Day 24

Day 24: Smart Devices

This might not completely fit the category of “Smart” device, but I’ve been thinking a lot about elevators and how they are a missed opportunity for experience design. The standard set of UX sounds associated with an elevator have remained more or less unchanged for decades. But within an environment like a corporate headquarters, hotel, or upscale retail location there is a lot of room for experimentation with branded sound design and visitor experience enhancement.

Rather than having “Elevator Music” what if we thought of the elevator the way we would a vehicle? What if elevators signalled whether they were going up or down with a sonic signature? What if the sounds you encounter on board the elevator mesh with the sounds you hear in the lobby when it arrives?