“Did anyone hear me?”
Existing buttons do not confirm that the call went through.
INTERACTION DESIGN · RETAIL · NO-SCREEN DEVICE
A screenless help button that always shows what’s happening
cPOD helps shoppers get an answer without searching for staff. One press starts a conversation: AI handles simple questions or calls the right person. I designed how the device explains each step through light and voice.
01 THE PROBLEM
Shoppers need help now. Staff are three aisles away.
In shortAnswer simple questions automatically and make every staff handover visible.
Existing call buttons only send a ping. Staff walk over without knowing why, while the shopper waits without confirmation.
WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE STORE AND THE CLIENT
Most questions are routine
Around two-thirds are “where is it?” or “how much?” — questions AI can answer immediately.
Hard to spot across an aisle
The device needs to be noticeable from 5–10 metres away.
Staff arrive without context
A ping shows the location, not the question. Staff may arrive without the right key or product.
02 HOW I THOUGHT ABOUT IT
Start with the shopper’s next question
In shortColour shows status. Rhythm shows progress.
With no screen, every signal has to answer a real question: Did it hear me? Is it thinking? Is someone coming?
THE SHOPPER ASKSWHAT LIMITS USWHAT WE DECIDED
“Did it hear me?”
No screen. A noisy aisle. A press is easy to doubt.
A single flash the moment the button goes down — before any voice.
“Is it listening to me?”
The microphone is invisible. People stop talking if nothing reacts.
While listening, the ring grows and shrinks with the shopper’s voice.
“Is it thinking, or stuck?”
The AI needs a few seconds to answer.
A slow breathing rhythm, unrelated to sound — clearly different from listening.
“Is someone coming? When?”
No screen for an arrival time. Staff may be busy.
Blue while waiting, green once accepted. The green countdown blinks faster as staff get closer.
“What do I do now?”
One button only. Older and blind shoppers.
Every voice prompt ends with the next step. Silent states get a short sound.
03 USER SCENARIOS
Four shoppers, one shared journey
In shortEvery scenario follows the same five moments, from noticing the device to getting help.
I compared four store visits side by side to find the moments the device must support for everyone.
01Notice it
02Press and ask
03Answer or call
04Wait
05Done
Pierre, 45
DIY store · burst pipe at home, stressed
Scans the aisle in a hurry — has to see help from far away
“Which fittings do I need for this pipe?”
The AI can’t advise on the repair → calls a plumbing expert
Needs to know how long — or he leaves
The expert arrives with the right part
Karolina, 34
Sports store · with twins, hands full
Kids running around — spots the device at eye level
Presses with her elbow: “Where are the swim goggles?”
The AI answers: aisle 12, on the left
—
The light fades on its own
Marek, 41
Furniture store · wants a display set
Lost between the room sets
“I want to order this set.”
Needs a person → request sent with what he asked
Blue while waiting, then a green countdown: “Marta will be with you in 2 minutes”
The advisor already knows what he wants
Antoni, 68
Electronics store · avoids screens
A plain sign — “Got a question? Press.” — draws him in
Not sure it heard him → the flash and greeting confirm it
Asks about a TV in a locked case → staff called
Hears “Tomasz will be here in 3 minutes”
Staff arrive with the key
So the device must…
Be seen from 5–10 m, without relying on light
Confirm the press before it speaks
Answer simple questions; pass the rest on with context
Show the wait without a screen
Close by itself and go dark
04 INTERACTION MODEL
Seventeen states, three paths, five colours
In shortOne rule set keeps AI answers, staff calls and errors consistent.
Each state has a colour, light pattern and voice prompt. Together they form the implementation reference for the electronics team.
WhiteTalking with the AI
BlueRequest sent to staff
GreenStaff on the way / arrived
OrangeDidn’t catch that
RedDevice or service failure
View the full state map17 states across AI, staff and error paths
AI PATH — QUICK ANSWER
STANDBY→READY→
LISTENING→PROCESSING→ANSWERING→FOLLOW_UP→COMPLETEDIF THE AI DIDN’T CATCH THE QUESTION
CLARIFYSTAFF PATH — CALL A PERSON
CONFIRM_STAFF→
SEND_REQUEST→WAIT_ACCEPT→
WAIT_STAFF→COMPLETEDCAN ALSO END AS
CANCELLED→CLIENT_ABSENTEXCEPTIONS — FROM ANY STATE
SERVICE_ERROR→OFFLINE05 DECISIONS
Six choices that kept the device simple
In shortClarity, accessibility and battery life mattered more than adding another signal or control.
