Designing & vib[code]ing into the future.
XelPoint (early concept)
Giving broadcast teams confidence that wireless cameras can move freely without compromising live transmission.
Translating the technical requirements into an operator-oriented experience, defining the information hierarchy and exploring how network measurements could support on-site camera coverage decisions.
ROLE
Product Design
UX Research
TOOLS
Figma
YEAR
2025
TEAMMATES
Devs
Sam Lin
Jason Tu
Yi-Lun Li
From passive to purposeful
Conept
NHK and NEC↗ explored Private 5G as a way to free broadcast cameras from traditional cabling across stadiums, gymnasiums, and golf courses. A key requirement was to measure radio-wave conditions during shooting rehearsals so teams could determine how far a camera operator could move while maintaining a reliable connection.
Why it didn't ship
Engineering lift was too high for the timeline. The feature did not proceed to production as product priorities shifted.
Learning
For technically complex products, the most valuable design isn't necessarily the most comprehensive one. I learned to separate the core operator decision from the infrastructure required to support it, then prioritize the smallest experience that can help operators make that decision. This would allow us to validate the workflow before committing to a larger engineering investment.
PROBLEMS
Business aspect
NEC needs to demonstrate that Private 5G can reliably support mobile live-broadcast cameras, but NHK lacks a practical way to validate network coverage and camera mobility across different venues. Without this confidence, adoption of a network data analyser solution remains uncertain.
Product aspect
Broadcast teams lack a clear, actionable way to understand how Private 5G network conditions translate into safe and reliable camera movement, making it difficult to plan, test, and validate camera routes before a live broadcast.
How might we turn network measurements into actionable information that helps broadcast teams confidently determine where a wireless camera can operate?
USER ECOSYSTEM + THEIR NEEDS
Camera Operator
"Where can I move to while filming?"
Network Engineer
"Is the network performing correctly?
Broadcast/Technical Operator
"Is this route reliably covered?"
USER JOURNEY
DESIGN MISSIONS
Simplifying spatial tools to maximize live operations
1. Translate technical data into operational decisions
the user doesn't care about the behind-the-scenes telecommunications metrics. So instead of designing around network terminology, I designed around decisions.
2. Make the invisible network visible
Different user roles sees and cares for different things. A much meaningful outcome would be to showcase overlapping maps/spatial visualizations to enable all user roles to make decisions.
3. Minimize cognitive load during live production
Operators have enough things to worry about on site, the system should ideally provide low-attention feedback. The detailed analytics belong primarily in the setup/rehearsal/technical workflow.
FOUNDATION PHASE
Establishing a reliable technical foundation
The first iteration focused on consolidating the underlying information required to monitor a connected device and collect measurements during a coverage test.
Design rationale
The first priority was making the underlying network and measurement data accessible and trustworthy before layering a more decision-oriented experience on top of it.
KEY INSIGHTS
Data isn't the decision
The data is now on the table, but does it help solve the problem?
The initial concept gave teams visibility into the technical health of the Private 5G connection, from signal strength and network metrics to device location and system logs. But there's a deeper need to be solved:
"Is this camera route viable for the production?”
What's the network doing?
What can the camera do?
SOOOO... WHAT THEN?
For camera operators
Immediate movement feedback
Take the current Cellular + Location information and turn it into a live network status.
For network engineers
Ability to diagnose coverage deterioration
Clear logs that reflects back to the management platform for detailed real-time monitoring.
For broadcast operators
Spatial Coverage
Map measurements against the venue and planned camera routes to validate production coverage. Give network conditions spatial context by visualizing them across the venue so they know where to go (and not).
