WARN: HUB Receiver

Sole UX designer from discovery to launch

Designer of WARN HUB

4.7/5

Customer Reviews

91

Test Participants

A+

NPS & SUS Scores

My Role & Leadership

UX Design Consultant

Led UX/UI from early discovery through shipped app experience

  • Ran discovery workshops and collaborative whiteboarding sessions

  • Designed and tested wireframes, mockups, and prototypes

  • Created visual design and illustrations for final product

Design Thinking

Led user research planning, facilitation, and stakeholder alignment

  • Conducted user interviews with international participants

  • Used LEGO models and comics to explore user journeys

  • Partnered closely with engineering and product to ensure feasibility and quality

UX Philosophy

Design should be clear, safe and sleek

  • Designed for use in remote, rugged conditions

  • Advocated for safety and accessibility throughout the product development

  • Inspired stakeholders and testers through storytelling and creative methods

WARN Hub Overview

WARN is a leader in off-road winch technology. Their HUB Receiver and app empower drivers and navigators to control their winch from a smartphone via Bluetooth, increasing safety and usability in the field. The system is used by overlanders, pro competitors, and weekend warriors alike.

All product images and videos are courtesy of WARN.

The Challenge

Winch controllers can be too short a cord, uncharged, or misplaced when needed.

User Needs / Pain Points

  • Can’t safely operate from a distance (with existing corded remote)

  • Wireless remote batteries die or devices get lost, leaving the user without a winch in sometimes dangerous situations

  • Lack of real-time winch feedback meant that a truck’s batteries may be draining or that a winch motor is overheating

Business & Technical Challenges

  • Needed to build trust in wireless control

  • WARN’s first app as a company

  • Safeguards & extensive testing to ensure a lost bluetooth connection didn’t cause a “runaway winch”

  • With no internal resources, WARN hired a 3rd party company Metal Toad to build the app

My Approach

Design Workshops

Facilitated workshops with clients WARN and Metal Toad for early brainstorming & alignment.

Wireframes to High Viz

Ensured wireframes were usability tested before creating high viz for greater insights.

Competitor & High Tech Inspiration

UI design was Inspired by everything from bluetooth headphones to vehicle dashboards and video games

User Testing

I facilitated 6 rounds of usability testing (in addition to Warn’s Beta initiative). This influenced both SW and HW design iterations, with metrics reflecting this success.

Outcome

“It was easy to install, easy to pair with the hub, and works perfectly. The app is well thought out in terms of safety features and reliable operation.” - Customer

The WARN HUB Receiver launched on iOS and Android as the company’s first mobile app, delivering a safer and more reliable way to operate winches from up to 100 feet away. The project became WARN’s largest user research effort to date, influencing future product development and reinforcing the brand’s leadership in off-road safety.

  • Positive customer reviews (4.7/5 average) and strong NPS/SUS scores (from Good → Excellent)

  • Operators now receive real-time feedback on battery voltage, winch load, and motor temperature

  • Improved user safety by adding a controls lock UI and safeguards to stop the winch when Bluetooth was lost

  • Reduced safety incidents by enabling operation from a safe distance

  • Established a repeatable UX research and design process for WARN’s digital products

Note: Many project details and artifacts are confidential. I’m happy to discuss my work and approach further in conversation.