Nokia Sensor: from research to product

In May 2005, the Nokia Sensor application became available to the public. This new mobile software allows mobile phone users to communicate within short-range distance via Bluetooth wireless technology without going through a network operator.

Creating the personal identity expression is at the core of Sensor. From there, Sensor users can discover each other’s identity expressions and utilize a number of communication features as long as they are within the range of Bluetooth.

This Nokia paper (first presented at the dux05 conference and now published in AIGA’s Gain: Journal of Business and Design) presents the process through which Sensor came about, through design exploration, iteration through prototypes, user trials on prototypes and finally the product creation process.

Based on this process, a set of general design principles for this kind of mobile software were proposed and validated. Managerial, business-related and technical issues encountered during the various phases are also described.

Download case study (pdf, 7.25 mb, 22 pages)