Intro
Intro
Intro
Sun Sync, Intuitive Time Zone Coordination,
simplifies scheduling by using our natural understanding of sunlight,
making time coordination effortless.
Sun Sync, Intuitive Time Zone Coordination,
simplifies scheduling by using our natural understanding of sunlight, making time coordination effortless.
Sun Sync, Intuitive Time Zone Coordination,
simplifies scheduling by using our natural
understanding of sunlight,
making time coordination effortless.
UX, UI, Design System, User Testing
About
About
Duration
Duration
Duration
14 weeks
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
14 weeks
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
14 weeks
Sep 2023 - Dec 2023
Team
Team
Team
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
Esoo Park
Isaac Tseng
Tool
Tool
Tool
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite,
Protopie
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite,
Protopie
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite,
Protopie
Problem
Problem
Time Zone Confusion in a Global World
Time Zone Confusion in a Global World
Time Zone Confusion in a Global World
Coordinating across time zones is challenging, leading to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and
frustration. Traditional clocks require mental effort to convert time differences.
Coordinating across time zones is challenging, leading to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and frustration. Traditional clocks require mental effort to convert time differences.
Coordinating across time zones is challenging, leading to scheduling errors, miscommunication, and frustration. Traditional clocks require mental effort to convert time differences.
Solution
Sun Sync simplifies global scheduling through three key features:
Sun Sync simplifies global scheduling through three key features:
Sun Sync simplifies global scheduling through three key features:
By integrating directly into the Apple ecosystem, Sun Sync minimizes scheduling friction and enhances global communication.
By integrating directly into the Apple ecosystem, Sun Sync minimizes scheduling friction and enhances global communication.
By integrating directly into the Apple ecosystem, Sun Sync minimizes scheduling friction and enhances global communication.
Delivery
Delivery
Key features 1
Key features 1
Key features 1
Time Tracker Plug in
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.
Easily view and share time zone information within iMessage for seamless coordination.
Key features 2
Key features 2
Key features 2
Schedule Matching
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.
Key features 3
Key features 3
Key features 3
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.
Key features 4
Key features 4
Key features 4
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.
A home screen widget that provides real-time meeting alerts for effortless scheduling.
Problem
Problem
Problem
Mobile Version
Mobile Version
Mobile Version
Research
Research
Cognitive Load in Time Zone Conversion
Cognitive Load in
Time Zone Conversion
Research on human cognition suggests that manually converting time zones imposes an unnecessary cognitive load, increasing the likelihood of scheduling errors.
Research on human cognition suggests that manually converting time zones imposes an unnecessary cognitive load, increasing the likelihood of scheduling errors.
Research on human cognition suggests that manually converting time zones imposes an unnecessary cognitive load, increasing the likelihood of scheduling errors.
Global Business & Time Zone Coordination
Global Business & Time Zone Coordination
Companies operating across multiple time zones face productivity losses due to poor scheduling. Studies from Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review discuss how businesses struggle with time zone logistics in global meetings.
Companies operating across multiple time zones face productivity losses due to poor scheduling. Studies from Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review discuss how businesses struggle with time zone logistics in global meetings.
Companies operating across multiple time zones face productivity losses due to poor scheduling. Studies from Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review discuss how businesses struggle with time zone logistics in global meetings.
User Frustrations with Time Zone Apps
User Frustrations with Time Zone Apps
Many users find traditional world clock apps unintuitive, as they display raw time differences without providing contextual cues (e.g., daylight, work hours).
Many users find traditional world clock apps unintuitive, as they display raw time differences without providing contextual cues (e.g., daylight, work hours).
Many users find traditional world clock apps unintuitive, as they display raw time differences without providing contextual cues (e.g., daylight, work hours).
Research
Research
Research
World Time Buddy
Pros
Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
Supports multiple time zones for easy comparison.
Web-based and mobile versions available.
Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
Supports multiple time zones for easy comparison.
Web-based and mobile versions available.
-Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
-Supports multiple time zones for easy comparison.
-Web-based and mobile versions available.
cons
Free version has limited features and ad clutter.
Lacks deep integration with messaging or scheduling apps.
Free version has limited features and ad clutter.
Lacks deep integration with messaging or scheduling apps.
-Free version has limited features and ad clutter.
-Lacks deep integration with messaging or scheduling apps.
Pros
Tracks local times for cities worldwide.
Offers both analog and digital clock designs.
Easy-to-use widgets accessible from the home screen.
Tracks local times for cities worldwide.
Offers both analog and digital clock designs.
Easy-to-use widgets accessible from the home screen.
-Tracks local times for cities worldwide.
-Offers both analog and digital clock designs.
-Easy-to-use widgets accessible from the home screen.
cons
Doesn’t support automatic schedule matching or meeting reminders.
No integration within messaging apps.
Doesn’t support automatic schedule matching or meeting reminders.
No integration within messaging apps.
-Doesn’t support automatic schedule matching or meeting reminders.
-No integration within messaging apps.
Savvy Time
Pros
Simple and efficient time zone conversion.
Supports over 100,000 locations worldwide.
Offers an event scheduler for easier planning.
Simple and efficient time zone conversion.
Supports over 100,000 locations worldwide.
Offers an event scheduler for easier planning.
-Simple and efficient time zone conversion.
