Unifying
fragmented systems into one power tool.
Every second matters in robot deployment and missions. So, having the right context is crucial. Robotic teams waste time searching for scattered tools. This makes it hard to understand what their robot is doing. Check out how I designed a single interface that combines important information into one useful module.
Role + Team
Project type
Deliverables
Interface design
Behind the design
Formant is a cloud robotics platform used by leading robotics companies to monitor, analyze, and operate their devices at scale. As the platform grew, teams relied on multiple separate modules to view data, assess robot behavior, and understand environmental context. These scattered tools made it difficult for operators to quickly get a clear picture of what their robot was doing.
Robotics workflows already involve heavy data and complex visualizations, and switching between fragmented modules added even more cognitive load for users who simply needed to confirm that their device was functioning correctly. This project focused on unifying those modules into a single, powerful visualization experience that brought all critical context into one place.
Too many modules,
not enough clarity
Operators needed multiple modules to understand a robot’s status, environment, and behavior, forcing them to jump between disconnected views just to piece together basic context. This fragmented workflow slowed down decision-making, increased cognitive load, and made it difficult to quickly assess whether a robot was performing as expected.
The challenge was to consolidate these separate tools into a single, intuitive visualization that delivered clarity without overwhelming the user.
Improving efficiency
The company needed a unified visualization tool that reduced operator confusion, lowered support overhead, and improved the speed and accuracy of robot oversight. Consolidating multiple modules into one clear experience would streamline workflows, strengthen customer trust, and position the platform for long-term scalability as clients expanded from a handful of robots to large, enterprise-level fleets.
Responsibility
As the lead designer on this project, I was responsible for shaping the overall experience, consolidating multiple modules into a single visualization tool, and ensuring the interface was intuitive and aligned with the existing design system.
I collaborated closely with the project manager, engineers, and stakeholders to define requirements, establish milestones, and validate solutions with users.
I also led visual design decisions, including hierarchy, color, feedback, and accessibility, to create a clear and cohesive experience for robotics operators.
The process
Discovery
Conducted interviews with customers and the CS team, and reviewed hours of internal meeting recordings to understand pain points with spatial data, workflow challenges, and diverse use case requirements.
Define
Analyzed research insights to identify core user needs, pinpoint the challenge of fragmented data visualization, and establish design principles for a 3D interface accessible to users of all skill levels.
Develop
Delivery
Built interactive prototypes to test visualization approaches, refined the interface through user feedback, and delivered a comprehensive 3D Scene Module with intuitive mouse controls and flexible layer management.
Interface design
The visual design played a critical role in making complex robotics data understandable. I established clear visual hierarchies using color, size, and layering to guide attention and emphasize key information.
Interactive elements and feedback were designed to communicate system states intuitively. I ensured all color choices, typography, and iconography aligned with Formant’s design system, maintained accessibility standards, and created a cohesive, polished interface that users across technical and non-technical backgrounds could navigate with ease.
The outcome
The outcome
The 3D Scene Module transformed how Formant’s customers visualized and interacted with robotics data, creating a unified platform that solved the challenges of fragmented workflows and technical complexity. The solution improved operational efficiency and made advanced features more accessible to users across different roles and industries.
Unified visualization
Successfully designed a single interface that allows users to layer multiple data streams, including point clouds, GPS, and URDF models, eliminating the need to switch between separate tools.
Improved accessibility
Designed intuitive mouse-based controls and clear visual hierarchies that allowed both technical engineers and non-technical stakeholders to access and interact with complex robotics data.
Real-time operation
Scalable solution
Delivered a flexible platform that met diverse customer needs, from delivery robots to industrial automation, supporting Formant’s growth and expanding its impact across industries.
Lesson learned
Designing the 3D Scene Module required balancing technical complexity with user accessibility across a diverse user base. The primary challenge was creating an interface that could handle multiple data types and coordinate systems while remaining intuitive for non-technical stakeholders.
Additionally, I needed to ensure smooth performance with large datasets like point clouds while maintaining real-time responsiveness, all while designing a flexible system that could serve everyone from robotics engineers needing precise control to business users wanting simple operational insights.
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