Nexa (Marlin)
Where Innovation Meets Water Management
Nexa (formally called Marlin) offers intelligent water management for any property in any industry.
Acting as a smart mechanical room, it empowers teams to identify, monitor, and address water management issues, enhancing building operations. Nexa's data-driven insights and proactive alerts optimize workflows, reduce energy usage and costs, and support ESG targets. Nexa minimizes downtime and damage, ensuring optimal building performance.
Acting as a smart mechanical room, it empowers teams to identify, monitor, and address water management issues, enhancing building operations. Nexa's data-driven insights and proactive alerts optimize workflows, reduce energy usage and costs, and support ESG targets. Nexa minimizes downtime and damage, ensuring optimal building performance.
Client
Confidential
Role
Lead Experience Designer
Deliverables
User Research, Product Strategy, UI Screen Design (MVP, Alpha, Beta), Prototype, Design System, Design Principles
*Please note that the name "Marlin" is used throughout this page. This was the project codename prior to launch. The product is now called "Nexa."
Project Summary
Currently, water management system in commercial buildings suffer from antiquated processes that impede efficiency, relying heavily on manual interventions. Engineers and technicians typically adopt a reactive stance, addressing issues only after they arise.
Introducing Nexa, an innovative solution aimed at empowering users with real-time insights into their mechanical rooms, eliminating the need for individual visits. Nexa not only aids in issue navigation but also anticipates downstream impacts, fostering a proactive approach over reactive responses.
Introducing Nexa, an innovative solution aimed at empowering users with real-time insights into their mechanical rooms, eliminating the need for individual visits. Nexa not only aids in issue navigation but also anticipates downstream impacts, fostering a proactive approach over reactive responses.
As the Lead Experience Designer on this project, I led a team consisting of 2 associate designers and 1 user researcher. My responsibilities included overseeing the entire design process from wireframing and prototyping to design QA, establishing design systems, and conducting tests to real users. Additionally, I played a crucial role in broader team decisions, contributing to GTM strategy and product strategy discussions.
Project Overview
Project Timeline
I participated in this project for around 8 months, spanning from MVP Blueprint phase to the Beta launch.
Team Structure for incubation
I contributed to this project as a Lead Experience Designer leading a design team of 3.
Problem
Water is #1 problem of commercial building damage
Water damage ranks among the most common and costly causes of property damage in the United States. Annual incurred losses related to weather and non-weather water damage amount to $500 million, as per industry ISO data from 2021.
#1
Water damage is the number one common cause and the most costly form of property damage
$500M
Annual incurred loss amounts in the United States related to both weather and non-weather water damage
To prevent water damage, engineers put lots of time and (manual) effort to monitor equipments
Technicians or engineers currently find themselves obligated to physically inspect the mechanical room to assess equipment and piping status related to water. When problems arise, engineers reactively generate work orders in response to customer complaints, prioritizing immediate issue resolution. However, this process is fraught with challenges, as outlined below:
1. Too much time and resources spent
Engineering staff physically visit mechanical rooms three times daily, collectively spending ~ 6 hours
2. Outdated and manual process
Staff manually check gauges and record their findings with a pen on paper. These records are prone to being lost or discarded, resulting in a lack of historical data trails.
3. Lack of insights from the observation
They lack a holistic view of activities in the mechanical rooms, making it difficult to assess issues or understand their downstream impact on the system.
Current User Journey
"I feel like it's (frequent monitoring in mechanical rooms) a complete waste of time for very little risk."
Anonymous Engineer
Solution & Product Roadmap
Our Solution: Marlin
Marlin has 3 value propositions:
Protect
Identify and mitigate water-related problems before they affect the front of the house, minimizing business disruptions, and optimizing water comfort across the property.
Prevent
Achieve faster and more accurate diagnostics on water-related issues, resulting in reduced operational costs.
Predict
Review historical trends to identify opportunities for optimizing water systems and maintaining control through a smart and connected platform.
