KoolLOGIK
9:44
Back Freezer
OK
5
°F
10%
Front Cooler
36
°F
CLOSED
Back Freezer
5
°F
CLOSED
LIGHT ON
Cooler
20
°F
CLOSED
Tundra
HMI Controller
7" Embedded Touchscreen · Thermo-Kool
Redesigning Safety-Critical HMI for Commercial Refrigeration
Conducting end-to-end UX research and redesign of the Thermo-Kool Tundra controller, replacing a memorization-based system with role-aware workflows, a 4-tier alarm hierarchy, and a guided setup wizard for a 7" embedded touchscreen.
Role
Lead UX/UI Designer & Project Manager
Duration
4 Months Explore & Define
2 Months Prototyping
2 Months Testing & Delivery
Platform
Embedded HMI · Cloud Platform · Mobile Alerts
Team
Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineer, Software developers, Marketing & sales teams
The Problem
The existing system was engineered for function, not usability. In cold, gloved, time-pressured environments, this created compounding failure points: errors mid-installation, missed alarms, and growing reliance on training teams to compensate for interface shortcomings.
KEY UX CHALLENGES
Memorisation-based workflow
Setup required technicians to recall a 10-step menu path with no on-screen guidance. Consequence: high error rates, dependency on reference materials, extended install times averaging 18 minutes.
No system feedback
Configuration changes provided no confirmation or validation. Errors surfaced only after deployment. Consequence: field call-backs, damaged product, liability exposure.
Undifferentiated alarm states
Warning and critical alarms had identical visual treatment. Consequence: alarm fatigue, slow escalation, and in documented cases product loss before anyone responded.
No multi-room visibility
Managers had to physically walk to each unit. Consequence: reactive rather than proactive temperature management across large kitchen environments.
Research Findings
Based on interviews with 4 technicians, 2 kitchen managers, high level managers and 200 comment online
87%
Could not complete setup without assistance
72%
Confused by warning and alarms
91%
Wanted a multi-room overview screen
100%
Don’t know about HACCP (no cloud option existed)
85%
Would use cloud alerts if available
"I've installed maybe 100 of these things. I still have to look up how to get to the calibration screen every single time."
— Marcus R., Refrigeration Technician, 8 years experience
"Half the time I don't even know there's an alarm until someone tells me they heard a beeping. By then it's too late."
— Sandra O., Kitchen Manager, 12 years experience
"When I see a red thing I don't know if it means 'note this' or 'drop everything now.' They all look the same to me."
— Field observation participant, Technician
Who We Designed For
Marcus Rivera
Senior Refrigeration Technician · 8 years
Environment: Industrial kitchen — cold, loud, gloves on, high time pressure
Goals
Diagnose faults in under 2 minutes without a manual
Complete installs in under 10 minutes per unit
Export HACCP compliance directly from the device
Pain Points
10-step setup requires full memorization
Warning and Critical alarms look identical
Calibration buried 4 menu levels deep
Sandra Okonkwo
Kitchen Manager · 12 years
Environment: Restaurant back-of-house — fast-paced, HACCP audits, staff turnover
Goals
See all room temperatures at a glance from one screen
Receive alerts before product reaches unsafe temperature
Export HACCP logs without IT involvement
Pain Points
Must walk to each unit individually to check status
Alarm notifications arrive after damage has already occurred
Warning vs critical look identical — creates alarm fatigue
Competitive Analysis
Thermo-Kool
(Current)
Tundra
(Redesigned)
★
Everidge
SmartRite
KE2 Therm
KE2 Evap
Carel
UltraCella
Touchscreen UI
✕
✓
✓
✓
✓
Multi-room dashboard
✕
✓
✓
✓
◐
Built-in Wi-Fi
✕
✓
✓
✓
◐
Cloud dashboard
✕
✓
✓
✓
✕
Mobile alerts
◐
✓
✓
✓
✕
On-device temp graphs
✕
✓
✓
✓
✕
HACCP auto-upload
✕
✓
✓
✓
◐
Guided setup wizard
✕
✓
◐
◐
✓
3-tier alarm visual
✕
✓
◐
◐
✕
Dedicated panic hardware
✓
✓
◐
✕
✕
Energy analytics
✕
✕
◐
✓
◐
Gas detection
✓
✓
✕
✕
✕
✓ Available
◐ Partial
✕ Not available
Competitor Core Strengths
Everidge SmartRite
Best modern UX + cloud portal. Sets the bar for HMI in this category.
KE2 Therm
Energy intelligence leader. Demand defrost, adaptive fans, analytics.
Carel UltraCella
Industrial-grade modular system. Best installer commissioning experience.
Research Process
What Tundra closes vs what remains.
Research Methods
4-part sprint over 4 weeks
01
Competitive analysis
5 competitors · 12 feature categories
02
User interviews
7 sessions · 4 technicians · 3 managers · 45 min each
03
Field observation
2 on-site install + alarm response sessions
04
Heuristic review
10 Nielsen heuristics · 6 severity 3-4 violations found
7
Interviews
5
Competitors
87%
Couldn't self-serve
Finding → Design Decision
Every decision traces to a research insight
Navigate by destination, not menu
→
Task-based IA
Alarms have identical visual weight
→
4-tier system: color + sound + behavior + lock
Setup is a memorization test
→
Wizard + 5 presets + physical door validation
No multi-room overview exists
→
Home dashboard — all rooms simultaneously
Wi-Fi & cloud are now table-stakes
→
Phase 2: encrypted pipeline + mobile alerts
Panic hardware is TK's real moat
→
Full-screen hero state — never buried
Design decisions & trade-offs
Every significant design choice involved a real constraint. These are the three decisions that most shaped the final product, and what was consciously sacrificed. All Research Doc
Guided wizard vs. flexible configuration
DECISION
Replace the open 10-step menu with a 4-step wizard with preset room types and physical door validation.
