Sentry is the world's first non-intrusive device that protects rental properties by reliably detecting recreational smoke and unwanted noise.
In this project, I led the design of Sentry Mobile App across iOS, Android, Tables, Desktop and Web since the outset of the project in May 2022. Up until now, I led efforts to evolve the service and address customer pain‐points related to the user experience.
Disclaimer: To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted and obfuscated confidential information in this case study. All information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of Wynd Technologies, Inc.
May 2022- Now
2 Product Managers
5 Software Engineers
I collaborated closely with 2 product managers to uncover valuable insights and translate conceptual ideas into features that meet customer needs and address their pain points.
I developed frameworks and prototypes to communicate the vision, design principles, and content strategy, which are important to promote ideas, achieve consensus, and facilitate the decision-making process.
I drive the product direction with my project manager partners. I advocated for customer-centricity and balanced it with the needs of the business. I prioritized and negotiated features for launch and future iterations.
I collaborated with 5 software engineers to ensure the successful implementation.
I executed journeys, usability testing, wireframes, prototypes and design specs.
I presented works to gain buy‐in from executives, stakeholders, and investors throughout the project lifecycle.
Smoking poses significant challenges and drawbacks to short-term rental properties owners. Finding effective strategies and implementing stringent measures to prevent and address smoking incidents will help create smoke-free environments that enhance guest satisfaction, uphold property standards, and ultimately improve the overall guest experience.
Wynd is planning to launch Sentry, the first non-intrusive device that monitors the indoor P.M. level and dB level to prevent, mitigate, and deter smoking and noise incidents for short-term rental properties owners.
When a smoking or noise incident happens, property owners are unable to know and respond to it in the first place.
Despite having strict policies, customers frequently receives complaints from guests or neighbors about the smell of smoking or loud noise in the unit.
Guests usually deny those incidents in most of cases.
The average smoking damage claim costs property owners $1,600 per incident, including Ozone machine, cleaning fee, and room vacancy fee.
Property management platforms like Airbnb or VRBO couldn’t verify the proof provided by property owners, so they tend to stand with guests for the long term profits.
After an incident happens and causes loss, property owners couldn’t submit sufficient data to the insurance providers to recover the loss so insurance providers usually are unable to process the claim.
Hardware device: actively detect smoking & noise levels in the environment.
Mobile App: allow users to manage devices and view information in their rental properties.
I created the user journey map and user flow to provide a comprehensive overview of all use cases and scenarios within the app. By mapping out the different paths and interactions that users may encounter, we gain a holistic understanding of the app's functionality, how users navigate through it, what’s the potential edge cases, and pinpoint any potential opportunity areas.
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I conducted concept testing with 4 target users to validate the design idea, workflow, desired features of the app.
I constructed this information architecture to outline all app pages, features, decision points, and specific functionalities. This ensures a structured and intuitive framework for a seamless user experience.
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I constructed prototypes with different levels fidelities to visualize and gradually narrow done the feature, details, and design language.
I conducted usability testing with 5 target users to validate the design decisions, evaluate usability of the design, and explore potential future updates to the design.
Insights
Due to constraints in time and resource, I had a meeting with engineers to communicate and prioritize each findings I found in the usability testing in terms of development schedule.
In the meeting, we listed out all the potential features we can have and sort them by MVP, Will do, and Won’t do based on product requirements, priority, available resources, and constraints.
You know...what I'm showing here is just the iceberg of the iterations...
Sentry app allows users to easily pair up the devices and setup the notification preference step by step.
Sentry app features real-time device data to provide continuous monitoring of indoor air quality and noise levels, helping users maintain a healthy indoor environment for their guests.
Sentry alerts users in real-time whenever someone is smoking including cigarette, marijuana, and cigar smoke or when noise is above the threshold and lasts more than the duration set by users
Users can view incident details and information, including the incident types, incident probability, start time and duration of the incident, and incident line graph. The activity logs provide users a more detailed timeline about the incident. Users can choose to use the crafted messages to contact guests if they want to do so. Also, users can change the room info of the device and change the sensitivity of the incident detection on the device settings page.
