Year
2026
Category
Product
Country
Germany
Design Studio / Department
Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH & Onstruc UG
Three questions to the project team
What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
The core challenge was that all existing MFT/PAT ecosystems bolt documentation onto testing—as a separate, after-the-fact task. We flipped this: documentation is part of the test flow. From a UX view, that meant removing tool-juggling, typing, and office handovers. Concretely, we designed the neck-strap phone pouch so the smartphone is always stowed yet instantly accessible during probing—hands free, one glance, one tap. Readings move via NFC, fields prefill, and a live preview builds the report as you test. We are the first manufacturer to make documentation as easy as digital carbon-copy, integrated end-to-end—no pre-work, no rework, no after-work.
What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
The highlight of the project was that users—based only on mockups—immediately mapped test steps to Auto-Test from the printed labeling, demonstrating that the team’s painstaking work on simple, legible details truly makes a difference. An aha moment occurred when multiple users asked where to plug in the barcode scanner, not realizing it was integrated into the app; their surprise revealed how strong analog habits are and validated the principle of “measure on device, document on phone.” The low point came during the first hardware round, when the NFC tap was placed poorly, causing unreliable transfers. The hardware had to be redesigned—costly, but it resulted in a robust, user-proof design.
Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
Wiha leads with instrument-first UX: testers and tools designed around the electrician’s workflow, not the bench. We evolve MFT/PAT and add categories like laser distance, thermal, and torque—each guiding the job step by step. Documentation is natively woven into the workflow: readings move via NFC,BT, WiFi, assets are recognized, and structured reports assemble as you test. No extra taps, no office handover. The electrician saves time, is compliant by default, and all data is instantly available for quotes, maintenance, and audits.
