Designed the mobile app for the Nova device

Nova is a fully embeddable, single-use concrete sensor. It stores data onboard and syncs to a phone over Bluetooth when in range. For smaller projects where remote monitoring is not essential, this removes the cost and complexity of the full Maturix setup.

The app is the only interface between the sensor and the user. It handles activation, pour configuration, live data reading, and access to last synced data when out of range.

Nova is designed for site teams who may have never used Maturix software before. If the app required training or support to be used on site, it had already failed. The challenge was to design something that works for a first-time user with no prior context, while the Insitu redesign was still in progress and the hardware launch date was fixed.

There were two months to deliver a complete app, designed and developed, with no room for mistakes in onboarding.

The information architecture is structured around four areas: Nearby Devices, Pours, Concrete Mixes, and Profile. I aligned the flows internally before moving into visual design, then designed directly in high fidelity using the Insitu design system.

Skipping wireframes was a deliberate decision. The usability patterns and mental models established during the Insitu redesign applied directly to Nova. Repeating that work would have added time without improving the outcome. This allowed the team to move faster while keeping the structure consistent.

The onboarding follows the physical installation process. Five steps guide the user through activation, device discovery, mounting, and configuration before entering the app. Users can skip it, but it supports anyone using a Nova device for the first time.

Configuring a device and starting a pour are handled as a single action. When a nearby device appears, tapping Configure opens a modal where users set the pour name, concrete mix, and start time. The concrete mix is optional and can be added later from within the pour. This follows the same pull-based logic introduced in the Insitu redesign.

The design reflects the limitations of Bluetooth instead of hiding them. Opening a pour triggers a connection attempt. If the device is in range, live data loads. If not, the user can retry or view the last synced data. Surfacing the failure honestly is what keeps the user in control: a hidden failure looks like a broken app, a visible one looks like a real condition.

The concrete mix flow is the most complex part of the app. Creating or editing a mix involves selecting a maturity function, optional advanced parameters, and entering strength data as maturity-strength pairs, visualised as a live curve. I structured this into two steps, Mix Details and Data Set, to keep it manageable while preserving full functionality for experienced users.

The Nova app launched alongside the hardware, on deadline, covering the full user journey from account creation to active pour monitoring. A user with no prior experience of Maturix software can open the app, activate a sensor, configure a pour, and read live concrete data on site without guidance.