Iron Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design · 2022
Sim Code Digi Smartwatch Face
- A' Design Award 2022 Iron Winner in Interface, Interaction and User Experience Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Artalex
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 14,879
- Verification code 5E8EFB406A · Verify this award
About Sim Code Digi Smartwatch Face
The Sim Code Digi explores how precise a watch face can be while the elegance is still expressed. By just provides the time, the date and the low-battery indicator which only shows up when the watch battery level is below 10 percent, it raises a question that how much information people really need from a watch. It not only shows how balanced can it be between the simplicity and the need of information, but also brings the time to user in a ultimate straightforward way.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Sim Code Digi explores the beauty out of the ultimate simplicity. It just tells you what time it is when you need to know. Just keeps the essentials and eliminates the rest, but it still conveys the beauty of a smartwatch. In addition of the time, the only information it provides is the low-battery indicator. However, it only shows up when the battery is below 10%.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The dimension of this design is 400 x 400px on Android watch, 360 x 360px on Samsung watch. It supports both round and square smartwatches.
- Tags
- postmodern, elegant, business, casual, informative, dark, precise, innovation, battery-friendly
- Production Technology
- After Simple Code II was released, I tried some other possibilities to convey the time, trying to find how much the time information and the other information (e.g date, steps) can be put together in a well-balanced way. While I was putting on and off some extra icons, one question came up: do people really need these icons? In the modern smartwatch, user is just one swipe (or tap) away from getting the additional information such as the date or the calendar, etc. So, I asked myself further more: when people raise their wrist, what is the most desired information they need? Then I tried to eliminate the steps indicator, the weather icon. The whole new look came up. I switched off the background, leaving it as pure black, and put in a cooler of red. That's all. There goes a ultimate simplified beauty. After a few weeks of test, I felt myself fell in love with it. For the Simulate Digi version, I use the variation of the font weight to differentiate the hour from the minute so that the user will know the time within a fastest glance. Besides, the variation of the font also further beautifies the elegance of the simplicity. Different weight of the font combination conveys different looking. A simple font with different weight and combination can provide so much of beauty.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part of this design is to make the overall looking elegant out of the ultimate simplicity, meanwhile it still provide user the speed of checking time.
- Project Duration
- The project started in June 2020 in Singapore and finished in September 2020, and is released on Facer app and Google Play Store in September 2021.
- Operation Flow
- The design is already released on Facer app. Go to Facer app or website (https://www.facer.io/u/artalex), search "Artalex", and look for the name "Sim Code" or "Sim Digi". Click the "send to watch" button to sync the design into your smartwatch. You need the Facer app installed on your smartwatch. It is also released on Google Play Store. Search "Artalex" as keyword in watch face section of Google Play Store and you will find it. It's free to download.
- Research
- Nothing much about the research. The idea just came out from some experimental moves.
- Inspiration
- This design is inspired by my previous design: Simple Code II. While Simple Code II tries to show as much information as possible at the same time still keep the simplicity, this Sim Code Digi goes the opposite. It raises the question that how much information people really need. Out of the Simple Code II, this Sim Code Digi came up. Just like its name, "Sim", it's just a kind of simulation of the time, nothing more.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Pan Yong, Main image, 2021.
Image #2: Photographer Pan Yong, Group shot, 2021.
Image #3: Photographer Pan Yong, Single shot, 2021.
Image #4: Photographer Pan Yong, Group shot, 2021.
Image #5: Photographer Pan Yong, Single shot, 2021. - Patents
- Copyrights belong to Alex Pan Yong, 2021.
Colors of Sim Code Digi Smartwatch Face
Grand Interview about Sim Code Digi Smartwatch Face
The Sim Code Digi Smartwatch Face embodies minimalism by focusing solely on essential information: time, date, and battery level when critically low. The decision process involved user studies and observing typical smartwatch usage patterns. Elements that distracted from the core function of telling time, such as overly complex graphics or redundant information, were removed. This approach prioritizes clarity and ease of use, delivering elegance through simplicity.
The evolution from Simple Code II to Sim Code Digi was about embracing reductionism. Initially, there was a temptation to add more features to appeal to a broader audience. However, the breakthrough came when I realized that simplicity resonates more deeply with users seeking efficiency. Each design iteration stripped away unnecessary components until only the essentials remained, guided by the principle that “less is more.”
Using variable font weights to differentiate hours from minutes adds an intuitive hierarchy to the display. This subtle distinction allows users to grasp the most critical information—hours—at a glance, while minutes provide context without overwhelming the visual flow. It’s a design choice aimed at both readability and aesthetic balance, reinforcing the elegance of Sim Code Digi.
The low-battery indicator’s discreet appearance at 10% aligns with my philosophy of minimizing distractions. Most users don’t need constant reminders about their battery level; only when action is necessary does the indicator appear. This decision respects the user’s attention while providing critical information at the right time, maintaining the face’s clean aesthetic.
Sim Code Digi challenges traditional smartwatch designs by rejecting information overload. Many interfaces clutter the screen with widgets, notifications, or animations. Instead, my design strips the interface to its core purpose: telling time. Winning the A’ Design Award affirms that radical simplicity can redefine user experience and set new standards in interface design.
The pure black background enhances battery efficiency and creates a timeless canvas for the red accent. Red was chosen for its universal association with urgency and attention, ensuring key elements like the low-battery indicator stand out. This deliberate color palette reflects a balance between functionality and aesthetic purity.
My background in interactive art shaped my approach to Sim Code Digi, particularly in fostering engagement through simplicity. Interactive art taught me that the user’s interaction should feel intuitive and meaningful. By reducing distractions, the design creates a seamless dialogue between the user and their temporal environment.
Designing for both round and square displays required meticulous adjustments to ensure visual harmony. The challenge was to maintain proportions and readability without compromising the minimalist ethos. Customizing spacing, alignment, and scaling for each format ensured the design retained its integrity across devices.
Sim Code Digi paves the way for future smartwatch interfaces to embrace minimalism without sacrificing functionality. Its focus on user-centric information hierarchy could inspire a new wave of designs that prioritize clarity and essentialism, influencing both industry standards and user expectations.
This project highlights a growing preference for streamlined, distraction-free designs. Users increasingly value interfaces that respect their time and attention. Sim Code Digi reflects this shift, proving that simplicity, when executed thoughtfully, can create a more satisfying and impactful user experience.