BRIEF
BRIEF
BRIEF
Intuitive Time Zone Coordination Through Sunlight
Intuitive Time Zone Coordination Through Sunlight
Intuitive Time Zone Coordination Through Sunlight
Sun Sync simplifies scheduling by using our natural understanding of daylight and night cycles, allowing people in different time zones to coordinate effortlessly without mental time conversions.
Sun Sync simplifies scheduling by using our natural understanding of daylight and night cycles, allowing people in different time zones to coordinate effortlessly without mental time conversions.
Fan actions were invisible in Stubios, breaking the engagement flow. I designed interactions that visualized contributions and built emotional connection.
Sun Sync simplifies scheduling by using our natural understanding of daylight and night cycles, allowing people in different time zones to coordinate effortlessly without mental time conversions.
DURATION
DURATION
14 Weeks
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
14 Weeks
Sep 2023
- Dec 2023
14 Weeks
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
ROLE
ROLE
UX Designer
UX
Designer
UX Designer
TEAM
TEAM
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
TOOL
TOOL
Figma, Adobe Creative
Suite, Protopie
Figma, Adobe Creative
Suite, Protopie
Figma, Adobe Creative
Suite, Protopie
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Time Zone Confusion
in a Global World
Time Zone Confusion
in a Global World
Coordinating across time zones often leads to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and frustration. Traditional clocks require users to mentally convert time differences, making coordination unnecessarily difficult.
Coordinating across time zones often leads to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and frustration. Traditional clocks require users to mentally convert time differences, making coordination unnecessarily difficult.
Coordinating across time zones often leads to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and frustration. Traditional clocks require users to mentally convert time differences, making coordination unnecessarily difficult.
Cognitive Load in Time Zone Conversion
Cognitive Load in Time Zone Conversion
Cognitive Load in
Time Zone Conversion
Manually converting time zones increases cognitive load and raises the risk of scheduling mistakes.
Manually converting time zones increases cognitive load and raises the risk of scheduling mistakes.
Manually converting time zones increases cognitive load and raises the risk of scheduling mistakes.
Global Business & Time Zone Coordination
Global Business & Time Zone Coordination
Cognitive Load in
Time Zone Conversion
Global teams often experience productivity loss due to challenges in aligning schedules across time zones. (MIT)
Global teams often experience productivity loss due to challenges in aligning schedules across time zones. (MIT)
Global teams often experience productivity loss due to challenges in aligning schedules across time zones. (MIT)
User Frustrations with Time Zone Apps
User Frustrations with Time Zone Apps
Cognitive Load in
Time Zone Conversion
Many time zone apps show raw time differences without providing context such as daylight or working hours.
Many time zone apps show raw time differences without providing context such as daylight or working hours.
Many time zone apps show raw time differences without providing context such as daylight or working hours.
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
Validating Research
Through Real User Perspectives
Validating Research
Through Real User Perspectives
Validating Research
Through Real User Perspectives
Following our research on time zone challenges and a review of existing solutions, we spoke with users to learn how they currently coordinate across time zones. Interviews revealed where tools fall short and highlighted the mental models people rely on when thinking about time.
Following our research on time zone challenges and a review of existing solutions, we spoke with users to learn how they currently coordinate across time zones.
Interviews revealed where tools fall short and highlighted the mental models people rely on when thinking about time.
When accessing Stubios on desktop, users encountered a QR code directing them to open the site on mobile.
While this allowed some level of access, it disrupted the experience, created friction, and excluded users who preferred or relied on desktop devices.
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Sun Sync: Designing
Time Around Human Intuition
Sun Sync: Designing
Time Around Human Intuition
Designing
Time Around
Human Intuition
Sun Sync: Designing
Time Around Human Intuition
Based on research and interviews, we found that existing tools rely on numeric time conversion, while people naturally understand time through cues like sunlight and daily routines. Sun Sync bridges this gap with a more intuitive approach.
Based on research and interviews, we found that existing tools rely on numeric time conversion, while people naturally understand time through cues like sunlight and daily routines. Sun Sync bridges this gap with a more intuitive approach.
When accessing Stubios on desktop, users encountered a QR code directing them to open the site on mobile.
While this allowed some level of access, it disrupted the experience, created friction, and excluded users who preferred or relied on desktop devices.
USER TESTING
USER TESTING
Feedback of
User testing
Feedback of
User testing
Feedback of
User testing
Feedback of
User testing
We developed initial low-fidelity wireframes for both mobile and desktop versions of Sun Sync. To validate our design direction, we conducted user testing sessions with our target personas, gathering valuable feedback to refine usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
We developed initial low-fidelity wireframes for both mobile and desktop versions of Sun Sync. To validate our design direction, we conducted user testing sessions with our target personas, gathering valuable feedback to refine usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
When accessing Stubios on desktop, users encountered a QR code directing them to open the site on mobile.
While this allowed some level of access, it disrupted the experience, created friction, and excluded users who preferred or relied on desktop devices.