For each choice, I compared the simplest option with the one that best supported the shopper.
Colour = status, rhythm = stage
INSTEAD OFOne colour per state
Seventeen colours nobody can learn. Two independent signals are readable even for people with colour-blindness: the rhythm still works without the colour.
The ring is off at rest
INSTEAD OFA glow that is always on to attract attention
The battery has to last about five years. Visibility comes from the shape and the signage around the device; light is spent only during a conversation.
Orange for “I didn’t understand”, red only for failure
INSTEAD OFOne error colour for everything
A mumbled question is not a breakdown. Red would tell the shopper the device is broken — or that they did something wrong.
A countdown that speeds up
INSTEAD OFA number to read, or nothing at all
The store manager wanted an arrival time “like Uber”. With no screen, a rhythm that quickens as staff get closer says the same without reading.
Hold to cancel, auto-close after 90 s
INSTEAD OFA second “cancel” button
One button keeps the device obvious for everyone. Holding is a different gesture from pressing, and the device asks once before it gives up.
Every prompt ends with the next step
INSTEAD OFOpen questions like “How can I help?” and silence after
Shoppers in a hurry, older people and blind shoppers need to know what to do next. Silent states get a short sound for the same reason.
06 LIGHT LANGUAGE
Ten patterns. One meaning each.
In shortEvery movement answers a shopper’s question. None is decorative.
These reference loops show the electronics team how each state should feel and behave.
01Single flash
Press confirmed
02Speaking
Follows the speaker
03Listening
Follows the shopper’s voice
04Breathing
Thinking
05Smooth fade
Back to rest
06Pulse · blue
Waiting for staff
07Countdown · green
Staff on the way
08Fade · green
Staff arrived
09Blink · orange
Didn’t catch that
10Double flash · red
Failure
At rest the ring is off. Light is spent only while someone is using the device — the battery is meant to last about five years.
07 TWO PATHS
Answer now, or show that help is coming
In shortAI resolves simple requests. Everything else becomes a visible handover to staff.
When a person is needed, cPOD sends the question to a staff smartwatch and uses the ring to show what happens next.
QUICK AI ANSWER
PressTouch confirmed
Greets“How can I help you today?”
Listens“Where are the swim goggles?”
ThinksA few seconds
Answers“Aisle 12, on the left.”
EndsBack to rest
CALL A MEMBER OF STAFF
PressTouch confirmed
Greets“How can I help you today?”
Listens“I need an advisor.”
Request sent“I’ve called someone.”
On the way“Tomasz will be here in 3 minutes.”
Staff arrivedSession ends
08 NOTES
Make it easy to spot and reach
In shortPlacement and signage make cPOD visible without keeping the light on.
Stage 1 defined initial assumptions for visibility and mounting. Both still need testing.
Visibility at three distancesHow shoppers notice a device that is dark at rest
A small device on a crowded rack disappears, and the ring is dark at rest. So visibility is a system of signs on three reading distances:
Macro (over 15 m) — store zones and hanging banners.
Meso (3–15 m) — blade signs, pillar wraps, floor graphics. This is where the shopper should spot cPOD.
Micro (under 2 m) — the button, a pictogram and one line: “Got a question? Press.”
Mounting assumptionsReference placement, height and speaking distance
Five mounting options were compared: wall or pillar, rack module, counter stand, freestanding stand and a mobile version. Wall or pillar is the reference for now.
Working numbers: button at about 140 cm, speaking distance 30–40 cm, noticed from 5–10 m. The height still needs checking with wheelchair users and people pushing carts.
09 STATUS
Stage 1 delivered. Testing comes next.
In shortThe team now has one specification connecting scenarios, states, light, voice and placement.
Next, we will test the chosen shape with users and prepare an in-store pilot.
MY PART
— Four user scenarios and the shared journey
— State map for three paths
— Colour and light language, ten patterns
— Rules for voice prompts
— Visibility guidelines and store-visit analysis
HANDED OVER
— State tables with colour, light and voice prompt for every state
— Reference animations for the electronics team
— Visibility and marking guidelines
— Brief for the industrial design team