Make hardware state visible at a glance
Module color, cue occupancy, battery, signal, and connectivity became persistent product signals instead of setup details hidden in menus.
PRODUCTBRANDLAUNCH· 2019
IGNITE Fireworks
Turned a Bluetooth firing prototype into a coherent physical, digital, and launch system
- Timeline
- 2019
- Role
- Lead Product & Brand Designer
- One connected product language
- Physical + digital
- Pairing through live firing
- End to end
Process & contextStrategy, decisions, outcomes, chronology, and sources
Process & contextStrategy, decisions, outcomes, chronology, and sources
Context
IGNITE had a compelling premise: control a physical fireworks show from a phone. The product still had to make a high-attention sequence—find hardware, pair modules, map cues, build a show, and fire it—feel understandable across a device, an app, and a retail launch.
Product decision
I treated module state as the system's shared language. Color, connectivity, cue count, signal strength, and firing status stayed consistent from the physical module through pairing, inventory, show building, and live control. The flower-mortar identity connected that functional system to packaging and launch.
Shipped system
A complete product direction spanning hardware form, mobile workflows, show creation, commerce, and launch. Engineering and manufacturing translated the hardware direction into the shipped firing system.
- Physical + digital
- One connected product language
- End to end
- Pairing through live firing
- Shipped
- Hardware translated into production
ScopeHardware Product Direction, Brand Identity, Mobile UX/UI, Packaging, Launch Website
Sources & prototypes
Key decisions
Separate preparation from the firing moment
Inventory and show-building flows support planning; Free-Shoot reduces the live interface to connection, order, timing, and an unmistakable fire control.
Use one identity from device to market
The flower-mortar mark and color system carried across module feedback, app states, launch education, packaging, commerce, and retail discovery.
01
Design the live moment around clarity
The physical firing module began in my product sketches; I oversaw its form and interaction direction while designing the mobile controller around setup, cue order, countdown, connectivity, and module state. Six color-coded modules stayed legible under the pressure of a live show.
02
The physical and digital product were designed together
My form and interaction sketches established the hardware direction; engineering and manufacturing translated them into the shipped module while I built the controller around the same operating model.
03
A physical system people could understand
04
Pair hardware without losing state
Discovery, PIN validation, color assignment, connection, battery, signal, cue occupancy, and removal form one explicit module lifecycle. Color gives every physical module a durable identity inside the app.
05
Turn a fireworks shelf into usable inventory
Search, brand filtering, QR capture, custom firework creation, duration, and video reference turned physical fireworks into structured objects that could be placed into a timed show.
06
Document the supporting product states
Loading, account creation, sign-in, recovery, and repeatable interface patterns extended the system beyond its hero firing flow.
07
Prototype atmosphere and interaction
The homepage moved from an understated default state into the fireworks world through hover and video behavior while navigation and product education remained calm around it.
08
The launch explained the complete system
09
One identity across commerce and launch
The flower-mortar mark carried from the physical module into packaging, ecommerce, retail discovery, and campaign imagery.