Reimagining water filter tracking by digitizing workflows, designing an intuitive timeline UI, and integrating iOS and watchOS for seamless user experiences.
Role
Lead Designer
Date
2015
Type
UX/UI Design
Tools
Adobe Photoshop
Overview
Pur is a concept project that reimagines how users track and maintain water filter replacements. Traditional methods often rely on physical reminders or manual logging, which can be inconvenient and easily forgotten. To address this, I created a dual-platform app for iOS and watchOS that delivers a clean, intuitive interface for tracking filter status, managing multiple products, and receiving timely notifications.
Goals
The goal was to transform an outdated, manual process into a seamless, digital experience that aligns with modern technology habits. With this Pur concept, users could gain a simplified, visual way to monitor their filters lifespan and maintain their water quality without extra effort.
Problem
Traditional water filter systems rely heavily on physical stickers, manual logs, or paper-based reminders, which users often forget or ignore. This results in inconsistent filter maintenance, leading to poor water quality and wasted resources. I wanted to replace this outdated system with a simple, engaging, and reliable digital tool that could seamlessly integrate into users' daily routines.
Key Features
To address this challenge, I designed Pur as a dual-platform app for iOS and watchOS. The app centers on a timeline interface that visually represents the filter’s health and replacement cycle. Users receive reminders and updates tailored to their product type, making it easy to stay on top of replacements. The watchOS integration ensures that users can access essential information at a glance, further simplifying the process.
Filter Status Tracking
Real-time updates allow users to track filter usage and replacement timelines with ease.
Multiple Product Management
Users can manage multiple filters, such as pitchers and faucet attachments, within a single interface.
Reminders & Notifications
Push notifications remind users to replace filters as their lifecycle nears completion.
Intuitive Timeline View
The timeline visually displays filter health using a gradient that shifts from green to red as the replacement date approaches, consistent across both iOS and WatchOS.
Easy Repurchase
Create a way for users to quickly repurchase filters on time, before current filters expired.
Design Process
Research & Concept Development
I began by conducting some personal research to understand the pain points I faced when tracking my pur water filter usage. Part of this was me forgetting to replace filters on time due to the lack of clear, consistent reminders. Using these insights, I developed initial wireframes to define the app concept, focusing on replacing outdated manual methods with an effortless digital solution.
Branding & Visual Design
The branding reflects the purity and simplicity of water. I designed a modern logo, cohesive color schemes, and typography that convey cleanliness and clarity. These elements informed a consistent design language that unified the iOS and watchOS experiences.
Logo and Branding
The branding for Pur emphasizes clarity and modernity, inspired by the purity of water. The logo features clean, fluid lines that evoke water’s movement and simplicity, paired with a minimalist typeface for a contemporary look. The color palette is dominated by shades of blue and white, reflecting water’s purity and reinforcing the app’s focus on clean, fresh design.
This branding guided the UI design, ensuring a cohesive experience across both iOS and Apple Watch. The result is an interface that feels as effortless and natural as the product’s purpose.
Timeline UI Design
The timeline view is the app’s centerpiece. It uses a gradient that transitions from green to red as the filter’s lifespan progresses, providing users with a quick, visual summary of their filter’s health. This design eliminates the need to dive into detailed menus, making it faster and more intuitive to check the status.
For example, as a filter nears its replacement date, the timeline gradually shifts to red and triggers a notification. This design prioritizes clarity while keeping the interface simple and approachable.
Apple Watch Integration
Creating the Apple Watch interface required balancing simplicity with functionality. I designed a circular timeline that represents the filter’s lifecycle in a glanceable format. Users can see real-time updates, such as filter health and replacement estimates, without needing to access their phone.
This design mirrors the iOS app function while optimizing for the smaller screen, ensuring consistency and ease of use across both platforms.
Reflections
This project marked an important step in my journey into app design and fueled my passion for creating thoughtful, user-centered solutions. While Pur was a self-initiated exploration without formal user testing, the process helped me build foundational skills in designing for both iOS and watchOS, as well as applying principles of branding and interaction design to a real-world concept. This allowed me to explore how thoughtful design can simplify everyday tasks.
A proud moment was seeing Apple use a very similar gradient approach to the new complications released in WatchOS 7 when the Apple Watch Series 4 was launched in 2018 (3 years later).
Photo from Appple Newsroom
Next Steps
Looking ahead, I plan to continue exploring app design, focusing on solving everyday problems with elegant and intuitive digital experiences. This project sparked a deeper interest in refining my ability to balance functionality with simplicity, and I am eager to pursue more opportunities that allow me to hone these skills.
Conclusion
This unshipped personal project was an opportunity to merge my skills in branding, UI/UX design, and prototyping into a cohesive product concept. The lessons learned in crafting Pur continue to shape how I approach design challenges, prioritizing simplicity, scalability, and user satisfaction.
