Client
Role
Year
Small independent robotic unit attached to an App
Heron is a small independent robotic unit that lets people open almost any door with a tap on their phone - using NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or directly via the app. I worked on both V1 (2018, Sketch) and V2 (2022, Figma), designing a mobile experience for iOS and Android that feels as simple as the hardware: no electrician, no friction, just tap and go.
The core goal was to make a powerful piece of technology feel effortless and familiar, even for non-technical users.
The app had to mirror the simplicity of the hardware, which installs in seconds
The hardware was designed to be installed in seconds, without wiring or professional setup. The app had to mirror that simplicity:
Support multiple connection methods (NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth) without overwhelming users
Make pairing and first-time setup feel safe and straightforward
Keep the UI extremely light, with a minimal number of screens and visual assets
Communicate states clearly: locked, unlocked, connecting, error – at a glance
In short, the experience needed to hide the complexity of robotics and connectivity behind a calm, one-tap interaction.
How do you create a visual system for opening doors?
As the UX/UI designer across both the commercial and lifestyle phases, I was responsible for:
Defining the core user flows (pairing, unlocking, device setup, managing locations)
Creating a visual system that aligns with each product evolution
Designing micro-interactions that communicate confidence and clarity
Ensuring all connectivity methods (NFC/Bluetooth/Wi-Fi) feel seamless
Supporting branding, marketing materials, and a short promotional clip for V1
Coordinating with engineering to fit real hardware constraints and timing
User expectations changed dramatically between V1 and V2:
Commercial (V1):
Users want absolute clarity: Did the lock open? Is my access allowed?
No decorative UI — only functional simplicity
States must be readable at a glance in stressful environments
Lifestyle (V2):
Users expect a smooth, modern, “smart-home” feel
Emotional comfort and aesthetics matter
Setup must be extremely simple - 1 minute or less
Family-sharing and multiple doors are common scenarios
These insights drove the design split between a robust commercial tool and a friendly smart-home companion.
One main action!
Regardless of version, Heron revolves around a single core interaction: tap to open. Everything else supports this moment.
Clear, Confident States
Both versions used distinct state cues - colors, icons, animations — designed to feel reliable whether opening a corporate vault door or an apartment entrance.
Minimal, Hardware-Aware UI
The UI respects real-world device behavior: connection time, actuator motion, delays, and error tolerance. Each screen is friction-free and built around limited hardware capabilities.
Evolving Visual Language
V1: Dark, structured, utility-focused
V2: Light, friendly, home-oriented
Same system - entirely different emotional positioning.
A warm, intuitive smart-home experience
A unified interaction model across NFC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi
Frictionless onboarding and setup flows
A design system that scales across home and business use cases
The result is a product that feels almost invisible - turning robotics and connectivity into a natural everyday action.
