uideation Projekt
Role: Concept & UX Design in Project Iteration
“Why does a hotel have hundreds of minibars—one in every room—when a single minibar could serve all rooms instead?” This question led to the creation of Jeeves, a service robot originally designed for hotel guests and hoteliers, but now also intended for use in trade fairs and hospitals. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeeves has become an essential autonomous assistant in the healthcare sector.
Robotise is a young Munich-based startup that designs, builds, and installs service robots for public and commercial facilities. Robots have been increasingly integrated into our daily lives in recent years, and we interact with them in various ways almost daily. A seamless user experience is crucial for the safe and successful integration of these new services—and that’s where we come in.
Callenges
With robots now autonomously handling a variety of services and directly communicating with customers, a flawless user experience is key to the success of the entire service. From navigating multiple floors to the final “Thank you and goodbye!” to a hotel guest—every interaction with Jeeves contributes to its perceived “character”. Every detail matters—even the speed of its movements.
In 2018, Robotise commissioned us to support them in conceptualizing and designing the visual interface for Jeeves, the autonomous hotel delivery robot. We were selected for the project because our pragmatic approach to Lean UX aligns well with innovative startups and ensures high efficiency.
Solution
After analyzing insights from Jeeves’ deployment in several hotels, we collaborated with Robotise to outline all possible service interactions using user journeys. After mapping potential problem scenarios, we prioritized them and worked together to develop tailored solutions.
The moment of delivery—when Jeeves directly interacts with a hotel guest—was the focus of the redesign. This is the most critical point of interaction, where communication must be seamless.
The design concepts were tested through qualitative user research. To save time and budget while keeping the tests as realistic as possible, we developed a prototype on an iPad, which we mounted directly onto Jeeves’ screen. Not all of our initial hypotheses were correct, but this approach allowed us to validate or reject assumptions. By better understanding hotel guests’ expectations, we were able to significantly improve the user interface. The resulting conceptual and design refinements were then structured into themes (Epics) and detailed tasks (Stories) to facilitate an agile implementation. As part of the development team’s sprint planning, design assets were delivered iteratively, ensuring that no unnecessary work was prepared.
Impact
The “V2” deployment in selected hotels is currently in progress, and we are eager to analyze the results once available. However, Robotise has found new and critical applications for Jeeves, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The service robot is now being used as a high-tech assistant for doctors and caregivers, helping to protect and support healthcare staff and patients.
We are also delighted that Robotise won the 2019 Red Dot Design Award for Jeeves. According to the jury, technology, design, and functionality are perfectly aligned.
Carola Breuer 