Buzr: Prototype for a truly smart doorbell
Missed packages, missed visitors, or unwanted calls when your baby is just asleep? According to Buzr, that should all be a thing of the past. Buzr creates a doorbell that radically changes our front door. Can be used for any type of home without expensive hardware or complicated installations.
The name Buzr? It comes from the English 'buzzer', the sound that old-fashioned intercom systems make when you let your visitors in.
Buzr's question
The three founders of Buzr had an idea for a truly smart doorbell. A software solution that combines a smartphone app with a simple NFC tag at the front door. In doing so, they want to completely turn the market for smart doorbells upside down. Not only in the Netherlands, but throughout the world!
Traditional smart doorbells require the purchase of expensive hardware — often several hundred euros — and a complex installation. They also need WiFi, which is why they are often unstable. Moreover, they do not work in every living situation, such as student houses or shared front doors in apartments.
Buzr asked us to bring the idea to life. They needed a prototype to show their idea to potential investors and to test the concept with different users.
The solution
We started with a design sprint to further develop the concept together with the founders of Buzr. We made our ideas visual with a number of UX screens. And we mainly focused on the user experience of both residents and visitors and came up with a number of use cases and necessary functionalities in a series of workshops.
We then set priorities: how do we offer as much value as possible to the end user as quickly as possible and thus build a solid business model from day 1? The insights and choices we gained in these discussions were the basis for a first clickable prototype. In addition, we provided a backlog, complete with priorities and estimates and a design for the technical infrastructure.
This gave Buzr a clear overview of the expected costs and results.
Building a rocket...
We started in the summer of 2023 and completed the design sprint in the fall. Quite a lot of time to spend thinking and designing. We do this consciously, because we believe that you should test and test things before you build them. Launching a development process is like launching a rocket. You don't just do that either. You weigh everything, sort things out carefully and only then press the Big Red Button. You can easily win back the extra time you spend at the start of the project later, because changes to a prototype are infinitely cheaper than changes to a working product.
“The knowledge that Blis Digital brought in product design, product management, development and architecture was very valuable to the project and has given us a significant advantage.” Pablo Buwalda, Co-Founder Buzr
We love companies like Buzr. Companies that, driven by the enthusiasm and vision of the founders, come up with new innovations and thus create value for users and developers. So we set up the cooperation with Buzr in such a way that we were more than just a performer. By doing business together and looking at the future value of the product, we can now speed up together.
“Blis Digital distinguishes itself from competitors by treating our relationship as a partnership. From the start, they believed in our idea, which made a strong collaboration between us as founders and the BLIS team possible”. Simon Lok, Co-Founder Buzer
Steps to a successful launch
Now that the design sprint has been completed, Buzr has a high-quality prototype, plus a cost estimate for the realization of the product. They can now confidently present the idea to potential investors and customers. We achieved this great result together. The Buzr team kept us focused on business results, while, as a tech partner, we provided the knowledge and experience needed for a successful design and development process.
The current prototype is primarily a tool for learning even more about the market, the user and possible business models. We will incorporate those lessons into the first version that actually goes live. So we will continue to help Buzr always come up with the best technical solution for market success.
“Thanks to Blis Digital, we are ready to attract investments for our digital product. The BLIS team brought the right combination of technical, design and organizational skills to make this early phase of our product development successful”. Pablo Buwalda, Co-Founder Buzr
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