Patterns/Modes-based Design for Future Headphone Usage

Principal Designer · Bose · 2018
What I did — Design Thinking Sprint Lead, WoZ prototypes, Concept Animatics, Mobile App Design, Product Storytelling and Executive Presentation
Outcomes — Concept Animatics, Mobile App Prototype with Hardware Integration, User Resonance Testing

Using headphones takes more effort than anyone admits. You adjust things all day — between the train and the office, the office and the run — reaching for a phone to get the music, the noise cancelling, and the notifications right for wherever you just arrived. Each adjustment is small. They add up.

In 2018 Bose was about to add sound management, voice, and audio AR on top of that. More capability meant more rules for a person to hold, and a real risk of overwhelming the customer we were trying to serve.

Patterns was the proposal: named combinations of content, sound management, and voice — a Study pattern, a Commute pattern, a Nature pattern — set up once and recalled in a moment.

Below is the readout as presented to leadership in December 2018, unedited.

Cover page of Bose patterns catalog, December 2018, with a black and gray ornate pattern background and a Bose logo in the lower left corner.
Background photo of an architectural interior roof structure with text overlay that reads 'The H2O Way.' Four icons at the bottom represent design thinking, animatics, customer research, and prototypes, each labeled accordingly.
A pattern of geometric, angular, three-dimensional shapes resembling tiles or a tessellation, with the text "THE RISK OF INNOVATION" overlaid in the center.
A two-page article titled "The Risk of Innovation" with text discussing the challenges and risks associated with new sound management, voice interaction, and augmented reality technologies.
Black over-ear headphones with white icons and text highlighting features: music, sound management, voice, and AR, along with a message about accessibility and capability.
Blue and gray striped architectural structure with the text 'CURRENT APPROACH TO THIS CHALLENGE' in the center.
Display of three different smartwatches with colorful screens showing various features, arranged side by side, with descriptive text about smartwatch setup and personalization.
A section of a webpage with a black and gray icon on the right and text on the left, describing exploration of patterns in content creation for sound and voice management.
A person holding a sparkler with sparks flying, opposing another person in the background, with the overlay text 'Patterns help you focus on the moment.'
A young woman with dark hair, glasses, and a denim shirt sitting at a wooden table, studying with an open book in front of her, near a large window with a view of outdoors, with text overlay saying "Patterns help you focus on studying."
A man with tattoos riding a yellow bicycle on an empty road during sunset, with city skyline in the background and the text "Patterns help you focus on getting there."
A woman with long, wavy brown hair styled in a bun, wearing a gray hoodie, taking a photo with her smartphone on a city street with tall buildings in the background. Text overlay reads: "Patterns help you focus on exploring."
Close-up of a woman with closed eyes and dark hair, partially covered by a lace curtain, with text overlay that reads 'Patterns help you focus on your peace of mind.'
Hand holding a camera lens with a scenic view of mountains and water through the lens, over a blurred natural landscape background.
A geometric pattern of interconnected triangles and diamonds, forming a lattice structure, seen from below against a sky background.
A digital screen displaying a list of audio topics divided into three categories: Content, Sound Management, and Voice Assistant. The background has a textured, wave-like pattern with shades of red, blue, and purple.
A young woman with curly hair studying at a table surrounded by books, with a focus on her reading and note-taking.
A man with dark, wavy hair standing in front of a moving train in a station. Text overlay reads: "Commute Pattern", "Daily Mix 3 playlist from Spotify", "Adaptive Noise Cancelling", "Google Assistant".
A photo of a colorful, winding rock formation with smooth, flowing curves and layered patterns, typical of a canyon landscape.
Colorful overlapping shingles with text 'Early Design Exploration' in the center.
Poster titled 'Success Criteria' with three columns labeled Discoverable, Flexible, and Accessible. Each column contains bullet points explaining different success criteria for a project.
A digital presentation slide showing the word 'Discoverable' with a paragraph of text, next to a smartphone screen displaying a music app with various playlists and patterns market.
Three smartphone screens displaying different pages of a mobile app with a dark background. The first screen shows a music or podcast app with various categories and a playing bar at the bottom. The second screen displays a page with a list of patterns or products including Headspace and workout options. The third screen shows a page with various content cards, including audio, fitness, and exploration sections.
Three smartphone screens displaying different playlists on Spotify, labeled 'Commute,' 'Work,' and 'Run,' each featuring the Bose logo, a play button, and a list of song titles.
Three smartphone screens displaying the interfaces of TripAdvisor, Strava, and Whole Foods Market apps on a dark background.
Digital presentation showing a mobile app interface on a smartphone screen with pattern editing options, including content, world volume set to medium, trigger, and a save mode button, against a black background.
Screenshots of a mobile app interface demonstrating customization features including editing patterns, selecting content like music playlists and images, setting world volume levels, and choosing locations on a map.
Three smartphone screens displaying app interfaces for customization, saving, and managing playlists or patterns, with text references to app features and example content.
Black and white digital illustration of a person wearing headphones, with a focus on the head and upper body, using a headphone with a microphone attached.
A monochrome digital illustration of a woman with closed eyes on the left side and a woman with an open mouth on the right side. Both are depicted in a semi-abstract style with smooth shading and blurred features. The image includes a caption at the bottom that reads, "We're also looking at how voice could be used to launch modes..."
Black and white digital drawing of a person's profile discussing contextual triggers like GPS, microphone pickup, and time of day, with sketches of a human head, speech bubble, and a speech-recognition device.
Three hands holding a gray object, possibly a wearable device or switch, against a plain background.
Black patterned surface with a white square in the center displaying the Bose logo.