ADT+ Home Security Platform | 2022 - 2023

Designer: PA Consulting, Dublin, Ireland & ADT Design Team, The ADT Security Corporation, Boca Rotan, Florida, USA
Manufacturer: The ADT Security Corporation, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

ADT+ is a new, innovative home security platform designed in partnership with Google. Reimagined from the ground up, an entire ecosystem of new products was developed based on deep research and analytics into people’s needs.

Approximately 13 million homes in the US are burglarized each year (link: MBFAA). The way we protect ourselves and our homes is increasingly important. How might we reinvent how we feel safe in our homes? We worked with ADT to create ADT+, a new, innovative home security platform designed in partnership with Google. Reimagined from the ground up, an entire ecosystem of new products was developed based on deep research, data, and analytics into people’s needs.

Customers wanted an effortless and intuitive product experience that instilled trust, security, and peace of mind. The research also uncovered an interesting tension between users wanting a highly advanced system and one that felt familiar to them. The resulting design and user experience were created with these needs at the heart – a beautiful, clean, and confident aesthetic, that came to life only when needed, and receded elegantly into people’s homes when not.

Although there were many technical challenges to overcome to meet the ambition of the project, the biggest design challenge was for the products to imbue psychological safety in users – helping them feel safe and secure in a healthy, happy home. A security product needs to project a sense of safety for the user while blending into the fabric of daily life. The team created a set of design and UX principles that leaned on the liveability of the products over time. It resulted in an ecosystem of elegant products that could change their state from fitting discretely and harmoniously in your home to coming to life when an alert is communicated or when intervention is needed. The use of AI and ML algorithms provides a more accurate detection solution by analyzing data to detect any unusual activity and differentiating between false alarms and genuine threats.

The designs were relentlessly tested with users throughout the development process, using multiple scenarios and configurations. All interactions from light, sound, and touch were carefully crafted across the digital and physical system to ensure a holistic and unified experience was had by all users. Capacitive touch buttons are dished to add tactility. Dead front buttons appear and disappear to simplify the interface and guide the user. The ADT-branded octagon is used to form 3D geometry and add subtle surface changes and speaker openings. The newly designed mobile app gives customers remote control over their security systems providing them with a comprehensive view of their security system’s status in real-time and allowing them to resolve any issues quickly.

The platform of physical products was designed for longevity. Timeless experiences can be upgraded by swapping out modules for futureproofing and considerations for easy disassembly and harvesting of valuable components for the eventual end of life.

Impact

The new ADT+ app represents a historic shift in home security, empowering customers in their self-setup and seamlessly integrating multiple smart devices with professional monitoring and proactive mobile alert capabilities. The platform’s smart home integration allows customers to connect their ADT+ security system with other smart home devices, such as cameras, thermostats, and door locks – a significant innovation, enabling customers to have complete, and simplified control over their home security, as well as optimising their energy and reducing waste.