Humminbird Design System
// ROLE
UI/UX Design Intern — User Flows, Design Systems, Prototyping, Cross-Functional Collaboration
// OVERVIEW
Humminbird’s fish finders are widely used by anglers and boaters worldwide, providing industry-leading sonar technology for navigation and fishing. As part of their transition from analog to digital, Humminbird is implementing a comprehensive design system to unify and streamline their interface across devices.
My work focused on developing user flows and designing scalable components within this system, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience. By refining navigation structures and optimizing key interactions, I contributed to a more efficient and accessible digital interface for both new and experienced users.
// TEAM
Brian Laser, Lead ID/UX Designer
Ethan Harrington, UX Designer
Adaptable Power Menu Modal
To enhance user control and streamline the power management experience, I designed an adaptable power menu modal for Humminbird fish finder users. This solution accommodates both single-unit users and those with multiple units, allowing them to power off an individual device or all connected units from a single menu.
// PROTOTYPE
// COMPONENTS
Using Humminbird’s brand standards such as colors, iconography, and typography, I created scalable components that maintain consistency across four different interfaces. By leveraging properties and variants within Figma, I ensured flexibility and efficiency in development, allowing software engineers to easily implement the modal with minimal modification. This approach streamlined the handoff process and helped maintain a seamless user experience across devices.
Figma Components
Variants
Text Properties
Booleans
Instance swaps
Nested instances
User-Centered Design
Two layouts — for users with just one fish finder unit AND users with multiple units
Saves time and fulfills a major heuristic in UX allowing for full freedom of control
Modernizing the Audio MiniApp
To improve accessibility and efficiency in audio management, I redesigned Humminbird’s audio miniapp, which functions as a sidebar drawer. This feature allows users to adjust audio settings without navigating away from their current screen, enhancing usability and minimizing workflow disruptions.
// PROCESS
I designed layouts for three different screen resolutions to accommodate the latest fish finder models, ensuring a consistent experience across devices. Additionally, I created conditional input layouts for nine different audio sources, including AM/FM, SiriusXM, and USB. By prioritizing information architecture and developing a variety of button components, I streamlined navigation and optimized interaction patterns. This solution provides users with a more intuitive and adaptable way to manage their audio settings.
9-Inch Touch Screen Models
Three-row layout
Main buttons only
Information architecture
10-Inch+ Touch Screen Models
Five-row layout
All buttons available
Speaker data (zone, volume)
Track data (song length, track number)
// CONDITIONAL INPUT LAYOUTS
Favorite Waypoints Array
Anglers need a quick and intuitive way to mark key locations—such as schools of fish or shipwrecks—without scrolling through extensive category lists. To streamline this process, I redesigned the favorite waypoints array for Humminbird’s fish finder interface. With six categories (General, Fishing, Species, Navigation, Symbols, and Ice Fishing) and numerous waypoint options, the new design allows users to efficiently select their preferred icons and colors.
// WHY THE CHANGE?
The previous layout lacked clear category distinction, making navigation cumbersome. My solution introduced a structured grid layout that maintained familiarity while enhancing information hierarchy, ensuring users could easily differentiate categories. I tested four different layouts before finalizing a design that balanced clarity, efficiency, and feasibility for software development. The final layout effectively optimized the selection process, improving both user experience and implementation efficiency for software developers.
// SIDE BY SIDE LOOK
Old
New
Takeaways & Learnings
Through these projects, I gained valuable experience collaborating across departments by attending weekly stand-up meetings with product managers and lead designers. This process reinforced the importance of cross-functional communication in aligning design decisions with technical feasibility while also highlighting the challenges of translating user needs into business solutions. I further developed my ability to create scalable components and layouts that enhance user experience while streamlining development. Additionally, testing multiple iterations before finalizing designs emphasized the role of user-centered design and information hierarchy in improving usability. These experiences deepened my understanding of design systems, accessibility, and the iterative nature of UX, strengthening my ability to balance user needs with implementation constraints.