Netgear: M6 Mobile Hotspot

Project type
B2C product / smart hardware / desktop web
Responsibilities
Lead UX designer, web portal; UX designer, device display
Team
Three product managers; one developer team
Project status
9 months of development; design online in Q1 2022
Design Objective
To unify the digital experience and promote new features with the device display and the web portal for Netgear's latest portable router for its new buyers
  • Being assigned as the lead designer for the web portal and as an assisting designer for the device display, I took this project as an exciting opportunity to immerse myself in a new domain
  • Collaborating with multiple stakeholders remotely and across different time zones was a valuable learning experience
Problem Statement
The M6 Mobile Hotspot requires a UX update on its dashboard to accommodate new features across both the device display and the web portal
  • As the product is new to its lineup, the main problem is identified as integrating the addition of a few features into the previous UX framework
  • I also took the initiative to formulate the main UX for the primary new feature, Power Manager, as part of the feature accommodation process
Main Features
Consistent usability throughout multiple touchpoints
This section offers a sneak peek of some highlighted features covered during my work on the M6 Mobile Hotspot project
Web Portal
M6‘s primary new feature Power Manager optimizes hotspot's battery consumption and performance, while its larger web portal offers convenient shortcuts on the homepage
Device Display
As users frequently interact with the hardware device, having an easily accessible entry point for the Power Manager is crucial to enhance their experience with the feature
Power Manager UX
I focused on creating a seamless experience for users by incorporating all possible flows between different modes into a cohesive user experience that is easy to follow and understand, recognizing technical constraints and resolving with active communication with the cross-functional teams
Testimonials
Genuine customer reviews are the best motivation
See how customers and tech reviewers experience M6 and the Power Manager feature below (main feature from 01:31)
Takeaways
Do like a designer, think like a user
  • Designing for a new feature can induce anxiety due to uncertainty about its appearance
  • Shifting perspective to that of the user allows for evaluation of whether the feature would be appreciated
  • This approach fostered confidence in the design process
If you think you don't understand something, ask somebody
  • There is always someone who is the right person to ask a technical question
  • Never assume something technical that you are not sure about - ask somebody
Thanks For Viewing
More detailed information on the process and additional details are available in the deck presentation
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