Daikin HERO Cloud
Scaling UX at Daikin HERO Cloud
Daikin / Hero Cloud – Connected Comfort Platform
Startup / MVP Project
Lead Product Designer
Tools: Figma
INTRODUCTION
Over two years as Lead Product Designer at Daikin, I led multiple initiatives for the HERO Cloud platform, focusing on UX, UI, visual design, design system growth, and usability testing. My role included driving complex feature design, extending design system components, and mentoring team members.
Across projects, I followed a repeatable, collaborative process rooted in Agile UX principles:
Design is integrated into sprints instead of happening “up front.”
User story mapping, prototyping, and testing happen iteratively alongside development, not just before.
Emphasis on collaborating with PMs and developers rather than designers working in isolation.
Focus on just-enough design to validate ideas quickly, then refine later as the product evolves.
Kickoff & Requirements – Align with product manager and client on goals, constraints, and initial PRD.
User Story Mapping – Facilitate workshops to break features into user stories collaboratively.
Task Flows – Translate stories into clear step-by-step flows.
Wireframes – Create low/high fidelity wireframes using the design system, adding/updating components when needed.
Prototypes – Build interactive high-fidelity prototypes to validate direction.
Usability Testing – Conduct sessions, gather feedback, and iterate designs.
Handoff – Deliver annotated Figma files with detailed notes for developers.
This approach balanced user needs, system constraints, and team collaboration, ensuring features were usable, scalable, and aligned with Daikin’s broader product vision.
Outdoor Unit Usage Report (OUUR)
The challenge
Building owners and service reps needed to generate energy usage reports that were not only accurate and legally compliant, but also easy to configure and share. The system had to support multiple report types (site, tenant, custom tenant), incorporate state-specific rules like taxes and fees, and handle complex energy breakdowns — all without overwhelming the user.
How I approached it
We began with story mapping workshops to break the process into user-centered steps: selecting report type, assigning equipment, configuring details, previewing data, and scheduling reports. This clarified where users needed flexibility (like tenant-level reports) versus where they needed speed (like recurring site reports).
From there, I created task flows for each report type. This exposed key differences — for example, tenant reports required more granular filtering, while site reports were more straightforward but needed robust scheduling.
Finally, I translated flows into high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes, validating with building owners and reps. Usability testing revealed where users stumbled: unclear labels for report types, confusing date ranges, and uncertainty about recipient editing. Iterating on these designs brought clarity to the experience.
Key design reasoning
Reduce decision friction: Report type names were simplified to Sites, Tenants, Custom Tenants because wireframe testing showed users hesitated over technical labels like ODU and standard. This change reduced early drop-off in the flow.
Balance flexibility with compliance: Editable tax/fee fields and recipient lists were added because story mapping revealed states varied in what was required for compliance. By making these configurable (instead of hard-coded), the tool could scale across regions.
Make data actionable: Heating/cooling breakdowns were added in wireframes to help operators catch anomalies (e.g., spikes in heating load) before sending reports, turning a “check the box” compliance task into an insight-driven workflow.
Error prevention > correction: Wireframes included inline validation (e.g., recipient limits, date range errors) so users got immediate feedback. This aligned with the principle that it’s better to prevent misconfigured reports than fix them after distribution.
Leverage design system, extend where needed: Filters, status indicators, and date pickers were adapted from the design system but refined for reporting flows. Where gaps existed (like custom tenant assignment), new patterns were documented and added back to the system.
Impact
First-try success in testing improved from 50% → 100% after iteration.
Reduced confusion around report types and date selection.
Delivered new design system components (filters, date pickers, status indicators) that were later reused across HERO Cloud.
Unit Controls
The challenge
Before this project, HERO Cloud had major gaps:
Indoor Units (IDUs) could only be controlled one at a time — there was no way to update settings for multiple units together.
Rooftop Units (RTUs) weren’t supported at all.
Scheduling was fragmented, making it hard for operators to coordinate unit behavior across a system.
Operators needed a single interface to manage both IDUs and RTUs, with the ability to adjust controls, update settings, and manage schedules for individual units or entire systems.
How I approached it
I designed high-fidelity wireframes using the Daikin design system, extending existing patterns where possible and introducing new components for batch control and scheduling.
