Background

Loop is the phygital platform proprietarily developed by Cuemill—a consumer tech startup. Loop encompasses NFC devices and mobile app utilizing location technology to transform the way we interact with and through physical touchpoints by digitizing non-tech objects and surfaces. The vision behind Loop is to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds and eliminate the trade off between privacy and convenience, revolutionizing the way people interact in real life.

Overview

As a founding Head of Product and Marketing as well as the #1 employee of the company, I spearheaded the development of Loop from its conceptualization stage to its public release. My role encompassed overseeing the entire product development process and go-to-market initiatives, with a particular focus on product design and engineering. This involved defining market positioning and competitive strategy, establishing the company’s public appearance,  translating the company's vision into tangible features, managing cross-functional teams, and ensuring that the final product aligned with both user needs and market demands.

Details

Despite its potential, Loop faces several challenges, particularly in terms of product familiarity and usability. One of the main hurdles is ensuring intuitive user interface and natural interactions, as the fusion of physical and digital elements can introduce complexities that may confuse or overwhelm users. Balancing the need for advanced functionalities with simplicity and ease of use is crucial to fostering widespread adoption and engagement.

To address the challenges surrounding Loop, I implemented a systematic approach grounded in user-centered principles:

• Conducted extensive user research to gain insights into the target audience's needs, preferences, and pain points

• Rapidly developed and tested various design concepts through iteratively prototyping to continuously refine the user interface and interaction flows

• Provide information in a digestible format

• Prioritized features and functionalities based on their impact on usability and user satisfaction

Outcome

We went from proof of concept to public release within 18 months and have gauged interest from users around the world.