Role

Co-Lead Designer (UX + Research)

• Conducted global user research including 500+ questionnaires and 40 interviews

• Helped define product vision and experience strategy

• Contributed to product architecture and ecosystem planning

• Coordinated design across multiple product teams

• Participated in usability validation and iteration

Focus

Acer Cloud was designed to connect Acer devices into a unified ecosystem, allowing users to access, sync, and manage their files seamlessly across phones, tablets, laptops, and other smart devices.

The project focused on building a cloud experience tailored specifically for Acer users, reducing reliance on third-party services while creating a consistent cross-device experience across the Acer product ecosystem.

Problem

Acer had a wide range of devices across multiple operating systems and product categories, including laptops, tablets, phones, projectors, and smart home devices.

However, users often relied on third-party cloud services that were not optimized for Acer devices or workflows.

Through research we identified several challenges:

• fragmented experiences across different Acer product lines and operating systems

• reliance on third-party cloud platforms with limited customization

• inconsistent file structures and device syncing behaviors

• complex setup processes for cloud solutions such as NAS

• subscription costs and hardware requirements that discouraged adoption

The challenge was to design a cloud system that could connect Acer devices seamlessly while remaining simple enough for everyday users.

Solution

Acer Cloud was designed as a device ecosystem cloud platform that enables Acer users to connect their devices and access files seamlessly across them.

Instead of relying on external cloud services, the system allows devices within the Acer ecosystem to function as connected nodes.

Key capabilities included:

• Cross-device file access across phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops

• Automatic syncing between supported devices

• Customizable cloud settings tailored to different device capabilities

• Integration with existing Acer applications and services

• Support for major file types including music, video, and photos

To enable continuous synchronization, we introduced an Always-On architecture where selected devices such as desktops or AIO computers could function as persistent cloud storage nodes.

This allowed users to maintain cloud access without requiring additional hardware such as NAS systems.

Key Design Highlights

Ecosystem-First Cloud Experience

Rather than building another standalone cloud storage product, Acer Cloud was designed to function as a central connection layer for the Acer device ecosystem.

This allowed users to move seamlessly between devices while maintaining consistent access to their data.

Device-Aware Customization

Because Acer devices varied widely in performance and capabilities, the system allowed cloud functions to adapt to different device types.

For example, higher-performance devices could serve as storage hubs while lighter devices acted as access points.

Consistent Experience Across Platforms

A key design goal was maintaining a consistent experience across different operating systems and device categories.

We aligned cloud interactions with existing Acer design guidelines to ensure familiarity while minimizing learning effort for users.

Validation

We developed multiple concepts and validated them through prototype testing.

• 25 participants tested early prototypes

• 20 participants participated in high-fidelity usability tests

Feedback helped refine interaction flows, improve clarity of cloud connections, and optimize file management interactions.

Outcome

Acer Cloud became a core part of Acer’s ecosystem strategy, improving the experience of connecting devices across the Acer product line.

Key outcomes included:

• Improved cross-device experience across Acer products

• Increased adoption of Acer ecosystem services

• Strong user feedback on simplified device connectivity

The platform also enabled the development of dedicated hardware accessories such as Acer Cloud Node, designed to enhance the cloud ecosystem.

Impact

• Simplified complex cross-device interactions into a unified experience, improving usability across mobile and desktop platforms

• Established a scalable UX framework for cloud-based services, enabling consistent product development across multiple devices

• Reduced user confusion in file access and synchronization by clarifying system status and interaction flows