The design allowed users to:
Select multiple units (IDUs or RTUs) and update their settings simultaneously.
View and manage schedules from the same control interface, instead of navigating elsewhere.
Use clear safeguards (validation, confirmation dialogs) to avoid conflicts or accidental overrides.
Because this was the first time HERO Cloud supported RTUs and multi-unit control, I created detailed developer annotations that documented edge cases like:
How overrides apply across multiple units.
What happens when schedules conflict.
How system-level updates cascade down to unit-level controls.
Design reasoning
Unified control experience: Combining IDUs and RTUs in one interface reduced context-switching and made HERO Cloud feel like a single platform, not a collection of tools.
Batch efficiency: Multi-select controls let operators configure dozens of units at once, eliminating repetitive updates.
Schedules as integrated controls: By embedding scheduling directly into unit controls, operators could see real-time alignment between configuration and program logic.
Reusable design system components: New scheduling grids, toggles, and confirmation patterns were built for scalability across future features.
Annotations as “insurance”: Docum
Impact
Introduced first-ever RTU support in HERO Cloud.
Enabled operators to control multiple units (IDUs + RTUs) simultaneously for the first time.
Made scheduling a core part of the control interface, improving efficiency and clarity.
Extended the design system with reusable scheduling and batch-control patterns.
Device Commissioning (Pro-Edge & Simple-Edge)
The challenge
Commissioning new HVAC devices (Pro-Edge and Simple-Edge) was historically a time-consuming, error-prone process. Technicians had to juggle different steps, remember configuration details, and validate device readiness under pressure in the field.
Daikin needed a guided commissioning flow within HERO Cloud that would help technicians onboard devices reliably, with fewer mistakes, and provide confidence that each setup was complete before leaving the site.
How I approached it
I partnered with stakeholders to understand commissioning requirements and pain points from technicians in the field. From there, I:
Broke down the flow into smaller pieces (device registration, configuration, validation, confirmation).
Built iterative wireframes and prototypes, testing them with stakeholders after each round to gather feedback.
Used the Daikin design system as a foundation but extended it where needed (e.g., progress indicators, inline validations, error handling states).
Added developer annotations that defined critical interactions, including how to handle device failures, network errors, or misconfiguration.
Design reasoning
Step-by-step guidance: Commissioning is often done under time pressure. By breaking the process into smaller, guided steps, I reduced technician stress and minimized skipped tasks.
Inline validation > error recovery: Instead of waiting until the end, the design surfaced issues (e.g., invalid serial number, network error) immediately, so technicians could fix them on the spot.
Confidence through confirmation: A final summary screen allowed technicians to review settings before finishing, giving them confidence the setup was correct.
Design for scalability: Components (like progress bars, validation messages, and confirmation dialogs) were built to handle not just Pro-Edge and Simple-Edge but also other device types in the future.
Iterative stakeholder feedback: Instead of delivering a “big reveal,” I validated small pieces regularly, ensuring alignment and reducing rework.
Impact
Results Across Projects
Across OUUR, Unit Controls, and Commissioning, I:
Scaled HERO Cloud’s UX to cover reporting, controls, and device onboarding.
Extended the design system with reusable patterns for filters, scheduling, wizards, and validation.
Reduced errors and friction for both operators and technicians.
Introduced new capabilities — batch control, RTU support, guided commissioning — that expanded the platform’s value.
Colophon
This case study was created to showcase the breadth and depth of my work as Lead Product Designer at Daikin. All designs were built in Figma, using and extending a custom design system. Deliverables included story maps, task flows, wireframes, prototypes, usability test reports, and annotated dev handoffs.
The visuals shown are simplified excerpts of larger design artifacts to illustrate process and outcomes while respecting project confidentiality.
I highly recommend Manolo as a truly exceptional Senior UI/UX Designer. What consistently impresses me about Manolo is his unwavering focus on the user. He doesn't just design interfaces; he designs intuitive, delightful experiences rooted in deep understanding of user needs and behaviors. Manolo consistently demonstrates a keen ability to translate complex requirements into elegant, user-friendly solutions. His empathy, research skills, and commitment to iterative design make him an invaluable asset to any product team. He's also a fantastic collaborator, always open to feedback and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome.
Micheal Daley
Controls Engineer at Daikin North America