Meal Clock
Personal Tracking, Physical Health
Purpose
A project focuses on exploring innovative possibility in time-telling on Apple watch for GRDS 387: Interface Design.
To reinforce healthy habit of not skipping meal among busy individuals using easy to recognize visual pattern.
Responsibilities
Researcher Researched existing time-telling devices and conducted usability testing on potential user of the interface.
Graphic Designer Conceptualized and visualized the time telling system based on the existing device.
Duration
3 weeks
Tool
Secondary Research
Traditional Sketch
Wireframing
Usability Testing
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Key Takeaways
A simple act can create big positive effect: I started this concept after recognizing that my 3 roommates always work to the point that they skip their meals. When I first proposed this concept to the class, almost 75% of the class were facing the same issue as well as some working professionals. It might be a culture of designers, but that's the topic of later. Please take care of your health. At least eat and sleep, those are the main the energy sources.
User's generation and their thinking process: Different generation has different thinking process when encounter the interface. Something that is intuitive for gen Z and millennials might not be as effective when introduced to gen X or Boomers.
The power of gestalt: Considering different time-telling system in different culture, there can be errors when quickly glancing on the screen. Simplification and geometry can help reset the existing system in the user and introduce another approach to the concept of time.
Time - Telling Tradition
What are the options?
The research started from the sandglass I had on the desk to my grandfather's cuckoo clock in my childhood home to the more niche bell ringing tradition, which its system varied depends on their cultures, I recognized the simple 4 hours time grouping. It also works fast as a visual cue.
I Just Forgot To Eat
More than 75% of the people I know forgot to have meal
3 out of 4 of my roommates, 75% of my classmates, and 3 working professionals I know forget to have their meal during the day because they are always busy working. I want to dedicate this project to those people who face the same issue.
Meal Clock is an Apple Watch time-telling interface that acts as a visual alarm with the sound corporation to remind the user of their meal time in a pleasant way.
Overcome cultural differences
The 4 hours time grouping has the potential to eliminate miscommunication with the culture that uses 6 hours (1 - 6 morning, 1 - 6 evening, 1 - 6 early night, 1 - 6 late night) time system.
Wireframe building
Usability testing
After coming up with the wireframe, I tested the interface with the gen Z samples. There were some hesitation during the first encounter, but they had good comprehension of the system. The interaction with the interface control was a success for the joy stick model button was intuitive enough for them to recognize the function. The feedback from generation X was less effective for they did not recognize the reference and prefer the numeral way of time-telling.
Visual development
Final Interface
The intuitive design utilized simplification of the design to group 4 hours time with the additional system to set date and time for the alarm. The background color indicate the am / pm time.
How Does It Work?
An Interface In Action
This storyboard tells a journey of the interface as the user twist their wrist to see the numeral minute instead of the clock leg indicator and the alarm is activated as there is only 1 second left before the alarm goes off. The alarm rings with the sound of glass toasting, matching the graphic animation on the screen. The user then has the option to put the alarm to sleep or reset the time. After the user is done setting the time, the alarm mode graphic will shows to summarize the time before changing back to the clock mode.
