Redesigning the Multi-Sensory Experience
Zenaura's Smart Fragrancing App
Overview
Zenaura, a brand committed to redefining the smart fragrancing experience, launched the Zenaura S3—an advanced multisensory device combining dry vapor fragrance diffusion, dynamic lighting, and Alexa-enabled sound integration. However, its outdated app failed to meet evolving user needs and technological advancements.
With a brand revival in 2022, a complete app redesign became imperative. As Lead UX Designer, I guided the transformation, focusing on creating a user-centric interface that would elevate device usability, increase user engagement, and align with the brand's refreshed identity. This case study gives a short overview of the journey to create a functional and cohesive digital experience.
Zenaura, a brand committed to redefining the smart fragrancing experience, launched the Zenaura S3—an advanced multisensory device combining dry vapor fragrance diffusion, dynamic lighting, and Alexa-enabled sound integration. However, its outdated app failed to meet evolving user needs and technological advancements.
With a brand revival in 2022, a complete app redesign became imperative. As Lead UX Designer, I guided the transformation, focusing on creating a user-centric interface that would elevate device usability, increase user engagement, and align with the brand's refreshed identity. This case study gives a short overview of the journey to create a functional and cohesive digital experience.
My contribution
UX Lead
User Research
Design System
The team
1x External Development Team
1x Web Developer
Year
2022
Opportunity
The challenge extended beyond aesthetics—our mission was to craft a digital experience that enabled users to harmonise scent, sight, and sound seamlessly. Users demanded an intuitive interface that removed frustrations with the existing offering and elevate their experience with Zenaura's devices.
The challenge extended beyond aesthetics—our mission was to craft a digital experience that enabled users to harmonise scent, sight, and sound seamlessly. Users demanded an intuitive interface that removed frustrations with the existing offering and elevate their experience with Zenaura's devices.
Identifying User Challenges
We initiated the project with in-person usability tests and interviews to gain a holistic understanding of the previous app. Key pain points included:
Poor user experience during device setup and pairing.
Outdated technology and UI that no longer supported Zenaura's evolving product line.
Frustration in navigating device controls and scheduling functions.
We initiated the project with in-person usability tests and interviews to gain a holistic understanding of the previous app. Key pain points included:
Poor user experience during device setup and pairing.
Outdated technology and UI that no longer supported Zenaura's evolving product line.
Frustration in navigating device controls and scheduling functions.
Process
Prototyping & Iteration
Low-fidelity wireframes translated research insights into tangible navigation flows and screen designs. These clickable prototypes were essential for:
Rapid testing and iteration of features and flows.
Facilitating design discussions and adaptations within the team.
Ensuring alignment with user needs through regular design reviews.
Low-fidelity wireframes translated research insights into tangible navigation flows and screen designs. These clickable prototypes were essential for:
Rapid testing and iteration of features and flows.
Facilitating design discussions and adaptations within the team.
Ensuring alignment with user needs through regular design reviews.
Building Ownership & Stakeholder Buy-In
We maintained an agile process with continuous stakeholder engagement. Co-creation workshops ensured alignment with user needs and fostered a sense of ownership in design decisions.
Regular ideation sessions included:
Brainstorming using SCAMPER, storyboarding, and challenging assumptions.
Collaborative activities fueled by tools like IDEO’s design kit and IBM enterprise thinking frameworks.
We maintained an agile process with continuous stakeholder engagement. Co-creation workshops ensured alignment with user needs and fostered a sense of ownership in design decisions.
Regular ideation sessions included:
Brainstorming using SCAMPER, storyboarding, and challenging assumptions.
Collaborative activities fueled by tools like IDEO’s design kit and IBM enterprise thinking frameworks.
Navigation Improvements
To improve the app’s information architecture (IA), we conducted card sorting to establish intuitive navigation and content labelling and tree testing to validate hierarchy and ensure feature find-ability.
A finalised sitemap prioritised device control as the primary user task, eliminating unnecessary pages such as redundant onboarding screens and outdated settings menus, thereby improving the overall navigation experience.
To improve the app’s information architecture (IA), we conducted card sorting to establish intuitive navigation and content labelling and tree testing to validate hierarchy and ensure feature find-ability.
A finalised sitemap prioritised device control as the primary user task, eliminating unnecessary pages such as redundant onboarding screens and outdated settings menus, thereby improving the overall navigation experience.
Refining the Design Language & User Flows
High-fidelity prototypes focused on:
Device Control: Introducing control cards that visually grouped scent, sight, and sound functions for improved navigation.
Setup Flow: Step-by-step walkthroughs, progress feedback bars, lighting animations, and troubleshooting tips streamlined the device setup process.
High-fidelity prototypes focused on:
Device Control: Introducing control cards that visually grouped scent, sight, and sound functions for improved navigation.
Setup Flow: Step-by-step walkthroughs, progress feedback bars, lighting animations, and troubleshooting tips streamlined the device setup process.
Collaboration & Implementation
Since Zenaura outsourced mobile app development, close collaboration was essential to ensure usability and functionality. This introduced unique challenges, such as navigating time zone differences, maintaining design consistency across different teams, and ensuring that user needs translated effectively into the final product. However, it also provided opportunities for leveraging specialised expertise and accelerating development timelines through distributed work. Our approach included:
Early developer involvement with shared user flows and prototypes.
Weekly meetings and bug tracking via TestFlight for immediate reporting.
Adapting designs for both iOS (Human Interface Guidelines) and Android Material Design to ensure a seamless cross-platform experience.
Since Zenaura outsourced mobile app development, close collaboration was essential to ensure usability and functionality. This introduced unique challenges, such as navigating time zone differences, maintaining design consistency across different teams, and ensuring that user needs translated effectively into the final product. However, it also provided opportunities for leveraging specialised expertise and accelerating development timelines through distributed work. Our approach included:
Early developer involvement with shared user flows and prototypes.
Weekly meetings and bug tracking via TestFlight for immediate reporting.
Adapting designs for both iOS (Human Interface Guidelines) and Android Material Design to ensure a seamless cross-platform experience.
Impact
The beta launch in Spring 2023 marked a significant milestone in redefining the user experience for smart home fragrancing. The final outcome was a user-friendly and engaging digital product that exceeded the client’s expectations. Zenaura S3 is now available on both Google Play and the App Store for users who pre-ordered the device.
Key Outcomes:
Improved device pairing and control, validated through usability testing.
Reduction in user frustrations and increased engagement with the app.
A scalable design system ensuring consistency across future updates.
The beta launch in Spring 2023 marked a significant milestone in redefining the user experience for smart home fragrancing. The final outcome was a user-friendly and engaging digital product that exceeded the client’s expectations. Zenaura S3 is now available on both Google Play and the App Store for users who pre-ordered the device.
Key Outcomes:
Improved device pairing and control, validated through usability testing.
Reduction in user frustrations and increased engagement with the app.
A scalable design system ensuring consistency across future updates.
Contact
To find out more about my process or if you have any questions about my projects please get in touch!
