Transforming the Painting Experience.
Create, connect, and collaborate with SprayManager — a cutting-edge IoT solution and Bluetooth app made for painting professionals.
Our Challenges
Tech Innovation
When we first started the project, developing the mobile app was a challenge as the Bluetooth sprayer hardware was still in development. Despite this, our excellent collaboration with the client allowed us to sync both sides perfectly and get the best results.
Narrow Testing Group
Given the application's limited user feedback options, we turned to industry experts for crucial insights into our target audience's expected behavior. Also, the frequent client visits helped us gain a deeper understanding of the product.
App & Gadget Harmony
To sync data between hardware and the mobile app, we integrated Bluetooth technology with sprayers, enabling users to adjust pressure precisely, access diagnostics, monitor volume effectively, and document the entire process seamlessly.
Mastering Bluetooth Testing
Testing Bluetooth-powered features with real pumps was a new territory for us, but through dedicated effort, we gained a comprehensive understanding of pump nuances, behavior, and the Bluetooth-app dynamics.
Product Design
Elevating Painting Efficiency with a Minimalistic Approach
Concept
SprayManager is the first app that connects with paint spraying systems, supporting Wagner and other brands. It started as an Android app prototype and has evolved into multiple projects requiring various services and team members from our side. One of those projects is an app that accompanies Wagner's sprayer, making contractors' work in the coating industry more efficient, faster, reliable, and easier. We kicked things off by mapping out user journeys and crafting detailed user personas alongside our client. Most of our meetings with the team and the client were online, but we also had occasional in-person gatherings in Markdorf (Germany) or Osijek (Croatia), which helped us connect even more. These meetings were valuable opportunities for retrospectives, tech discussions, and process evaluations.
Visual Design
Initially, we used Sketch to develop high-fidelity wireframes as a basis for our clear and functional concept. As the project advanced, we switched to Figma, a tool we still rely on today. Our prototype began with a hamburger menu but evolved into a sleek bottom navigation across five core screens, designed for practical use by sprayer professionals in real-life scenarios. We focused on a minimalistic aesthetic and ensuring information clarity while adhering to Apple's Human Interface Guidelines and Google's Material Design guidelines. We exported assets to Zeplin during the production phase for seamless collaboration between designers and developers, marking the final stage before implementation. Our final design reflected our commitment to brand fidelity and pixel-perfect functionality.
Product DEVELOPMENT
Creating Meaningful Digital Information through a Native App Path
App Development
Since the start of the project, our mobile developers have significantly improved the quality of the code. One major challenge we faced was collecting relevant data from the sprayer and transforming it into meaningful digital information. This involved synchronizing the sprayer data with the mobile app using BluetoothLE technology, enabling users to fine-tune the pressure, access diagnostics, precisely measure the amount of paint used, and utilize location services. The app itself offers various user roles, including fleet managers and contractors, providing a complete solution for managing self-painting projects from planning to execution and documentation. For SprayManager, we chose the native app path, starting with the Android version and using the Kotlin programming language. For iOS, we used Swift and Apple's UIKit to build the UI, adhering to the MVVM pattern with component architectures for both platforms. One of the app's key parts is the ability to scan the paint bucket. Based on image recognition, the app automatically adjusts sprayer settings for optimal use of a certain color.
Product Ownership
Ever since we started working with the client, we’ve been providing product ownership services for this project and throughout Wagner's digital portfolio. We've used usability testing to shape products, contribute to concept development, analyze real-time metrics, and validate products. The client played a crucial role in product discovery while we defined requirements, collaborated with designers, prioritized tasks, and ensured the app's development. Regular visits to the client's headquarters in Markdorf gave us firsthand insights into their sprayers. These trips allowed us to test the products and directly interact with the users and managers who shape these industrial tools. Moreover, having the client's hardware (sprayer) at our Osijek office allowed us to deeply empathize with users, strengthening our role as product owners.
Lastly, business analysis served as a bridge between product owners, developers, designers, and clients, ensuring the best qualitative solutions. Acting as the backbone of the development team, it enabled a clearer understanding of requirements and excelled in identifying conceptual problems.
Quaility Assurance
Quality assurance (QA) played a crucial role in the development of the SprayManager app. From the start, we prioritized delivering high-quality features, understanding Bluetooth requirements, and focusing on thorough manual testing of functionalities and Bluetooth-related features. Although we initially relied on manual testing, we later began implementing automated tests for core features to streamline the QA process during regression testing. Our QA engineer actively participated in the conception phase and tech meetings, which enabled a better understanding of requirements and helped identify potential issues early on.
Meet the product
You want to take spraying to the next level? Professionals work smarter – Download the app.
Alexander Strobl
Director Digital Transformation IT | j.Wagner GmbH