Things that were great
Things that were great
User scenario is great, the story is good at guiding through the user loops
Easy to understand, simple yet effective functions and core loop
Love having both the app and third party integration
-User scenario is great, the story is good at guiding through the user loops
-Easy to understand, simple yet effective functions and core loop
-Love having both the app and third party integration
Things that need improvement
Things that need improvement
Mobile Interface can include more of an app experience
iMessage plug-in time notation can be a bit busy with how it is stacked
Desktop app might need a few more signifiers for how to get from a to b
-Mobile Interface can include more of an app experience
-iMessage plug-in time notation can be a bit busy with how it is stacked
-Desktop app might need a few more signifiers for how to get from a to b
FINAL DESIGN-DESKTOP
FINAL DESIGN-DESKTOP
Time Tracker
Plug in
Time Tracker
Plug in
Easily view and share time zone information within iMessage for seamless coordination.
Easily view and share time zone information within iMessage for seamless coordination.
Schedule Matching
Schedule Matching
Availability with contacts to schedule meetings effortlessly
Availability with contacts to schedule meetings effortlessly
Availability with contacts to schedule meetings effortlessly
Sunlight-Based World Clock
Sunlight-Based
World Clock
Sunlight-Based
World Clock
Sunlight-Based World Clock
Visualize time zones through a dynamic sunlight representation, making it intuitive to see when others are active.
Visualize time zones through a dynamic sunlight representation, making it intuitive to see when others are active.
Visualize time zones through a dynamic sunlight representation, making it intuitive to see when others are active.
Meeting Reminder Widget
Meeting Reminder
Widget
Meeting Reminder Widget
A home screen widget that provides
real-time meeting alerts for effortless scheduling.
A home screen widget that provides
real-time meeting alerts for effortless scheduling.
real-time meeting alerts for effortless scheduling.
FINAL DESIGN - MOBILE
FINAL DESIGN - MOBILE
Cross-Platform Experience
Cross-Platform
Experience
Cross-Platform Experience
Sun Sync was designed for both desktop and mobile to support real-world scheduling workflows.
By offering a consistent experience across devices, users can coordinate across time zones seamlessly whether they are working at a desk or on the go.
Sun Sync was designed for both desktop and mobile to support real-world scheduling workflows.
By offering a consistent experience across devices, users can coordinate across time zones seamlessly whether they are working at a desk or on the go.
Sun Sync was designed for both desktop and mobile to support real-world scheduling workflows.
By offering a consistent experience across devices, users can coordinate across time zones seamlessly whether they are working at a desk or on the go.
DESIGN SYSTSEM
DESIGN SYSTSEM
Button & States
Button & States
Clear button states communicate availability and selection at a glance, reducing cognitive load during time coordination.
Clear button states communicate availability and selection at a glance, reducing cognitive load during time coordination.
Clear button states communicate availability and selection at a glance, reducing cognitive load during time coordination.
The change of color
over time
The change of color
over time
Color transitions act as a visual representation of time, mirroring natural daylight cycles. By mapping time to color, Sun Sync reduces cognitive load and helps users quickly identify overlapping, human friendly time windows across regions.
Color transitions act as a visual representation of time, mirroring natural daylight cycles. By mapping time to color, Sun Sync reduces cognitive load and helps users quickly identify overlapping, human friendly time windows across regions.
Color transitions act as a visual representation of time, mirroring natural daylight cycles. By mapping time to color, Sun Sync reduces cognitive load and helps users quickly identify overlapping, human friendly time windows across regions.
Time Track Plug in
I-message
Time Track Plug in
I-message
Time Track Plug
in I-message
Embedded directly in iMessage, the plugin surfaces time context in conversation, reducing friction during real time coordination.
Embedded directly in iMessage, the plugin surfaces time context in conversation, reducing friction during real time coordination.
Embedded directly in iMessage, the plugin surfaces time context in conversation, reducing friction during real time coordination.
Calendar
Calendar
Sun Sync uses the same calendar patterns on mobile and desktop, reducing friction and helping users coordinate across time zones without cognitive switching.
Sun Sync uses the same calendar patterns on mobile and desktop, reducing friction and helping users coordinate across time zones without cognitive switching.
Sun Sync uses the same calendar patterns on mobile and desktop, reducing friction and helping users coordinate across time zones without cognitive switching.
REFELECTION
REFELECTION
What I learned
from this project
What I learned
from this project
01
The Importance of User Testing
The Importance of User Testing
how toUser testing was key in refining our design for SunSync, revealing usability issues that differed from our initial assumptions. Iterative testing helped identify pain points, validate design choices, and drive informed improvements, highlighting the importance of early and frequent user feedback.prioritize
how toUser testing was key in refining our design for SunSync, revealing usability issues that differed from our initial assumptions. Iterative testing helped identify pain points, validate design choices, and drive informed improvements, highlighting the importance of early and frequent user feedback.prioritize
how toUser testing was key in refining our design for SunSync, revealing usability issues that differed from our initial assumptions. Iterative testing helped identify pain points, validate design choices, and drive informed improvements, highlighting the importance of early and frequent user feedback.prioritize
02
Ensuring Seamless Compatibility Between Desktop and Mobile
Ensuring Seamless Compatibility Between Desktop and Mobile
Ensuring consistency across desktop and mobile in SunSync required responsive design and thorough testing. This process reinforced the importance of adaptability in UX design.
Ensuring consistency across desktop and mobile in SunSync required responsive design and thorough testing. This process reinforced the importance of adaptability in UX design.
Ensuring consistency across desktop and mobile in SunSync required responsive design and thorough testing. This process reinforced the importance of adaptability in UX design.