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A UX researcher’s review of the Apple Watch
Apple Watch is the first wearable computer with a different perspective to improve our lives. I believe that the integration of human-centered design has never been so humane until introducing this wearable device.
An Apple Watch is probably one of the first gadgets we don’t consider a simple watch. However, it does so by improving how we speak with technology; in this story, I will review how its design has affected us.
Before the review, I have two fundamental questions:
- What does a wearable device is supposed to add to our lives?
- What kind of problems are most relevant for these devices to solve?
There are many more questions to answer, but the focus of this story is the design of the Apple Watch, and I hope somewhere in between the lines, we’ll get some answers for those questions.
Every time I want to review a product, whether digital or physical, I ask the basic fundamental question: What problem is this product trying to solve? And for the Apple Watch, the most highlighted problem to solve is taking care of our health.
Taking care of a human being is not an easy task. Physical and Mental health are two of the most crucial aspect of sustaining a healthy life. The Apple Watch does a fantastic job at encouraging us to physically improve ourselves.
Activity Rings, a colorful circular representation of how active we’ve been, is excellent gamification and a fun interactive way to become aware of our situation.
The app presents three rings:
- Move: shows how many calories you have burned throughout the day.
- Exercise: shows exercise duration, heart rate, and calories burned throughout the workout.
- Stand: indicates how long you have been seated and encourages you to stand up at least one minute every hour.
These are all purposefully designed for improving your health by gamifying different aspects of your life. I disagree with gamification in general — I think it is deceiving and can…
