Meet Roomba, Reimagined.

The Roomba iRobot has long been a leader in smart home tech, redefining how we clean. But as sleek as it is, users—especially newcomers—can still find the experience a bit…dusty. I set out to simplify and elevate the Roomba experience by introducing a touchscreen interface. The goal: make it easier, smarter, and more intuitive for everyday users while maintaining the futuristic tech edge Roomba is known for.

This case study follows my six-week journey to redesign the control interface for the Roomba. By leaning into user behavior, data, and design thinking, I explored ways to bring clarity and customization to an already iconic product.

UX Case Study

WHAT WE SET OUT TO SOLVE

With the rise of smart devices in the home, users expect intuitive, personalized control. The Roomba’s current interface doesn’t always meet those expectations. My objective was to identify pain points in usability and propose targeted design enhancements to improve interaction, customization, and satisfaction.

The Questions That Drove Us

The Questions That Drove Us

To guide this exploration, I focused on three core questions:

  1. What design elements will make the Roomba interface more user-friendly?

  2. How does the user experience differ between first-time users and experienced users?

  3. What level of customization do users expect from their smart vacuum?

    This new interface would elevate Roomba from helpful to indispensable.

Design Goal: A Smarter Touch

Make it

My goal was to design a digital touchscreen interface for the Roomba that provides:

  • Intuitive controls for all experience levels

  • Visual feedback and smart guidance

  • User-centric customization based on lifestyle needs

This new interface would elevate Roomba from helpful to indispensable.

Timeline

6 Weeks

of
Research & Redesign

This was a focused sprint: six weeks from discovery to prototype. I handled every step of the UX process—from user research to user flow, from sketches to high-fidelity wireframes—with a sharp eye on usability and scalability.

How I Did It: Research Methods

How I Did It: Research Methods

Primary Data:

Remote
User Interviews

I conducted interviews with a diverse group of participants, all between ages 30–50. They were homeowners, bachelors and bachelorettes, parents, and pet lovers. Each was already engaged with smart tech, maintained regular routines, and valued time-saving solutions.

They told me what worked—and what didn’t—with their current Roomba experience. These sessions helped shape everything that followed.

Secondary Data:

SWOT
Analysis

I completed a SWOT analysis to put the Roomba in context—both as a brand and as a user experience. By evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, I positioned the touchscreen concept to enhance what Roomba already does well, while directly addressing its usability gaps.

Synthesis:

Affinity Mapping, Personas,
and Feature prioritization.

After collecting interview data, I organized key insights using affinity mapping to cluster recurring thoughts and frustrations. From there, I developed problem statements that got to the core of user needs. This step was essential for defining what my design would solve.

I created user personas to represent my target audience—tech-forward adults with busy lives, smart routines, and specific expectations around ease of use. These personas guided every decision moving forward, ensuring the final design spoke to real needs.

Listening In:

  • User interviews to hear directly from Roomba owners and smart device users

Making The Mess Make Sense.

Problem Statement

“I’m a tech-savvy user, and I want to easily set up and personalize my smart devices. But the process often feels tedious—with repeated logins and unnecessary steps—because the system doesn’t always retain my preferences or streamline authentication. This makes me feel frustrated and less motivated to fully engage with the customization options.”

Scanning Strengths & Stress Points

Know the Playing Field

⋆

Know the Playing Field ⋆

Bringing The Users To Life: Personas

Straight From The Source

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Straight From The Source ⋆

Mapping The Moves: User Flows

User flows helped visualize how users would interact with the new Roomba touchscreen, from powering on the device to scheduling a custom cleaning routine. These flows highlighted friction points and became the blueprint for streamlined interaction.

Prioritizing What Matters: Feature Focus

Essential Features

  • Touchscreen with Adjustable Sensitivity 

  • Hybrid Input Options (Touchscreen + Physical Controls)

  • Seamless Device Connectivity

  • Simple & Fast Setup Process 

  • Multi-Tab & Multitasking Support

  • Durable Build & Design

  • One-Tap Account & Data Transfer

  • Smart AI Assistance for Everyday Use 

  • Intuitive Customization Options

  • Reliable Wireless Streaming & Mirroring 
     

Potential Features

  • Gesture Controls

  • Adaptive AI-Powered Interfaces 

  • Eye-Tracking Navigation 

  • Personalized AI-Based Setup Assistants

  • Auto-Adjusting Display Orientation & Size 

  • Cross-Device Clipboard & File Sharing 

  • Smart Sensory Feedback

  • Universal App Login Sync 

  • Offline AI Capabilities 

  • Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Design
     

Designing the Look: Branding & Style Guide

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Designing the Look: Branding & Style Guide ⋆

The branding guide sets the visual tone and voice for RoboAI’s touchscreen interface. It includes the logo treatment, color palette, typography, iconography, and UI elements. Every design decision in this guide was intentional—meant to balance futuristic tech with everyday simplicity. This foundation ensured consistency across all screens and interactions, while also keeping the interface aligned with the Roomba brand voice: smart, sleek, and effortless.

  • Brand Guidlines

  • Table of Contents

  • Product Background

  • Tagline

  • The Logo

  • About The Logo

  • Safe Area

  • Correct Use

  • Brand Voice

  • About Brand Voice

  • Colors

  • Color Palette

  • Typography

  • iStok Web

  • Roboto

  • Imagery

  • Image Usage 1

  • Image Usage 2

  • Iconography

  • Icons

  • Patterns & Others

  • Patterns

Low-Fidelity Wireframes: Structuring the Flow

In the low-fi phase, the focus was on layout and interaction—not aesthetics. I mapped out core screens using basic shapes and grayscale elements to define structure, spacing, and user flow. This stage allowed me to test screen transitions and functionalities without getting distracted by visual details.

Mid-Fidelity Wireframes: Adding Detail & Function

Mid-fi wireframes brought a higher level of fidelity to the experience. Elements like labels, icons, and spacing were refined, and interaction logic became more defined. This is where I began translating early sketches into clear UI decisions, preparing for visual styling while keeping usability at the forefront.

Hi-Fidelity Wireframes: Bringing It to Life

At this stage, the full visual system from the branding guide was applied. Color, typography, UI components, and visual hierarchy came together to show how the final product would look and feel. These screens reflect the polished interface users would actually interact with—stylish, intuitive, and cohesive.

Interactive Prototype: Smart Control in Action

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Interactive Prototype: Smart Control in Action ⋆

Smart control, simulated and simplified.

The final prototype was an interactive build that simulated how users would navigate and interact with the Roomba interface. Using Figma, I created clickable flows to showcase the product’s key features, including scheduling a cleaning, adjusting settings, and receiving feedback from the device. This prototype was essential for user testing and showing stakeholders how the new experience would function in real time.

Thank You for Reading

I appreciate you taking the time to explore this case study and follow along with my process. Designing for Roomba iRobot challenged me to think critically about how people interact with everyday technology—and how thoughtful design can make even the most advanced tools feel intuitive.

From research to wireframes to a working prototype, every step in this journey pushed me to grow as a designer. I hope it gave you insight into not just what I created, but how and why I made the choices I did.

Let’s keep building smarter, more human-centered experiences.

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