Users will receive alerts when the device is unplugged or disconnected from the internet, allowing them to take appropriate action.
Incident reports are designed to help users recover the loss caused by smoking or noise incidents from either property management systems or insurance providers. Whenever Sentry detects an incident such as recreational smoke or excessive noise, it records the time and duration of the event and generates an incident report.
I built the design system from scratch. The design system is not only for Wynd Sentry mobile app, but also scalable to other mobile apps Wynd plans to do in the future.
(Note: Due to NDA, I'm only allowed to show partial design system here.)
To ensure a successful launch of the app, I need to best guide the handoff process from transitioning my design to the implemented version. I also need to facilitate the engineers to check the implemented version once they finish their tickets
I construct design systems for the team (e.g. typography, theme colors, button sizes, etc.) and specify all UI guidelines (margin, spacing, etc). I demonstrate the entire flow and consider all the use cases in static and interactive format. I also attach additional resources needed for development (e.g. images, logos, etc.).
I hold a meeting to officially handoff my work to the engineers for the implementation. I use an interactive prototype to show them the entire flow. Also I present a document detailing where they could find each material.
After engineers finish each ticket they are assigned to, they would notify me to conduct QA testing to ensure every detail is right.
After launching Sentry device & Mobile apps, we increased more than $600k ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue).
For the first quarter after we launch and ship Sentry units, we sold 800 units on the E-commerce side.
After launched, Sentry received 3 international awards: DNA Paris Design Awards Winner, CES Innovation Awards Honoree, and London Design Awards Gold.
Quotes from our customers and clients:
AT LONG LAST! I finally found something that ca ndetect cigarette smoke accurately for my rental property. I like that my property manager and I can both monitor my property with the app. The app is pretty easy to use too! Thank you!"
Got my first cigarette alert yesterday. The noise detection was a bit sensitive at first but at least it can be adjusted. I think I will start replacing my Minuts with Sentry as this can detect both smoke and noise."
This could definitely help hosts by providing real data for a damages!"
About to catch anyone breaking our non-smoking rule WITH EVIDENCE!"
There's no perfect design. Good design is always iterative and on its way. To keep elevating our users' experience with the app, our team sent quarterly survey and I conduct user sessions to gather users' feedback. In addition, we use Mixpanel to track and analyze backend data of the app to gain insights into user behavior, interactions, and preferences within our platform. By examining the data, we can identify areas that require improvement and opportunities to enhance the overall user journey.
Here are new features we added based on users' needs we discovered:
In an ideal situation, the possibilities of design are boundless. But in real life, the time, resources, and feasibility might be limited. Hence, as a designer, we need to consider all these factors when making impactful designs.
The integration feature offers users the convenience of mapping imported properties from their preferred platforms to the Sentry. This seamless integration allows for consolidated management, automate the process, and updates of reservation details for each property.
The Sentry web portal is specifically designed for enterprise customers with multiple devices installed like hospitality. Through the web portal, users can easily access and review all the essential information on their desktop.
Reflecting on this journey, I found that design is an ongoing process, and there will always be new insights to uncover and needs to discover. Our product is in a constant state of evolution as we strive to make it better, more user-centric, and aligned with the ever-changing needs of our users.
Launching the product is a significant milestone, but it's not the end of the road. It's merely the beginning of a new phase where we continuously learn, iterate, and improve. I hope to deliver the best possible experience to our users drives us to push boundaries and explore innovative solutions.
Embracing this mindset allows us to stay agile and adaptive, always open to feedback and new ideas. It fosters a culture of continuous improvement, where every step forward is an opportunity to grow and learn.
I am excited about the future of our product, knowing that there's always more to come. With each step we take, we move closer to creating a product that truly resonates with our users and makes a positive impact in their lives. Let's embrace the journey ahead with enthusiasm and determination. The possibilities are endless, and I can't wait to see what we'll achieve together!