Workshops: SMART UX: Engineering User Experience

Andrew Brahney
Head of SMART (MEAP)
Ramboll Group, Singapore

The Internet of Things (IoT) and SMART technologies are changing the way we work and live at an incredible rate. With accelerating change effect of technology, how can the industry meet the challenge to create tall building solutions that will stay viable and relevant over the life of the asset?

The key to staying competitive is to leverage technology to create a more convenient, personalized user experience. This new digital layer of user experience requires the design team to have a clear understanding of the specific types of people who will interact and utilize the development, their wants, needs and pains, and an understanding of how they will interact with the environment. These user requirements provide the best value when defined using survey information obtained from the actual future users; however, specific project surveys can be a significant investment of time and resources. If done correctly, they can provide invaluable insights for not only the design, but also the operation of a new development. Additionally, an enhanced user experience can offer an additional USP when attracting tenants or buyers to a building.

SMART building services and applications are moving towards on-demand models where the buildings ICT Infrastructure and operational processes are designed to allow the quick reaction and adoption of new technology and services. Determining user requirements can be a powerful design tool to engineer SMART technology deployment.