Riya Ariwala

Based in Seattle, WA · PDT

Riya Ariwala

Based in Seattle, WA · PDT

Riya Ariwala

Based in Seattle, WA · PDT

Industry

Consumer Technology

My Role

UX Researcher & Designer

Timeline

Oct - Dec 2024 | 7.5 weeks

Reimagining the MacBook Pro Touch Bar to Make It More Intuitive and Useful

Prototype →

The Challenge: Innovation That Didn’t Work for Users

When Apple Inc. introduced the MacBook Pro Touch Bar, it was positioned as the future of laptop interaction—a dynamic replacement for traditional function keys.

But in practice, many users found it frustrating rather than helpful. Instead of simplifying workflows, it introduced friction:

  • Low visibility: Users didn’t know what features existed

  • Unclear interactions: Icons were confusing or unfamiliar

  • Limited control: Customization was difficult

  • Frequent errors: Accidental taps disrupted tasks

At its core, the Touch Bar wasn’t aligning with how people naturally work.

How might we make the Touch Bar more visible, intuitive, and customizable so it enhances—not hinders—user workflows?

What We Learned from Users

To understand real-world usage, we conducted a survey with 11 MacBook Pro users.

Key Insights:

  • Average usability rating: 2.5 / 5

  • 27% rarely or never used the Touch Bar

  • Many preferred keyboard shortcuts for speed and reliability

  • Users were frustrated by disappearing controls and a lack of tactile feedback


The Touch Bar wasn’t failing because of its technology—it failed because it didn’t match user habits or expectations.

Where the Experience Breaks Down

Using heuristic evaluation, we identified consistent usability issues:

  • Lack of clear feedback after actions

  • No easy way to undo mistakes

  • High chance of accidental taps

  • Icons required guessing instead of recognition

  • Customization was limited and hard to access


Heuristic

Severity Rating

Finding

Recommendation

Visibility of System Status

Minor (2)

Users lack awareness of certain Touch Bar features, causing confusion during complex actions.

Integrate visual cues or brief notifications (e.g., animations) to indicate status and functionality during use.

Match Between the System and the Real World

Moderate (3)

Some icons (e.g., highlighting, mission control) are not intuitive, leading to misunderstandings.

Standardize iconography for universal recognition or add tooltips to clarify functions when hovered/tapped.

User Control and Freedom

Minor (2)

The dynamic nature of the Touch Bar can cause unintended actions without easy undo options.

Add an undo option or confirmation prompt for actions initiated via the Touch Bar to enhance control.

Error Prevention

High (4)

Small, closely spaced buttons increase accidental touches due to sensitive controls.

Redesign the layout with more spacing and add tactile feedback (e.g., haptic response) to prevent accidental actions.

Flexibility and Efficiency of Use

Moderate (3)

Limited customization and narrow width restrict user efficiency and workflow adaptation.

Allow icon rearrangement and customization; consider Touch Bar relocation to enhance efficiency.

Help and Documentation

Minor (2)

Lack of contextual help or tutorials causes uncertainty about available features.

Include a built-in help feature or quick reference guide accessible directly from the Touch Bar.


The experience relied too much on recall and precision, instead of clarity and control.

Observing Real Behavior

Through task analysis and usability testing (10 participants), I observed how people interacted with the Touch Bar in everyday scenarios.


Task Type

Example Task

Observation Summary

Frequent Function

Adjust screen brightness

Users immediately recognized the sun icon; completion was fast and confident (3–4 seconds).

Less Frequent Function

Access Mission Control

Participants hesitated, pressed wrong buttons, or defaulted to trackpad gestures; average time 17–24 seconds.

Web Navigation

Open a new browser tab

Most relied on the trackpad due to habit; scanning the Touch Bar took longer (6–12 seconds).

Highlight Interaction

Highlight a sentence in Preview

The icon was unclear; users described it as “a random symbol” and preferred traditional methods.

Media Controls

Play, pause, skip, adjust volume

Universally successful - icons were recognized and actions confirmed via visual feedback.

What Worked Well

  • Simple, familiar actions (like brightness and volume) were fast and intuitive

  • Recognizable icons led to confident interactions

Where Users Struggled

  • Tasks like Mission Control or highlighting text caused hesitation

  • Users often defaulted to keyboard shortcuts or trackpad gestures

  • The dynamic layout disrupted muscle memory and flow


When interactions required thinking, users avoided the Touch Bar entirely.

Understanding Different Users

We identified three behavior patterns:

  • The Traditionalist — sticks to keyboard shortcuts

  • The Curious Learner — tries the Touch Bar but doesn’t stick with it

  • The Pro User — wants efficiency but feels limited





Design Direction: Make It Clear, Personal, and Forgiving

From the research, three principles guided the redesign:

  • Make it clear → Improve visibility and feedback

  • Make it personal → Allow customization and control

  • Make it forgiving → Reduce errors and support recovery

The Solution: Touch Bar 2.0

We redesigned the Touch Bar to better support real workflows:

KEY IMPROVEMENTS

  • Persistent Controls
    Always-visible access to essential actions like brightness and volume

  • Wider, Spaced Layout
    Reduced accidental taps and improved accuracy

  • Undo / Reset Option
    Quick recovery from unintended actions

  • Dual Modes

    • Minimal View for focus

    • Expanded View for advanced tasks

  • Improved Feedback
    Subtle animations confirm actions in real time

The redesign made the Touch Bar feel predictable, usable, and worth engaging with.







Impact & Reflection

  • Reduced user frustration and accidental interactions

  • Improved confidence in using the Touch Bar

  • Encouraged adoption among both new and experienced users

What I Learned

  • Even innovative interfaces fail if they ignore mental models

  • Visibility, feedback, and control are essential in any interaction

  • Combining research methods leads to stronger, more actionable insights

Next Steps

If I were to take this project further, I would:

  • Explore adaptive customization based on user behavior

  • Test the redesign over time to evaluate long-term adoption