✨ Impact Statement

We transformed a fragmented set of audio controls into a cohesive, personalized hearing experience—helping users hear what matters most without micromanaging settings. Our work directly influenced flagship features in Galaxy Buds3 Pro and helped define Samsung’s approach to AI-powered audio across wearables.

🎯 My Role

As the Product Design & Interaction Design Lead, I led the vision, prototyping, and UX definition for Responsive Hearing. I collaborated with a junior designer and project lead, and worked closely with a Korea-based team of engineers, audio researchers, and platform UX designers. I guided the design of signature features like Adaptive ANC, Smart Conversation Mode, and Safety-Aware Sound from early insight to shipped product.

🧩 The Challenge

How might we deliver advanced hearing personalization while making Galaxy Buds more intuitive and less overwhelming to use?

As Samsung prepared for the next Galaxy Buds launch, leadership saw a strategic opportunity: use AI and environmental awareness to make hearing smarter, safer, and more contextual—without overwhelming users. Our team at SDIC was tasked with defining the signature experience for Responsive Hearing.

🧠 Insights & Research

We grounded our design in real-world needs, validated with qualitative and quantitative research:

1. Understanding People

• 🎧 40 in-depth user interviews

• Users found ANC isolating and switching modes buried in menus

2. Validating Concepts

   • 📊 747-person survey on emotional and practical hearing needs

   • 📊 504-person survey on prioritized moments for automation

   • 🤝 In-person concept testing with low-fi prototypes

   
   

3. Top Desirability Signals

   • 81% preferred Dynamic ANC

   • 75% wanted better speech clarity

   • 69% valued safety-aware modes in public

     
     

4. Usage Data

   • Only 6% toggled ANC manually

   • 4% enabled AMP for calls

   • 2% used Tips feature

🔍 These findings validated a user desire for smart defaults and automation.

These insights validated our approach: people want hearing that works with them, not extra steps to manage.

💡The Vision

“Galaxy Buds should help you control what you hear—and don’t hear—effortlessly.”

We framed the Responsive Hearing experience around three clear user goals:

• PROTECT – Block/reduce noise with Adaptive ANC

• CONNECT – Hear speech clearly with Conversation Enhancement

• STAY AWARE – Detect and pass through critical environmental sounds

This vision became the core framework for the next-generation hearing experience in Galaxy Buds.

🔭 Strategic & Technical Roadmap Alignment

Our work directly supported Samsung’s Buds hardware and software evolution:

By defining scalable UX principles and behavioral flows, we helped future-proof the experience.

🎨 Design Process

Mapping the Opportunity

• Audited Galaxy Buds UX + engagement drop-offs

• Benchmarked competitors (AirPods Pro, Bose)

• Identified moments of user friction and feature abandonment

Benchmarking Audio Project - Feb 2023

Designing Hero Moments

We distilled our UX goals into 6 real-life signature experiences:

These moments served as guiding narratives for prototyping and stakeholder alignment.

🔧 Key Features in Galaxy Buds3 Pro

Features we worked on and are Now in Galaxy Buds3 Pro

The features we researched, prototyped, and tested went on to define the 2024 Galaxy Buds3 Pro experience:

🔊 Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

• Uses machine learning to identify and block out environmental noise

• Automatically adjusts to user movement, location, and context

• User can fine-tune ANC levels via Galaxy Wearable app or Buds widget

🗣️ Conversation Enhancement

• Detects voice directionality and raises vocal frequencies in noisy settings

• Auto-triggers Ambient Sound when speech is detected

• Great for in-person conversations without taking Buds off

🛡️ Safety Aware Ambient Sound

• Detects important environmental sounds like sirens and alarms

• Passes them through in a controlled way to reduce shock and increase awareness

⌚ Multi-Device Quick Controls

• Buds controls extend across lock screen, Galaxy Watch, and voice

• Nudges encourage setup after 5 uses, driving passive feature discovery

  
  

  
  

🧭 UX Principles (One UI 6.0 Aligned)

Our redesign was anchored in 5 core principles inspired by Samsung’s One UI 6.0 philosophy:

These principles transformed a fragmented tool into a cohesive, supportive ecosystem.

🧪 Deliverables

We created and delivered a comprehensive UX toolkit, including:

• 🧭 Restructured Information Architecture

• ✏️ Wireflows + Hi-fi user flows

• 🖼️ Signature hero screens and scenario visuals

• 📲 Figma prototype for contextual onboarding + controls

• 🎥 Motion mockups and demo videos for internal presentations

• 📁 UX system maps + naming conventions for engineering teams

📊 Results & Impact

• 81% preferred Adaptive ANC over manual modes

• 75% wanted Conversation Enhancement as a daily tool

• 69% saw Safety-Aware ambient sound as essential for outdoor use

• 3× increase in feature engagement when surfaced with nudges instead of menus

🏁 Outcome

We helped define and deliver the Responsive Hearing experience for Samsung’s Galaxy Buds—transforming the product from a set of toggles into a proactive, personalized hearing companion.

🛠️ Impact on Galaxy Buds3 Pro Launch

Our UX research and design directly shaped the 2024 Galaxy Buds3 Pro, which introduced:

• ✅ Adaptive ANC (machine learning–based)

• ✅ Conversation Mode (automatic voice-aware switching)

• ✅ Safety-Aware ambient sound

• ✅ Multi-device quick access + smart onboarding

This case study is a clear example of how AI, ambient intelligence, and thoughtful UX can come together to enhance real-world user safety, focus, and connection.

🧠 Reflections

✅ People want their hearing tools to adapt to their lives—not the other way around

✅ Simplicity doesn’t mean fewer features—it means smarter defaults

✅ Nudging, not teaching, is the future of wearable onboarding

✅ Designing across devices requires not just consistency, but contextual continuity

✅ Great UX makes intelligent features feel like second nature