3Plus Smart Watch
Client: 3 Plus
Role: Lead Designer
Project: We were tasked with designing the new generation of the 3Plus smartwatch and phone app experience from end to end. This included the physical design of the watch, a refreshed brand language, a full GUI, and the accompanying phone app.
Challenge: We had a short deadline of 8 weeks to provide a fully designed GUI including animations, rules and behaviors as well as physical watch design to a team in China. Because of the lower price point of the watch there were technical limitations we had to contend in order to make the experience compete in the smartwatch market.
Honor the Circle
As a team, we aimed to created harmony between the digital interface and the physical form. Choosing a round watch face complemented the hands and paid homage to classic analog watches. This circular aesthetic extended to the physical design, the watch GUI, and the companion phone app. “Honor the circle” became our guiding mantra during design reviews
We created an interaction model with behavior and logic for interfacing with the watch.
The Watch Experience
I designed a library of apps and settings using a brand and design language developed in real time. The key challenge was working around the physical watch hands to ensure content visibility.
Our solution was to have the hands shift to a neutral position during interaction, creating a split grid that defined the GUI’s structure. Embracing the watch’s circular form, I incorporated rounded edges and circular shapes across all elements—fonts, icons, backgrounds, and buttons—to complement the physical design.
Watch Faces For Days
Designing custom watch faces was the most expressive part of the project, letting me fully flex my artistic side. I crafted a range of faces, from eccentric and playful to sporty and streamlined, so the watch could feel accessible to anyone, giving users the freedom to switch designs to match their mood or activity.
Companion App
I redesigned the companion app using the same brand and design language as the watch GUI, ensuring visual consistency and creating a more cohesive, intuitive experience. This approach allows users to move seamlessly between the watch and the app, reinforcing the sense of a unified ecosystem.