-Supports over 100,000 locations worldwide.
-Offers an event scheduler for easier planning.
cons
User interface feels outdated.
Lacks collaboration features for teams.
No mobile app, only web-based.
User interface feels outdated.
Lacks collaboration features for teams.
No mobile app, only web-based.
-User interface feels outdated.
-Lacks collaboration features for teams.
-No mobile app, only web-based.
Pros
Provides meeting planner tools for scheduling.
Allows users to compare multiple time zones at once.
Provides meeting planner tools for scheduling.
Allows users to compare multiple time zones at once.
-Provides meeting planner tools for scheduling.
-Allows users to compare multiple time zones at once.
cons
Not optimized for mobile experiences.
UI is functional but not modern or visually appealing.
No real-time collaboration features.
Not optimized for mobile experiences.
UI is functional but not modern or visually appealing.
No real-time collaboration features.
-Not optimized for mobile experiences.
-UI is functional but not modern or visually appealing.
-No real-time collaboration features.
User Interview
User Interview
Key Finding: Sunlight as a Natural Time Reference
Key Finding: Sunlight as a Natural Time Reference
Key Finding: Sunlight as a Natural Time Reference
In interviews, we found that when people can’t check a digital clock, they estimate the time based on
the sun’s brightness. This shows how deeply connected our sense of time is to natural light, making a
sunlight-based timekeeping approach more intuitive.
In interviews, we found that when people can’t check a digital clock, they estimate the time based on
the sun’s brightness. This shows how deeply connected our sense of time is to natural light, making a
sunlight-based timekeeping approach more intuitive.
In interviews, we found that when people can’t check a digital clock, they estimate the time based on
the sun’s brightness. This shows how deeply connected our sense of time is to natural light, making a
sunlight-based timekeeping approach more intuitive.
Personas
Personas
Sarah
"Managing clients in different time zones
shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle."
[1] Sofia Martinez
24 years old
Bali, Indonesia
Digital Nomad Freelancer (Illustrator)
[2] Challenges
Works with clients across different time zones and finds scheduling confusing.
Needs to juggle meetings while maintaining work-life balance.
Struggles with tools that are not mobile-friendly.
[3] Goal
A mobile-friendly tool that quickly shows time zone differences.
A simple, intuitive way to schedule meetings across different regions.
A widget to track current time zones of different clients.
Sarah
"Managing clients in different time zones
shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle."
[1] Sofia Martinez
24 years old
Bali, Indonesia
Digital Nomad Freelancer (Illustrator)
[2] Challenges
Works with clients across different time zones and finds scheduling confusing.
Needs to juggle meetings while maintaining work-life balance.
Struggles with tools that are not mobile-friendly.
[3] Goal
A mobile-friendly tool that quickly shows time zone differences.
A simple, intuitive way to schedule meetings across different regions.
A widget to track current time zones of different clients.
Sarah
"I need a hassle-free way to schedule meetings
across time zones without confusion."
[1] Alex Thompson
35 years old
San Francisco, USA
Project Manager at a Global Tech Company
[2] Challenges
Constantly struggles with scheduling meetings across different time zones.
Uses multiple apps to track team members’ availability.
Often deals with scheduling conflicts and confusion
due to daylight saving time changes.
[3] Goal
A seamless way to check colleagues’ availability.
Integration with existing tools like iMessage and calendar apps.
A visual indicator of when team members are available.
Sarah
"I need a hassle-free way to schedule meetings
across time zones without confusion."
[1] Alex Thompson
35 years old
San Francisco, USA
Project Manager at a Global Tech Company
[2] Challenges
Constantly struggles with scheduling meetings across different time zones.
Uses multiple apps to track team members’ availability.
Often deals with scheduling conflicts and confusion
due to daylight saving time changes.
[3] Goal
A seamless way to check colleagues’ availability.
Integration with existing tools like iMessage and calendar apps.
A visual indicator of when team members are available.
Sarah
"I need a hassle-free way to schedule meetings
across time zones without confusion."
[1] Alex Thompson
35 years old
San Francisco, USA
Project Manager at a Global Tech Company
[2] Challenges
Constantly struggles with scheduling meetings across different time zones.
Uses multiple apps to track team members’ availability.
Often deals with scheduling conflicts and confusion
due to daylight saving time changes.
[3] Goal
A seamless way to check colleagues’ availability.
Integration with existing tools like iMessage and calendar apps.
A visual indicator of when team members are available.
Personas
Personas
Mobile & Desktop Wireframes and User Testing Insights
Mobile & Desktop Wireframes and User Testing Insights
Mobile & Desktop Wireframes and User Testing Insights
We created initial low-fidelity wireframes for Sun Sync on mobile and desktop, then conducted user testing with target personas to refine usability, functionality, and overall experience.
We created initial low-fidelity wireframes for Sun Sync on mobile and desktop, then conducted user testing with target personas to refine usability, functionality, and overall experience.
We created initial low-fidelity wireframes for Sun Sync on mobile and desktop, then conducted user testing with target personas to refine usability, functionality, and overall experience.
Things that were great
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
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
Personas
Personas
Reflection
Reflection
The Importance of User Testing
The Importance of User Testing
The Importance of User Testing
User 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.
User 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.
User 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.
Ensuring Seamless Compatibility Between Desktop and Mobile
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.