WHY
87% of technicians couldn't self-complete setup. Expert users move faster with guided paths than blank canvases.
TRADE-OFF
Power users lose ad-hoc flexibility. Edge-case configurations require a custom path. Mitigated with a Custom preset option.
Modal alarm takeover vs. passive banner alerts
Chosen: modal takeover for Critical+
DECISION
Critical alarms lock navigation and take over the full screen. Warning alarms appear as amber banners. Normal = green status only.
WHY
Passive banners were the existing model — 72% missed or misread them. Safety-critical contexts require interruption-level design.
TRADE-OFF
Full-screen takeover creates friction in high-frequency warning scenarios. Risk of alarm fatigue if warning threshold is miscalibrated.
The Solution
Five screens built around user tasks, each solving a specific research-identified pain point. All Design
Home Dashboard
All rooms at a glance — temp, door, light. Solves manager's #1 pain: no walking room-to-room.
Critical Alarm State
Red banner, nav locked, silence button. Urgency impossible to miss. Solves alarm confusion.
Panic — Full Screen
Overrides everything. Battery-backed. Works without WiFi or power. TK's hardware moat surfaced.
Setup Wizard — Step 1
Physical door validation. 4 steps replace 10. Zero memorization. Error prevention built-in.
Data & Logs
All necessary info that manager or technician need to see at glance
Settings — Role-Aware
Technician sees all. Operator never reaches here. Role model keeps complexity hidden.
Tier Alarm System Solution
Designed distinct visual and behavioral states so urgency is impossible to miss. Each tier has unique colors, sounds, and escalation logic.
Level
Normal
Criteria
Temperature within safe range
Action
Dashboard shows green status indicator
Level
Warning
Criteria
Temp approaching threshold or door open >2 min
Action
Amber visual alert + audible beep
Level
Critical
Criteria
Temp out of safe range or system fault
Action
Red full-screen alert + loud alarm + escalation
Level
Panic
Criteria
Life safety threat detected
Action
Full takeover + emergency contacts + override all functions
How decisions were made
Make the safe thing the obvious thing
Panic accessible from any screen state
4-tier: green → amber → red → panic full-screen
Battery-backed display surfaces TK's hardware moat
'Lock on critical' prevents accidental dismissal
TARGET
Panic response: <3 seconds from any state
Give every user what they need
Operator home: all rooms, no menus needed
Technician mode: diagnostics one tap away
Manager: HACCP export, zero IT involvement
Role-aware navigation logic
TARGET
Zero menus for daily operator monitoring
Simplify setup for any technician
5 presets eliminate configuration guesswork
Physical door validation removes install errors
No step requires reference to a manual
Defaults pre-loaded by room type
TARGET
Target: 6 min for dual-zone install
THE CENTRAL DESIGN CHALLENGE
Build a single HMI that makes kitchen staff feel safe, managers feel informed, and technicians feel capable — without overwhelming any of them. The answer wasn't a compromise. It was role-aware design.
Setup Flow Redesign
BEFORE — Current setup flow
10 steps
1 Power on device
2 Navigate to System Menu
3 Enter technician PIN
4 Locate Setup submenu
5 Select room count
6 Manually enter door count
7 Navigate to Name Rooms
8 Navigate to Assign Doors
9 Set temp thresholds separately
10 Verify & exit — no confirmation
No guidance · No error prevention · ~18 min avg
AFTER — Redesigned wizard
4 steps
1
Choose setup model
5 presets (1-room, dual zone, custom) — no guessing needed
2
Name rooms & assign doors
Single combined flow — rooms and doors in one pass
3
Physical door validation
Open each door to confirm — system detects automatically
4
System validates & confirms
Progress bar reaches 100%, confirmation screen shown
Built-in guidance · Physical validation · ~6 min est.
Impact & Outcomes
60%
Reduced setup steps (10 → 4)
4-tier
Alarm system with distinct visual states
100%
Multi-room visibility and Data
Zero
Memorization required for setup
The research phase produced a prioritized design direction with direct traceability from user pain to design decision. The most critical outcome was structuring system logic based on user workflows, not just interface redesign.
Phase 2 — Cloud Platform
Extends the system to the cloud. Device runs fully offline if cloud drops. Panic system remains network-independent at hardware level.
01
Secure Data Pipeline
Sensor data flows from controller through encrypted API to cloud storage. Authentication tokens and rate limiting protect the connection. Data syncs automatically when connection restores after outage.
02
Manager Dashboard
Data in priority order: temperature first (is product safe?), door state second (active issue right now?), time trends third (normal behavior over time?). Energy analytics deferred deliberately.
03
Notification Routing
Warning → push notification. Critical → escalates every 10 min until acknowledged. Panic → emergency contacts immediately. Same 4-tier logic as on-device UI.
What I Learned
Research before rectangles
Every design decision traces to a research finding. No feature without evidence.
Prioritization as design
Sorted 20+ gaps into: ship now, amplify unique, defer premature.
Systems thinking
4-tier alarm model maps directly to Phase 2 notification routing.
Knowing what to leave out
Energy analytics deferred deliberately, data not available yet.
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