tl;dr
Project: AstroLab Connect — Companion app for the AstroLab synthesiser
Role: UX Designer (workshops, IA, wireframes, UI kit, prototyping, testing)
Problem: Users needed a simple way to control a physical synth remotely, across Android and iOS, while design-production collaboration was limited
Solution: Designed an intuitive, cross-platform UI, ran workshops, created an interactive prototype, and built a UI kit for consistency
Result: Delivered a user-friendly MVP with strong UX, though production lacked proper design handoff and oversight
Bonus: Key lessons led to improved processes in future projects: better handoff, closer production involvement, and deeper user research
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AstroLab Connect is a mobile companion app for the AstroLab synthesizer, designed to work via Bluetooth. The app allows users to remotely control their instrument and manage sound presets — downloading, uploading, and organizing them. The primary challenge for the MVP was to make essential features easy to access while ensuring a smooth experience on both Android and iOS platforms.
Challenges:
Designing an intuitive interface for controlling a physical synthesiser remotely.
Delivering a consistent and seamless UX across Android and iOS.
Balancing rich functionality with simplicity and ease of use.
Creating a clear information architecture to help users quickly find what they need.
Maintaining strong collaboration between the UX and development teams to ensure accurate implementation.
UX Principles:
Facilitated a workshop with the client team to define app structure and core user flows.
Created and iterated wireframes in collaboration with the Arturia team.
Developed an interactive prototype for internal and external stakeholder feedback.
Designed a mobile UI kit to ensure brand consistency.
Conducted user interviews and usability testing to validate and improve the experience.
Presented design iterations, collected feedback, and applied revisions based on real user needs.
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Outcome & Reflection
While the app was well-received and functionally effective, the project offered several valuable lessons:
I see the value of staying more closely involved during the production phase through regular design reviews — this could help ensure that the final product remains fully aligned with the original design intent.
In the final stages, the handoff process could have been smoother. Due to internal processes between stakeholders, the latest design files weren’t fully delivered to the client. This highlighted the importance of clear collaboration channels and alignment in cross-company projects.
Looking back, investing more time in user research, especially with musicians, could have provided deeper insights and helped tailor the UX even more precisely to users' needs.
These learnings have strongly influenced my approach in future projects, where I’ve emphasized continuous involvement, proactive communication, and deeper research to improve outcomes.
Thanks for checking!
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