AR Wi-Fi Analyzer
Using augmented reality to make invisible WiFi signal strength easier to see, understand, and troubleshoot.
Intro
Setting up reliable 5G home internet can be challenging because signal performance is affected by physical obstacles such as walls, windows, and receiver placement.
As a designer, I worked on Verizon’s AR WiFi Analyzer, exploring how augmented reality could help customers visualize signal strength and troubleshoot connectivity issues more easily.
Role
Senior Designer
Duration
5 months (2022)
Team
Creative Team, Development Team and Product Team
Challenge
How do you troubleshoot something you can’t see?
WiFi and 5G signal strength are invisible, making it difficult for customers to understand why connectivity changes throughout their home.
The challenge was to turn complex network information into a simple visual experience that customers could understand and act on themselves.
Solution
01 Understanding how people troubleshoot
We developed personas and mapped different troubleshooting journeys to understand common pain points, behaviors, and levels of technical confidence.
This helped us identify where customers needed more guidance and where the experience could reduce uncertainty.
02 Finding the right level of guidance
We reviewed existing troubleshooting experiences and industry patterns to understand how technical information was being communicated.
The goal was to simplify the experience without overwhelming users with network terminology or unnecessary steps.
03 Making WiFi signal visible
We explored multiple AR concepts that translated signal strength into clear visual feedback within the customer’s physical space.
Working closely with product and engineering, we refined the experience around technical feasibility, accessibility, and ease of use, while moving quickly toward an MVP for beta testing.
The Outcome
Making the invisible a little easier to understand.
The AR WiFi Analyzer launched as a beta experience within the Verizon Home app, giving customers a more visual and intuitive way to understand connectivity and troubleshoot coverage issues independently.
The project also helped inform future conversations around network troubleshooting and self service experiences.
