on manual temperature logging
National Restaurant Association
Water leaks and unwanted water use cost U.S. restaurants more than $1 billion annually.
Foodservice Consultants Society International
Based on customer research prioritizing operational efficiency, we streamlined the setup process and created actionable data visualizations that simplified decision-making and reduced cognitive load.
Solution
We integrated VersaTile into our ecosystem with an intuitive user experience. Starting with an MVP, we gradually added features to align with our vision. The integration seamlessly supported reports and maintenance, matched existing setup patterns, and introduced key components: dashboard cards for quick insights, customizable settings, and tooltips to guide users in exploring new features.
Instant Data Insights
Notification System
Intuitive Setup
Customizable Settings
Key Success Metrics
Users rapidly adopted the platform, with a significant userbase increase
Consistently high user satisfaction, reflected in stellar feedback
Users expanded their setups with additional equipment and sensors
Instant Data Insights
The initial VersaTile MVP focused on core features, delaying the graph functionality. User feedback revealed a strong need for historical data visualization in the unit view. We built a streamlined, enhanced graph solution that works across VersaTile and legacy smart equipment, adding features like peak indicators, time tracking, averages with alerts, and clear threshold markers.
Working closely with our engineering team through cycles of stress-testing and iteration, we created a more complete monitoring solution that minimized visual complexity while preserved insights, to ensure an optimal cognitive load for users.
Notification System
At the core of our product lies a sophisticated notification system that empowers users with real-time alerts. Through VersaHub, customers can customize their monitoring parameters and receive instant notifications via email or SMS when anomalies are detected.
Formula
The
$locationName
$unitName
$sensorName
$alertMessage
.
Beyond basic temperature and contact sensing, VersaTile expanded our monitoring capabilities to include heat temperature, flood detection, and current sensing. We built a flexible, modular framework that adapts dynamically to various alert types and message formats.
Intuitive Setup
To address activation challenges and encourage completion, we focused on making VersaTile's setup experience seamless and straightforward. This project also presented an opportunity to reimagine the customer onboarding process. As a result, VersaTile's setup was designed primarily to support the new hardware functionality while retrofitting existing systems for a cohesive experience.
"The online interface is easy to set up and use"
customer review
"We found this unit easy to setup and had many sensors to choose from."
customer review
"Purchased for use in 11 locations. Setup is simple."
customer review
Customizable Settings
The settings interface needed to serve restaurant operators across all technical skill levels. We focused on making complex configurations accessible through clear, industry-specific language and intuitive groupings. Through multiple iterations and direct user feedback, we simplified interactions using elements like toggles and radios, creating an approachable experience.
Each setting was carefully crafted to balance brevity with clarity, replacing technical jargon with familiar terminology and introducing contextual help where needed, enabling operators to configure their systems quickly and confidently.
UX Process
Discover
user personas
At WebstaurantStore, limited qualitative methods presented challenges in defining user personas. However, with extensive quantitative data and some user interview insights from Research & Development, I took a creative approach. By leveraging artificial intelligence and researching common social platforms, I developed well-rounded personas that informed our design decisions.
As a user, I need a simple way to set up and monitor my equipment, so I can focus on serving my customers without worrying about downtime.
Sara Thompson — Small Café Owner (Ages 35–40)
As a user, I need centralized monitoring and customizable reports to manage equipment across multiple locations efficiently.
Michael Rodriguez — IT Manager, Mid-Sized Chain (Ages 35–45)
As a user, I need timely alerts and insights from an easy-to-use system, so I can ensure equipment reliability and focus on enhancing the dining experience.
Emily Chen — GM, Upscale Restaurant (Ages 40-50)
Design & Iteration
I translated our findings into rough wireframes, which served as a crucial tool for connecting disparate insights from our research. This visualization phase was highly collaborative, involving regular meetings with engineering and product teams. These sessions fostered alignment, generated collective feedback, and drove continuous iterations throughout the project lifecycle.
VersaTile Sensor and unit Card
While developing the VersaTile sensor card, we spotted an opportunity to consolidate our redundant components, specifically dashboard cards and sensor cards. I led the effort to create a unified, versatile component (pun intended, again) that would serve both purposes - functioning as both a VersaTile sensor and adapting to all equipment cards. A key requirement was implementing clear visual differentiation between sensors and primary devices.
Setup Connection step
After launch, we noticed some users struggling with the connection step, unsure of how to proceed. User session recordings revealed frequent dead clicks on the SSID name, as it appeared too much like a button. This confusion often led users to select the troubleshooting link at random, resulting in abandoned setups and missed completion goals. Recognizing the broken process, I presented the evidence to the Product Manager, and we quickly aligned on the need for improvement.
MVP
v2
Through close collaboration with the product design team, we iteratively refined the experience based on extensive feedback. Our improvements streamlined the setup process, resulting in smoother user onboarding and a significant uptick in new user acquisition.
Sync and Recording Settings
In our MVP, we gave users full control over connectivity settings, but usage data showed these options went largely unused. Further investigation revealed the options themselves were unclear, and having multiple parameters to configure added unnecessary complexity.
MVP
v2
This insight, combined with customer feedback from reviews and support tickets, highlighted battery life as a pressing concern. We simplified the experience by renaming the panel to "Battery and Sync" and replacing complex parameters with four easy-to-understand presets.
Design System
This project became the foundation for our broader design system, establishing visual patterns across our ecosystem. Each component was thoroughly validated before being added to our shared library. I structured the components with comprehensive Figma variants and properties, and created detailed visual documentation in Figma alongside qualitative guidelines in our cross-functional wiki.
This comprehensive documentation approach helped reduce back-and-forth communication between design and engineering teams handoffs, and accelerated development cycles by 50%.
Implementation
To validate our approach, I developed interactive prototypes that demonstrated key user flows and core functionalities, such as settings and setup to other key players. After achieving team and stakeholder alignment through multiple feedback rounds, I proceeded with high-fidelity designs and prepared comprehensive documentation for front-end development.
Throughout the launch phase, I maintained close communication with development and QA teams, providing guidance to ensure the final implementation matched our design intent.
Notes
This project reinforced the value of user-centered design and the importance of collaboration in creating scalable, intuitive solutions. By listening to users and acting on their feedback, we drove meaningful improvements and established a strong foundation for future innovation.
Acknowledgments
This project succeeded through exceptional collaboration between Design, Engineering, and R&D teams. Together, we simplified complex systems, improved adoption, and introduced enhancements like battery indicators, integrated sensor setup and Wi-Fi monitoring, delivering a scalable, user-focused solution.
Next Steps
Predictive and AI-powered Insights
Integrate AI-driven predictive analytics to anticipate maintenance needs, detect trends early, and deliver greater value to customers providing deeper insights and enhance operational efficiency.
Mold Detection
Enhance the device with a Mold Risk Index (MRI), using temperature, humidity, and airflow data to predict and prevent mold growth, ensuring safety and operational efficiency.
Loading Speeds
Optimize loading times and database responsiveness to ensure faster, smoother user interactions and real-time data access.
Customer Outreach
Enhance the onboarding email campaign to drive adoption and activation through targeted outreach and user engagement.
Looking ahead, this project laid the groundwork for future hardware launches, like smart dispensers, while opening opportunities to explore AI and machine learning for enhanced user insights and efficiency.
