Role

Solo Product Designer

• Conducted user research with 30+ participants

• Defined product architecture and interaction model

• Designed information architecture and navigation

• Created cross-platform UI for iOS, Android, tablet, and desktop

• Built prototypes and ran usability testing

Timeline: approximately 9–12 months

Focus

Personal Server is a cross-platform system that turns a user’s devices into a private cloud network. Instead of uploading files into a single cloud folder, users can access files directly across authorized devices when they are online.

The project explored a new approach to personal cloud infrastructure that combines the convenience of online cloud services with the flexibility of device-based storage.

Problem

Traditional cloud solutions force users to choose between two imperfect options.

Online cloud services are easy to use but restrict syncing to designated folders and require ongoing subscription costs.

NAS systems provide more control but require dedicated hardware, complex setup, and technical maintenance.

Users frequently experience frustration when they need files unexpectedly and cannot access them without uploading them in advance.

The challenge was to design a cloud system that enables real-time cross-device access without requiring additional infrastructure or complex configuration.

Solution

Personal Server connects authorized devices into a private cloud network called a cloud circle.

Instead of moving files into a cloud folder, users can browse files across their devices directly. One device can optionally act as a storage center for backup and synchronization.

Key capabilities include:

• Real-time device connectivity

• Customizable syncing rules

• Cross-platform support (phone, tablet, desktop)

• Optional device-based backup center

• Integration with existing cloud services

This approach allows users to maintain their existing file structures while still gaining the benefits of a cloud system.

Key Design Highlights

Device Radar

To make the system status immediately understandable, I designed a radar-style visualization that shows all connected devices and their online status.

Users can instantly see which devices are available and access them directly.

Customizable Sync Logic

Users can define which devices, folders, and conditions participate in syncing.

For example, syncing can be limited to Wi-Fi connections or scheduled at specific intervals.

This level of customization allows the cloud system to adapt to different user workflows.

Unified File Access

Instead of forcing users to restructure files into cloud folders, Personal Server allows users to browse device files directly while maintaining their original organization.

Outcome

The project validated a device-network model for personal cloud systems through research and usability testing.

While the product progressed through cross-platform design and implementation stages, long-term development was not continued due to internal constraints.

However, the design work demonstrated how a customizable private cloud could reduce setup complexity while preserving user control over storage infrastructure.

Impact

• Transformed a technically complex personal server system into an intuitive, user-centered experience

• Validated end-to-end UX flows through a working Android prototype, reducing ambiguity between design and implementation

• Improved system transparency and user control by making underlying processes visible and understandable

Implemented an Android prototype to validate end-to-end UX flows and system behavior (demo available upon request).