Produal

UX design in the core of strategic product development for room controllers

Produal renders the invisible both visible and measurable within the building automation and HVAC sector. The company possesses both the ambition and the capabilities to act as a global forerunner in its field. In collaboration, we designed a user interface for a completely new product family of touchscreen room controllers, with a focus on delivering an intuitive and functionally attractive user experience.

Työnkuvamme

Baseline

Produal provides devices that help optimize buildings and their operational costs while reducing their environmental impact. Their products do not only measure and control – they also enable smarter building management. Produal’s room controllers are used globally in both public and private spaces, such as conference, office, and residential environments.

The market is vast, as construction is continuous. Smart technologies are on the rise, and increasing energy efficiency requirements compel buildings to constantly optimize their systems. Produal is recognized for its high-quality products and customer-oriented service. However, their traditional product family equipped with push-buttons needed more features and a redesign into touchscreen format. A key element in designing the new product family was its universality – a solution that would work across different markets and be easily scalable for international use.

The new product family was seen not only as a concrete step forward, but also as a strategic opening for Produal’s business growth and renewal. Produal aimed to make a clear leap forward, and the goal of the new product family is to provide a better solution for current customers and to strengthen its position in international markets. Our objective was to develop a product that meets these demands also in the future. This was not just a single device project but a strategic business transformation initiative in which user interface and user experience design were considered critical success factors.

The collaboration with Identio proceeded seamlessly throughout the entire project. The user interface development advanced in an agile manner, and changes as well as new ideas could be virtually tested with customers and stakeholders even before the actual implementation into the products.

– Antti Salli, Product Manager, Produal

Solution

The development of the new product family was carried out through close collaboration between Identio and Produal. The cooperation between Produal’s in-house product development team and Identio’s UX designer remained tightly aligned throughout the entire project. As the displays and functionalities of the devices – the room controllers – were still evolving during our collaboration, the partnership required quick responsiveness and smooth communication. The product development had to consider both the technical requirements of the device and the possibilities and features introduced by the renewed user interface.

Collaboration Timeline and Development Phases

Thorough benchmarking and identification of end-user needs.
A key element in the project was gaining a deep understanding of the product, its users, and their needs and expectations. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of these factors and closely examined the different features and their usability.
Initial concept design.
Based on the initial assessment, we created four different approaches to the user interface design. Among these was the UX designer’s own creative interpretation – an option that drew elements from the other versions while introducing a new perspective. This concept ultimately served as the foundation for further development.
Iterative design process and demos.
The process advanced in stages through iterative development cycles, during which the user interface and user experience were refined. Each cycle included testing and a demo, which helped strengthen our shared vision of how the product would best serve its end users.

Throughout the project, progress was regularly presented to an international test group assembled by Produal. The product was developed iteratively in close interaction with this group, with special attention given to the international perspective. Through demos and discussions, we received valuable feedback that guided the next development stages.

At the core of the collaboration and design work were service design, UI and UX design, user testing, and ultimately a comprehensive design system that lays the foundation for the development of future products. The design library accounted for both light and dark themes, and its final version included customized components and icons. The design library is a central part of Produal’s future vision and supports product development moving forward, thus reinforcing the entire business.