To achieve these the team came up with a list of feature sets. Here are some main features for Marlin MVP:
- Automated Actions
- Proactive alerts
- Asset management
- Seamless integration with existing tools, systems, and workflows
- Real-time monitoring of water flow
- Data analytics hub and auto-generated reports
- Automated Actions
- Proactive alerts
- Asset management
- Seamless integration with existing tools, systems, and workflows
- Real-time monitoring of water flow
- Data analytics hub and auto-generated reports
Sprint Planning and Product Roadmap
We started building a business from scratch with a tight timeline. To achieve that goal, we needed a robust plan and product roadmap. Collaboration between the product and design teams resulted in the creation of sprint roadmaps, which were further broken down into smaller tasks. Additionally, I led the design team to establish a standardized workflow aimed at maximizing efficiency and ensuring consistency.
Product feature brief and initial roadmap documented on Coda
Product Roadmap - Design focused
Design sprint work flow
Persona & Information Architecture
End User Persona
Director of Engineering
General Manager
Facility Engineer
Information Architecture
Expected User Journey
Screen Design
Summary View - Dashboard
01
The tab navigation offers quick filter that defaults to the mechanical room, aligning with the user's mental model.
02
Users have the ability to pin sensors, focusing on the specific sensors/devices that are most important to them. This customizable information is displayed prominently on the dashboard.
03
A quick alert notification system provides users with immediate insights into the location of occurring problems.
04
All related equipment and devices are listed under the location card, replicating the structure of a mechanical room.
Assets - Locations
There are three different types of "assets" in Marlin - Locations, Equipment, and Devices.
These assets are key information structured in hierarchy helping users understand not only where these assets are located but also the system of the water flow.
These assets are key information structured in hierarchy helping users understand not only where these assets are located but also the system of the water flow.
01
To align with users’ mental model, Parent Location filter has been added. The location hierarchy serves as a key navigation method, enabling them to seamlessly navigate through the platform.
02
“Mechanical Rooms” is a distinct category of location, set apart from other items. This feature allows users to efficiently filter and access the mechanical room view, streamlining management tasks.
03
Quick view for any outstanding alerts associated with each location or any child locations
Assets - Devices
Our target users require detailed information at the sensor device level. Following extensive iterations, the team has developed a device drawer module that showcases sensor readings, including minimum and maximum values, along with associated automations for each sensor.
01
The side drawer interface for device details provides users with access to devices anytime, anywhere within the platform.
02
The real-time graph displays historical data trends, assisting users in comprehending patterns in sensor readings.
03
All information for each device, including parent locations, is explicitly described.
04
Users have quick access to Automations from Device Detail view.
During the Alpha to Beta stages, the team addressed three sensor types: Leak, Temperature, and Pressure. Below, you'll find drawers for each device type, along with alert view that can be navigated using tabs.
Different Device Details Views - Alert, Leak Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Automated Actions
Automated actions stand as one of the key value additions within the Marlin platform, enabling automated monitoring of a location's equipment and devices. This functionality empowers Marlin users to create essential workflows, alerts, and integrations directly within the platform.
01
The Trigger Condition pre-fill will be adjusted automatically depending on the sensor type.
02
There are four types of actions available in Actions: receiving in-app alerts, emails, texts, and creating work orders integrated into the existing system.
01
Each Automation card will summarize user-set triggers, actions, and other information.
02
Users can easily toggle each automation on or off to ensure their workflow remains uninterrupted and maintain full control over the entire system.
Prototype Demo
Design System
Design Tokens - Colors, Grids, Typography
While leveraging and building upon MUl's foundational system, we have tailored certain design tokens to align with Marlin's branding, which also adheres to the client's existing design principles.
Components
Marlin designers have created components in the design system. This ensures consistency across the platform, as well as efficiency and scalability in continuous iterations throughout the whole project.
Design Principles
Design Principles Poster
I led the design principles workshop, bringing the entire team together for a collaborative session to brainstorm and establish our design principles. The session started with the sharing of industry exemplars, Marlin values, and customer feedback. We then engaged in collective ideation on design principles, refining ideas, and voting on those that resonated the most.
After consolidating the voting results, we identified recurring themes. This enabled us to further refine and develop the final version on Marlin design principles.
After consolidating the voting results, we identified recurring themes. This enabled us to further refine and develop the final version on Marlin design principles.
