Smart Home
Interaction Design
UX research
Redesigning Centralized AC Control for Shared Living
Improving multi-room comfort through room-level airflow control and transparent system feedback inside the iApartments smart-home ecosystem.
Role
UX Researcher and Interaction Designer
Timeline
2026, 8 weeks
Team
2 designers
Tools
OVERVIEW
One thermostat. Four rooms. Zero agreement.
The existing iApartments system allowed only centralized temperature control — one setting for the entire apartment. In shared living environments where residents have different comfort preferences, this created constant friction.
This redesign introduces room-level airflow control and clearer system feedback, helping users understand and trust how adjustments affect their living space
The design opportunity
Give people control over their own space without making it complicated for the whole apartment.
The CHALLENGE
Four friction points. One broken experience.
Residents struggled with uneven cooling across rooms and had no visibility into system state. The centralized thermostat failed to accommodate individual comfort needs, leading to frustration and repeated support calls.
No Room-Level Control
Invisible System State
Delayed Feedback Loop
Single-thermostat systems fail to accommodate different temperature preferences across rooms with varying sun exposure, occupancy, and personal comfort needs.
Users couldn't tell if the AC was actively cooling, in standby, or encountering issues — leading to repeated app checks and unnecessary support calls.
After adjusting temperature settings, users had no confirmation that changes were registered — creating uncertainty and fundamental distrust in the system.
Many residents wanted to reduce cooling in unoccupied rooms to save energy but lacked the visibility and controls needed to implement selective room management.
Research Process
Four What the data told us.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
78%
checked app repeatedly
4.2x
avg app opens per change
81%
desired room control
Through interviews and usage analytics, we identified the scale of these pain points across the user base.
The key insight
Users weren't frustrated by the technology - they were frustrated by the silence. The system never told them if it was working.
User Perspective
Meet Rohan.
Our primary persona represents the shared-apartment resident who wants smart control without having to negotiate with
roommates or re-open the app three times to check if anything worked.
R
S
Lives in a shared apartment and expects quick, clear responses from smart home technology without needing to double-check whether the system actually did what he asked.
Rohan
28 · The Tech-Savvy Roommate
PAIN POINTS
•
Bedroom too warm at night
•
Temperature conflicts with roommates
•
Wasted energy in empty rooms
•
Control bedroom temperature independently
•
See real-time system status
•
Reduce energy bills efficiently
GOALS
Design Process
From user flow to information architecture.
We mapped the journey from temperature discomfort to adjustment confirmation, highlighting critical decision points and
feedback loops. The flow prioritises speed and transparency at every step.
Organising the app structure to prioritise room-level controls while maintaining system-wide visibility. The hierarchy ensures quick access to the most common actions.
Design Direction
Two principles. Every decision ran through them.
Enable room-level customisation without increasing complexity.
More control should never mean more confusion. Every new feature had to feel simpler than what came before.
Provide clear system feedback to build user confidence.
Users shouldn't have to wonder if the system heard them. Every action gets an immediate, unambiguous response.
FINAL EXPERIENCE
Three features. One coherent system.
1.
Room-Level Vent Control
Users can now control airflow to individual rooms through intuitive sliders. Each room displays current temperature, target settings, and vent position - giving residents precise control over their personal comfort zones without affecting others.
Impact: Reduces manual adjustments · Minimises roommate conflict · Improves comfort control
2.
Clear System Feedback
Real-time status indicators show exactly what the system is doing — whether it's actively cooling, in standby, or scheduling the next temperature change. Visual feedback confirms every adjustment instantly, eliminating the need to reopen the app.
Impact: Eliminates repeated checking · Builds trust in the system · Improves clarity of actions
3.
Mode Control Redesign
The mode selector was redesigned from a plain text list to color-coded, rounded buttons for each mode - Cool, Heat, Heat/Cool, and Off. The visual layout reduces cognitive load and makes mode selection faster and more intuitive.
Impact: Color coding improves quick recognition · More intuitive selection · Reduces confusion
USER TESTING
Before and after.
We conducted usability testing with 12 participants across three residential buildings. Testing sessions focused on core tasks: adjusting room temperature, understanding system status, and controlling vent settings.
Before
After
→
RESULTS
The numbers.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
• Users lose autonomy — they don’t trust AI systems they can’t override, no matter how accurate.
89%
positive feedback from participants
34%
fewer app re-checks after changes
12s
faster task completion on average
“Finally, I can control my bedroom without affecting the living room. This is exactly what we needed.”
— Participant 3
“The real-time feedback makes me trust the system. I know immediately when my changes take effect.”
— Participant 7
“So much simpler than before. I adjusted the temperature on my first try without any confusion.”
— Participant 11
REFLECTION
Trust through transparency, not just functionality.
This project reinforced that users need to trust a system before they can rely on it. By prioritising clear feedback and room-level control, we transformed frustration into empowerment.
The redesign proved that even complex systems serving shared environments can feel personal and intuitive. The hardest design decision wasn't adding features — it was making existing features feel like they were actually working.
Smart home technology should feel
like it's on your side.