Samsung Gear S and S2 Heuristic Evaluation

Stephanie Wong Samsung Gear February 28, 2016 User Design Evaluation Report Samsung Gear S SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION This report is an evaluation of the smartwatch ‘Samsung Gear S’. It is designed and marketed by Samsung Electronics on August 28, 2014 and is the successor for Samsung Gear 2. Compared to the previous model, Samsung Gear S has a curved screen with a 360x480 resolution, a 300ppi Super AMOLED capacitive touch-screen that displays colors more vibrantly and bright. In this report, the smartwatch is analyzed for its usability and its compatibility with the Smartphone. Its interface is tested to see which tasks are supported successfully and to identify those tasks that have a need for improvement. These are listed with their severity level in our final results, along with recommendations on how to improve the user interface for future design solutions. My own opinion: SECTION 2: THE METHODOLOGY As ‘Heuristic Evaluation’ is considered to be used by single experts and is feasible – we used this as our design evaluation. The report is divided into two sections. The first half has the overall user experience- which is a higher categorization and review. The second half covers tasks users could perform or interact with the watch on a daily basis. The severity levels provided in each are indicators for the team to prioritize the tasks that should be addressed first. With each task, we have also provided corresponding recommendations. SECTION 3: RESULTS & INTERPRETATION Samsung Gear S has two main core features, one is to provide notifications and the other is to provide user access to their mobile phones. The smartwatch is meant to assist users to be hands-free and can perform other tasks, without the need to take out their Smartphone. I uncover the overall user experience and then details on the heuristic evaluation done on specific 12 tasks carried on this watch. Overall the watch does not have much usability in terms of looks as a watch or as a device to get more information. The overall design does not sit well for a general users because of looks, size and weight. Given that it needs to be charged by the end of the day makes it an extra effort compared to standard watches which runs on a cell. The screen needs to be activated too- so it does not really do well providing at a glance time. You need to gesture your hand to see the time and is really useful for not having to tap the watch or button. 3a. Overall User Experience Sn# Categories Functionality Pros Cons Experience 1. Aesthetics: Big screen to Easy to read The watch screen is User feels imprisoned, or part of a Star Design of the provide access text. too bi and heavy Wars character. The clasp gives it a watch and to text. compared to a more prisoner feel and awkward to Screen size normal watch. use in a social setting. User is not motivated to charge even if the battery dies. No way to customize for Stephanie Wong Samsung Gear February 28, 2016 User Design Evaluation Report user’s ease in terms of strap or frame. 2 Navigation Left swipe from -Easy to Addition of Made the user think more than watch face understand and application on faces necessary -not very innovative. means calls and add more face is limited. Needs to Installing applications on phone and messages. Right as it was more be from the ones then synching felt like an extra step. to access more aligned to how that are already immediate Samsung there. applications. phones are. Top to access battery -To go back to settings/wifi/bri the initial ghtness. Bottom screen- swipe to get your up applications. 3. Technical Brings back the Easy to recall Good consistency with user standard Buttons home watch how to get out of usage. face of an application if lost 4. Vibrations To notify for Good way to Too strong- no Had really strong vibrations for alarm- reminders, remind you of option to reduce it which may be harmful for heath alarms, immediate especially while sleeping. Left users messages information feeling annoying and discouraged to place as an alarm reminder. 5. Interface To send Words typed are No option to save User input methods seems outdated. messages to readable when and no predefault your contacts you use the suggestions or using keyboard input. voice. Predefault Also prompted if suggestions are only user messages available on current will be message notification. discarded. 6. Information at The applications Easy to locate Could be a problem if Information was not available at a a glance screen where there are more than glance, users struggled with you can access 20 applications, and maintaining and synching applications. all the you don’t remember Issues of battery power was also felt. applications where the first one was as it makes use of the scroll option. 7. Applications To check user’s Helps to keep The details: Chart, The focus here is more as a medical -Pedometer well being. user updated logs, help for all device or some one obsessed with -Exercise with basic three are not useful health. The sensors or information -Heart Rate( 97 health or adding to what provided did not contribute to the bpm – you can information. user already knows overall usage of the watch. tag it.) or want to know. -Sleep -UV 3b. Details on the issues on performing the tasks There are a total of twelve tasks; we encountered six with usability problems and six with no issue with functionality or usability. Those tasks that have been performed with the smart watch successfully are joining a wifi network, switching between apps, check for notifications and reply (Watsapp), finding installed apps and launching them (calculator, health), Locking / unlocking the smartwatch,finding Stephanie Wong Samsung Gear February 28, 2016 User Design Evaluation Report your device. Among the remaining six tasks that Samsung Gear S had usability issues; the common problem that emerged was due to synching with the Smartphone. Except for task 1 and 6, the other tasks all are directly or indirectly related to it. With the smartwatch, users have to manually add their data in – even after it has been sync during the intial time it is paired to the Smartphone. For instance, the application for gallery and music- users has to copy and send it to the smartwatch. There is no option of automatic synching. If users can not sync to the applications on their phones and they can not find similar applications for their smartwatch on the ‘galaxy apps’, the smartwatch main function of notifications can loose its context. For instance, if users would like to get customized notifications of their buses/ trains or their next duty hours in a hospital. How would they include those in the current notifications in their smartwatch, there is currently no option to include the ones on the smartphone. The same is true for task 6 and task 2, there are no help (button/dial) provided within the smartwatch that demonstrates customization of daily schedule notifications or past history messages. As shown in the figure on the right. By clicking the dots, only available options are ‘compose’ and ‘delete’, but not view previous messages. Samsung Gear S has a separate sim, which allows the user to make and receive calls independent of the smartphone. Without the sim, a user can make only emergency call as additional call cost from your monthly package. This feature is a very useful as it can replace having to take out your Smartphone from your pocket and calling contacts using your smartwatch only, however a user would be charged twice, one for the Smartphone bill and one for the smartwatch. This is assumably expensive for average users. Question is does the user need an extra sim card? In addition to notifications and access of information, Samsung Gear S is also known for the customizing of the clock’s face and its five screens. One can add health information, temperature and notifications on the clock’s face and settings, music player on the five screens. However, with task 6 – we encountered the limited option to add the applications of your choice on the five screens. Unlike the Smartphone, you can not simply drag and drop your application to the screen, nor there an option to select from the settings. Users have to use the predefine template. SECTION 3: RECOMMENDATIONS The user experience with Samsung Gear S is quite exciting. The hand gesture that turns the time on automatically is quite intuitive and provides people especially with weak eyesight to see the time better. Also the pedometer to track your steps is also motivating for users to take few extra mile/steps everyday. However, the current model relies on the Smartphone to carry out most of the tasks as it has limited due to the issue of synching (message and call). If the technical problem of synching is catered Stephanie Wong Samsung Gear February 28, 2016 User Design Evaluation Report for and is done in the same time when the smart watch is paired- users would have a much more satisfying experience. Also, by providing help buttons or more options to select applications for more customization will help users to build more scenarios and integrating smartwatches into their daily routines. It is perhaps also a good idea to avoid directing users to the smartphone for most tasks. There are more extra steps involved in a task and users are left to move back and forth between the two devices. This includes removing any unnecessary dialogs, screens for installing new apps or finding help.

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