2022-2024
UX Research
Case Study
Logitech
Research
Concept development
Competitive analysis
High-Fidelity Prototyping
UI Design
Logitech PWS
Picture this: Logitech, the tech giant, well-known for its high-quality products and innovative designs, and you, the curious reader who's about to embark on a journey into the fascinating world of GenAI (Generative and Conversational Artificial Intelligence). You may recognize Logitech from their iconic MX Master series or the Logitech G lineup, catering to tech wizards and gamers. But hold on, because there's more to this story than meets the eye.
The burning question is, in a world where everyone seems to have their own laptops with built-in keyboards and trackpads, can a company that specializes in keyboard and mouse products survive and thrive?
Some have even labeled this industry as a "dying" one, but here we are, still standing, and not just that, growing bigger and better. Perhaps we owe some of our success to the unexpected curveball known as Covid-19, which forced the world to adapt to remote work. Yet, Logitech's survival and prosperity aren't merely tied to keyboards and mice; it's about crafting an ecosystem that empowers users to connect and create seamlessly, wherever they are.
Visualising possible functions for integrating Gen AI with Logitech ecosystem
The landscape of content creation is rapidly changing, with 24% of individuals facing writer's block, impeding their productivity. And we, as a leader in innovation, had already delved into GenAI well before the rise of GPT-4 in 2022.
At that time, we are looking into multiple tools on improving content creation, such as Jasper AI and Quillbot are our initial targets for testing out different possibilities.
I work closely with the Personal Workspace Solutions (PWS) team at Logitech. We conducted meticulous case studies, delved into user feedback via Jasper AI (before ChatGPT 4 is released), a powerful tool used for generating content designed to assist content creators, marketers, and businesses in crafting everything from blog posts and product descriptions to marketing copy and long-form content, and unearthed what truly attracts people to this technology: time-saving, productivity enhancement, and the creation of high-quality, standout content.
Our journey led us to organize user interviews and workshops, where minds from various departments—engineers, legal experts, product managers, designers—united to test how Jasper AI could transform their work processes.
In our workshops, we challenged our colleagues to generate content with and without GenAI to compare the results. The findings were nothing short of astounding.
However, the Jasper AI interface was not without its quirks, making its learning curve a bit too steep, and users are struggling to insert the correct prompt that can help the generate better outcome faster.
But we didn't stop at here; we also delved into the potential of Generative and Conversational AI in our future ecosystem. We realized it was the key to revolutionizing how we work, shifting us from creators to prompters and editors, eliminating repetitive tasks and making room for creativity. The era of content generation was upon us, and we eagerly explored tools like ChatGPT, Google AI, Adobe Fireflies, and Microsoft Copilot.
In parallel, I had the unique task of exploring the landscape of Chinese AI tools, such as Baidu Ernie Bot, iFlytek Spark Desk, and KingSoft Office's WPS AI. While these tools may have lagged behind their Western counterparts (at the time when we investigate in 2023), the speed of progress in the Chinese tech scene was astonishing, and they all trying to integrate AI into the functions and tools we are using everyday to speed up how we can create text and presentations. Given Logitech's significant customer base in China, we had to keep pace with these advancements to stay competitive.
Our research was just the beginning; we needed to understand how Logitech, as an OS, device, and app-agnostic player, could leverage GenAI in the evolving landscape. We categorized our users into five segments within the personal workspace portfolio, each with unique needs. From tech-savvy users to those who simply want things to work, we considered it all. The possibilities for GenAI seemed limitless.
We mapped out trends and data collection opportunities that could enhance AI accuracy. But our grand finale was envisioning user scenarios where GenAI seamlessly integrated with Logitech products.
While I can't share the specifics due to confidentiality, here is the main direction we are designing:
We're integrating GenAI into Logitech products to boost effective communication and emotional intelligence, crucial in today's online communication landscape.
GenAI assesses user contribution percentages within Logitech's ecosystem, detecting potential plagiarism or unauthorized content use. Time stamping offers verifiable proof of content creation.
Provides digital signature, watermarking, and biometric recognition on parts created by either user or AI to ensure authenticity and security.
The first stage of our outcome leads to the release of Logi AI Prompt Builder in June 2024, an innovative solution designed to revolutionize your interactions with ChatGPT. This cutting-edge tool allows you to rephrase, summarize, and create custom prompts with unprecedented speed and efficiency, seamlessly integrated into your workflow.
Accessible through the Logi Options+ app, the Logi AI Prompt Builder is freely available to users of Logitech keyboards or mice. By simply installing the Logi Options+ app, users can designate a keyboard shortcut for quick access to the Prompt Builder, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted experience.
Once activated, the Logi AI Prompt Builder provides users with suggestions for commonly-used ChatGPT prompts such as 'Rephrase' and 'Summarise'. Furthermore, users have the flexibility to customize their queries based on tone, style, complexity, and length, tailoring the interaction to their specific needs
This tool not only saves time and clicks but reducing disruption to your workflow, the Logi AI, especially beneficial for those who regularly utilize AI tools. With faster operation, you can focus on your tasks with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Our prediction is this: in the future, text and voice will remain the primary modes of human-computer communication, with body gestures providing an assist for productivity. Logitech's role in the GenAI era won't be about owning cutting-edge technology but facilitating its power to streamline workflows and make digital interfaces more natural.
For long term development, Logitech’s products are aimed to be more personalized, allowing users to communicate effortlessly with GenAI through voice commands, gestures, shortcuts, and more. The goal is simple yet profound:
GenAI came onto the scene just last year, and it felt like a blast from the past, reminding me of my school days when I was busy dreaming up futuristic cities for my capstone project. Back then, I envisioned metaverse wonders and autonomous working vehicles shaping the future workforce. But now, a year later, as I dive into Logitech's treasure trove of experiences and research, my perspective has shifted. The future seems less about flashy sci-fi and more about making subtle, natural updates to what we already have. It's like upgrading the familiar rather than reinventing the wheel.
While there are tricky parts like ethics and AI stealing jobs, I think of it like when smartphones burst onto the scene—super cool and totally changing how we do things! Undoubtedly some jobs might get swapped out, but we'll find new ones too. And just because AI gets smarter doesn't mean we'll all be out of work (dream on!). It just means we'll work in more ways. I'm excited to be part of this journey as a designer, focused on putting users first in this tech revolution.