Air conditioners are often taken for granted — but as the world becomes more connected, consumer expectations evolve in every aspect of life. Friedrich Air Conditioning teamed with Pushstart to redesign product interfaces for their expansive line of window and HVAC products — including the need to accommodate both residential and commercial customers. Strategic iteration. Pushstart’s strategic focus identified where investments in connectivity could be offset by reductions in maintenance, service, and support costs. Designs were tested with real users to ensure efficacy, as agile iteration generated a scalable, on-device interface that supports both new products and planned legacy refreshes. Execution focus. Customers don’t get to experience concepts — they experience executions. Pushstart worked closely with internal teams and engineering partners to validate concepts with prototypes throughout the process. When it came time for production, Pushstart accompanied Friedrich teams on visits to China, helping to preserve design intent despite factory cost-cutting instincts.