DuoTech
Overview
In 2019, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo was (and still is) a new paradigm in laptop computing. While having multiple monitors is common even outside of computing, the idea of having multiple screens on a device such as a laptop is a relatively new idea. As one of the first multi-screen portable devices on the market, this laptop faces some interesting challenges.
The laptop comes with a variety of pre-installed applications and tools to support the companion screen. However, these tools are relatively simple and do not provide enough utility for users. To combat this issue, the goal of the DuoTech project is to develop an application to enhance the user experience of the ZenBook companion screen as well as innovate tools that might be used in forthcoming dual-screen systems.
While multi-monitor technology has been available for quite some time, the functionality has always been fairly limited. This product allows users to easily move windows and applications between screens. Users are also able to create configurations for their applications and easily invoke them For example, a user may want their programming IDE open on the main screen with the companion screen split between Google Chrome and Spotify. They can save this configuration and then instantly have it available for later use.
The final result can be found on the DuoTech GitHub Page.
Project Role
Throughout this 9-month project, I worked with the other members of my team as well as our team client to narrow down the client's needs and desired functionality. This involved iterations in design and documentation. As I had previous experience in UX/UI, I was responsible for generating prototypes as well as implementing the UI for the project. I collaborated with the team on paper prototypes first before iterating to functional prototypes. These prototypes were then subject to user feedback and testing via heuristic evaluation (Nielsen's, GenderMag). Once the team and client were satisfied with the result, implementation began. I worked with another group member to implement the UI and proper frontend behavior. This functionality was again reviewed via user feedback and manual testing. The full functional prototype can be found hosted on OSU's engineering sever.
In parallel with this work, I also contributed to documentation on design decisions, functionality, goals, and future development. All of this documentation and further information can be found at the OSU Online Engineering Expo.
DuoTech Beta Functionality Video
(User interface overview begins at timestamp 9:10)