Nest

Redesigned Nest Thermostat UI and mobile app, improving status visibility across 50+ screens

Class Final Project

Product Design

Mobile App

Paired System

Overview

LIs Google Nest is a popular smart thermostat with 35M+ users, offering automated heating and energy savings.

For a graduate-level final project in Computer Interface Design, I served as the UI/UX lead on a four-person team to improve real-time status visibility.

We leveraged user testing to redesign 50+ screens across the thermostat and mobile app, simplifying home energy management.

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My Role

UI/UX Lead – User Research, Prototyping, Interface Design

Team

2 UI Designers
1 UX Researcher‍

Timeline

Spring 2024

Project

Goal

_____

Redesign Nest Thermostat and paired mobile
application to improve system status visibility

Competitive Analysis

_____

Reviewed top smart thermostats and spoke with users
to identify effective ways of displaying the temperature

Physical temp. controls

Displays lots of information

Minimalistic Interface

Mobile Ideation

_____

Initial home screen wireframes lacked visual appeal and
confused users with too much information displayed at once

V1: Background Eye Strain

V2: Cognitive Overload

V3: Final Home Screen

Mobile High Fidelity

_____

After conducting usability tests, we optimized our prototype for simple
navigation and included clear visual cues to indicate current status

Set Away Mode

View Temperature History

Toggle Eco Mode

Thermostat High Fidelity

_____

Drawing on Nest’s existing UI, we refined system status
visibility and navigation by introducing icons and physical buttons

Removed Touch Screen

• While the Nest display is very eye appealing, it was difficult for users to navigate and understand
• Now users navigate through the menu arrows and make a selection by twisting the dial

Simplified Modes

• Fan: Select between different fan speeds by twisting the dial
• Eco: Toggle eco mode on and off using the dial and access more information on the mobile app
• Away: Set an away temperature on your phone and adjust the status on Nest thermostat if leaving home

Project Outcomes

_____

100%

Final Project Grade

85%

Preferred Our Design

50+

Figma Frames

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