Clawhammer Supply

The Situation

The tablet worked. But it was built by engineers to validate hardware, not to serve users.

Clawhammer Supply sells premium home brewing equipment. To elevate the experience, they introduced a custom tablet controller that connected to their hardware system. Technically, it worked. But for a user base of 35–60-year-old hobbyist brewers, many non-tech-savvy, it created friction at every step. Brewing is physical, messy, and time-sensitive. The interface needed to guide, not just control.

The Real Problem

This wasn't a UI redesign. It was a clarity problem.

Users didn't know where they were in the brewing process, what to do next, whether the system was behaving correctly, if temperature overshoot was normal, or when to add ingredients.

Support calls confirmed it. Usability testing confirmed it. Observation confirmed it.

The Strategy

From "manual hardware controller" to "guided brewing system"

I reframed the entire experience. Instead of a dashboard full of controls that users had to figure out, I designed a system that actively guided them through each stage of the brewing process. Then I rebuilt the flow accordingly.

01 — Restructuring the Brewing Experience

A guided, stage-based brewing flow

Instead of scattered controls, I created a structured experience where users always knew what stage they were in, what was happening, and what was expected next. Cognitive load dropped immediately.

• Guided, stage-based brewing flow
• Clear separation between Mash and Boil
• A dedicated distilling flow
• Live progress tracking
• Step confirmation before advancing
• Pause & resume functionality

02 — Making Setup Usable

Setup time dropped by 56%

The MVP had no onboarding and no scheduling. I introduced contextual setup instructions, clear explanations for power settings, always-visible WiFi status, and a Delay Start feature that let users prep at night for an automatic start in the morning. This alone transformed how people used the system.

• Contextual setup instructions
• Clear power settings explanations
• Always-visible WiFi status
• Delay Start feature (prep at night, brew in the morning)

03 — Designing for Real Conditions

Usability under real physical conditions

The hardware introduced real constraints: a low-resolution screen, laggy scrolling, color inconsistencies, WiFi instability, a small display area, and older users with thick fingers. This wasn't about pixel perfection. It was about making things work in a brewery.

• Increased tap targets beyond standard guidelines
• Reduced gesture dependency for core actions
• Optimized contrast specifically for the tablet screen
• Tested everything on the actual device
• Ran internal A/B tests on button sizing

04 — Live Data = User Confidence

The product started communicating back

Brewing requires trust in the system. I added real-time feedback so users felt in control, not confused. The interface communicated system state clearly at every moment.

• Real-time temperature visibility
• Heater state indicators (warming vs overshooting)
• Clear pump controls
• Confirmed alarm interactions
• Step-based reminders
• "45 minutes remaining, add hops" notifications

Impact

Six months post-launch

The tablet shifted from a technical add-on to a value driver for the hardware. Previously inactive users returned, and confusion-driven support calls dropped significantly.