Nexa (Marlin)
Where Innovation Meets Water Management
Nexa (formally called Marlin) offers intelligent water management for any property in any industry.
Acting as a smart mechanical room, it empowers teams to identify, monitor, and address water management issues, enhancing building operations. Nexa's data-driven insights and proactive alerts optimize workflows, reduce energy usage and costs, and support ESG targets. Nexa minimizes downtime and damage, ensuring optimal building performance.
Acting as a smart mechanical room, it empowers teams to identify, monitor, and address water management issues, enhancing building operations. Nexa's data-driven insights and proactive alerts optimize workflows, reduce energy usage and costs, and support ESG targets. Nexa minimizes downtime and damage, ensuring optimal building performance.
Client
Confidential
Role
Lead Experience Designer
Deliverables
User Research, Product Strategy, UI Screen Design (MVP, Alpha, Beta), Prototype, Design System, Design Principles
*Please note that the name "Marlin" is used throughout this page. This was the project codename prior to launch. The product is now called "Nexa."
Project Summary
Currently, water management system in commercial buildings suffer from antiquated processes that impede efficiency, relying heavily on manual interventions. Engineers and technicians typically adopt a reactive stance, addressing issues only after they arise.
Introducing Nexa, an innovative solution aimed at empowering users with real-time insights into their mechanical rooms, eliminating the need for individual visits. Nexa not only aids in issue navigation but also anticipates downstream impacts, fostering a proactive approach over reactive responses.
Introducing Nexa, an innovative solution aimed at empowering users with real-time insights into their mechanical rooms, eliminating the need for individual visits. Nexa not only aids in issue navigation but also anticipates downstream impacts, fostering a proactive approach over reactive responses.
As the Lead Experience Designer on this project, I led a team consisting of 2 associate designers and 1 user researcher. My responsibilities included overseeing the entire design process from wireframing and prototyping to design QA, establishing design systems, and conducting tests to real users. Additionally, I played a crucial role in broader team decisions, contributing to GTM strategy and product strategy discussions.
Project Overview
Project Timeline
I participated in this project for around 8 months, spanning from MVP Blueprint phase to the Beta launch.
Team Structure for incubation
I contributed to this project as a Lead Experience Designer leading a design team of 3.
Problem
Water is #1 problem of commercial building damage
Water damage ranks among the most common and costly causes of property damage in the United States. Annual incurred losses related to weather and non-weather water damage amount to $500 million, as per industry ISO data from 2021.
#1
Water damage is the number one common cause and the most costly form of property damage
$500M
Annual incurred loss amounts in the United States related to both weather and non-weather water damage
To prevent water damage, engineers put lots of time and (manual) effort to monitor equipments
Technicians or engineers currently find themselves obligated to physically inspect the mechanical room to assess equipment and piping status related to water. When problems arise, engineers reactively generate work orders in response to customer complaints, prioritizing immediate issue resolution. However, this process is fraught with challenges, as outlined below:
1. Too much time and resources spent
Engineering staff physically visit mechanical rooms three times daily, collectively spending ~ 6 hours
2. Outdated and manual process
Staff manually check gauges and record their findings with a pen on paper. These records are prone to being lost or discarded, resulting in a lack of historical data trails.
3. Lack of insights from the observation
They lack a holistic view of activities in the mechanical rooms, making it difficult to assess issues or understand their downstream impact on the system.
Current User Journey
"I feel like it's (frequent monitoring in mechanical rooms) a complete waste of time for very little risk."
Anonymous Engineer
Solution & Product Roadmap
Our Solution: Marlin
Marlin has 3 value propositions:
Protect
Identify and mitigate water-related problems before they affect the front of the house, minimizing business disruptions, and optimizing water comfort across the property.
Prevent
Achieve faster and more accurate diagnostics on water-related issues, resulting in reduced operational costs.
