Hardware Integration & High-Speed Iteration

Activforce

Project: Activforce 2 Dynamometer & Dashboard
(Activbody 2020-2023)

Role: UX Designer & Product Manager

Core Skills: Hardware/Software Integration, QMS/Medical Device Compliance (ISO-13485), High-Fidelity Prototyping, Cross-Functional Team Leadership

Transforming Physical Constraints into Digital Speed

Digital Control Inc. (DCI) understands that when users are in the field, time is money. This was the exact challenge faced by Activbody.

Activbody had developed a portable dynamometer (Activforce) to help physical therapists measure muscle strength. However, the existing digital interface for the hardware was slowing therapists down. Users were abandoning the app's data-tracking features because manually entering test data took too long, interrupting their physical workflow with patients.

The goal was clear. We needed an interface that matched the speed of a clinical environment while adhering to strict international medical device regulations.

Bridging the Gap Between Hardware, Users, and Engineering

In hardware-driven environments, UX cannot exist in a vacuum. A beautiful screen means nothing if it slows down the physical task at hand. By deeply integrating with the engineering team and placing prototypes in the hands of actual users, we turned a major software bottleneck into the product's primary selling point.

Global Field Testing & Data Gathering

To move beyond subjective assumptions, I initiated a rigorous user research program.

Conducted 40 hours of heuristic interviews over two weeks with physical therapists across the US, UK, EU, China, and Australia.
Identified a critical, universal pain point: The manual "test naming" process was so cumbersome that users were reverting to pen and paper, abandoning the digital ecosystem entirely.

Navigating Engineering Pushback with Data

When designing for specialized hardware, best UI practices don't always align with user realities.

I proposed a dashboard interface that mirrored the dense Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems therapists use daily.
Initially, the development team resisted this design, preferring standard, cleaner UI patterns.
I successfully aligned the engineering team by presenting the hard data from our field testing, proving that for this specific user in this specific context, familiarity trumped standard aesthetic practices.

Rapid Iteration within Strict Constraints

Working alongside software testing, web/mobile development, and industrial design teams, we moved fast without breaking compliance.

Developed low and high-fidelity prototypes, iterating based on two intensive rounds of usability testing (combining returning and first-time users).
Successfully navigated the rigorous documentation and testing requirements of our Quality Management System (QMS) for medical devices.

From 300 Taps to 3

By focusing on the physical reality of the user's workflow, we dramatically streamlined the interface.

Massive Interaction Reduction: We reduced a cumbersome 300-tap data entry process down to just 3 taps.
Adoption Spike: Usage of the data-tracking features increased by 60%.
Market Disruption: The streamlined, hardware-integrated solution disrupted the market, leading to a 300% increase in sales and adoption by professional sports teams globally.

Bring Rapid, Hardware-Integrated UX to DCI

The challenges faced during the Activforce 2 project—navigating complex hardware integrations, aligning cross-functional engineering teams, and prioritizing workflow speed over standard UI fluff—are the exact challenges required to build a successful interface for DCI's products.

I know how to sit at the table with an R&D team, speak their language, and deliver interfaces that respect both the engineering constraints and the harsh realities of the user's physical environment.

Ready to get started? If you believe this approach aligns with the goals for Digital Control Inc., please reach out to Dry Development & Investment Corporation to initiate the process.

Email Dry Dev

Taylor Petrich

Taylor Petrich is a User Experience Designer working with Dry Development & Investment Corporation in order to better serve the needs of Digital Control Inc.

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