Predict
Review historical trends to identify opportunities for optimizing water systems and maintaining control through a smart and connected platform
To achieve these the team came up with a list of feature sets. Here are some main features for Marlin MVP:
- Automated Actions
- Proactive alerts
- Asset management
- Seamless integration with existing tools, systems, and workflows
- Real-time monitoring of water flow
- Data analytics hub and auto-generated reports
- Automated Actions
- Proactive alerts
- Asset management
- Seamless integration with existing tools, systems, and workflows
- Real-time monitoring of water flow
- Data analytics hub and auto-generated reports
Sprint Planning and Product Roadmap
We started building a business from scratch with a tight timeline. To achieve that goal, we needed a robust plan and product roadmap. Collaboration between the product and design teams resulted in the creation of sprint roadmaps, which were further broken down into smaller tasks. Additionally, I led the design team to establish a standardized workflow aimed at maximizing efficiency and ensuring consistency.
Product feature brief and initial roadmap documented on Coda
Product Roadmap - Design focused
Design sprint work flow
Persona & Information Architecture
End User Persona
Director of Engineering
General Manager
Facility Engineer
Information Architecture
Expected User Journey
Screen Design
Summary View - Dashboard
01
The tab navigation offers quick filter that defaults to the mechanical room, aligning with the user's mental model.
02
Users have the ability to pin sensors, focusing on the specific sensors/devices that are most important to them. This customizable information is displayed prominently on the dashboard.
03
A quick alert notification system provides users with immediate insights into the location of occurring problems.
04
All related equipment and devices are listed under the location card, replicating the structure of a mechanical room.
Assets - Locations
There are three different types of "assets" in Marlin - Locations, Equipment, and Devices.
These assets are key information structured in hierarchy helping users understand not only where these assets are located but also the system of the water flow.
These assets are key information structured in hierarchy helping users understand not only where these assets are located but also the system of the water flow.
01
To align with users’ mental model, Parent Location filter has been added. The location hierarchy serves as a key navigation method, enabling them to seamlessly navigate through the platform.
02
“Mechanical Rooms” is a distinct category of location, set apart from other items. This feature allows users to efficiently filter and access the mechanical room view, streamlining management tasks.
03
Quick view for any outstanding alerts associated with each location or any child locations
Assets - Devices
Our target users require detailed information at the sensor device level. Following extensive iterations, the team has developed a device drawer module that showcases sensor readings, including minimum and maximum values, along with associated automations for each sensor.
01
The side drawer interface for device details provides users with access to devices anytime, anywhere within the platform.
02
The real-time graph displays historical data trends, assisting users in comprehending patterns in sensor readings.
03
All information for each device, including parent locations, is explicitly described.
04
Users have quick access to Automations from Device Detail view.
During the Alpha to Beta stages, the team addressed three sensor types: Leak, Temperature, and Pressure. Below, you'll find drawers for each device type, along with alert view that can be navigated using tabs.
Different Device Details Views - Alert, Leak Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Pressure Sensor
Automated Actions
Automated actions stand as one of the key value additions within the Marlin platform, enabling automated monitoring of a location's equipment and devices. This functionality empowers Marlin users to create essential workflows, alerts, and integrations directly within the platform.
01
The Trigger Condition pre-fill will be adjusted automatically depending on the sensor type.
02
There are four types of actions available in Actions: receiving in-app alerts, emails, texts, and creating work orders integrated into the existing system.
01
Each Automation card will summarize user-set triggers, actions, and other information.
02
Users can easily toggle each automation on or off to ensure their workflow remains uninterrupted and maintain full control over the entire system.
Prototype Demo
Design System
Design Tokens - Colors, Grids, Typography
While leveraging and building upon MUl's foundational system, we have tailored certain design tokens to align with Marlin's branding, which also adheres to the client's existing design principles.
Components
Marlin designers have created components in the design system. This ensures consistency across the platform, as well as efficiency and scalability in continuous iterations throughout the whole project.
Design Principles
Design Principles Poster
I led the design principles workshop, bringing the entire team together for a collaborative session to brainstorm and establish our design principles. The session started with the sharing of industry exemplars, Marlin values, and customer feedback. We then engaged in collective ideation on design principles, refining ideas, and voting on those that resonated the most.
After consolidating the voting results, we identified recurring themes. This enabled us to further refine and develop the final version on Marlin design principles.
After consolidating the voting results, we identified recurring themes. This enabled us to further refine and develop the final version on Marlin design principles.
