Always well served with Integral IMAP
The development of products, services, and processes is necessary to continuously adapt them to new conditions and needs. If an improvement is achieved that makes processes more efficient and easier, it can certainly be called innovation. Schrack Seconet has succeeded in doing just that with the new Integral IMAP control panel: Building on the proven operating logic of successful previous models, an optimized interface for fire alarm control panels and remote control panels with new features provides more clarity and easier handling.
Integral IMAP will be available on the Austrian market in April 2025. Internationally, it will be introduced in July 2025 and will be available in over 25 languages. Schrack Seconet product managers Andreas Haumer and Stefan Führer reveal why the new control panel can be seen as a usability revolution and how users benefit from the revised form and functionality.
In brief: What three aspects make the new Integral IMAP so attractive?
Haumer: The list of improvements is really long – essentially, it can be said that the application possibilities have significantly expanded, the overall handling is easier, and users are now guided even more securely through processes.
Sounds like a big change – does that make the switch to the new control panel complicated?
Führer: No, despite the innovations, upgrading to Integral IMAP is very simple. The operating logic itself has basically remained the same, and no major adjustment is required for the new functions. Rather, users benefit from an even more intuitive operation and a more flexible system that saves them time every day.
Haumer: We have worked intensively on the design to achieve even more clarity. However, the greatest progress lies in the features that the control panel has been expanded with. These are 100% oriented towards the needs of users, rely on self-explanatory navigation, and make operation more user-friendly than ever before.
How did you approach the development of the new Integral IMAP?
Führer: The approach was very special because we first took a step back in our analysis. This means that together with the Munich agency N+P, we critically questioned all previous assumptions and then boldly ventured into testing new approaches and designs. We allowed for change – this, for example, led us to abandon the previous symmetrical layout. The most important success factor was certainly that we oriented ourselves towards the needs of users at every development step and strived for real improvement in all areas.
Haumer: This is why we are particularly pleased that we were able to convince not only users but also two established design competitions with the newly developed Integral IMAP: The new control panel was awarded both the Red Dot Award and the German Design Award.
What exactly has improved – can you give a few examples?
Führer: The heart of the new control panel is the significantly larger display, on which all important information can now be placed and kept in view clearly. Completely new is that freely chosen QR codes can be stored on the display field – as quick links to contacts, instructions, video tutorials, and many other contents. The ten LEDs on the right side of the display and the shortcut button are also individually programmable. These functions show how flexible and user-friendly Integral IMAP is.
Haumer: The context-based lighting is also very practical. It safely guides users through all steps, for example, in the event of an alarm. The buttons have a light ring that indicates the buttons to be pressed. This makes operation easier, especially in critical moments when every second counts. Overall, many things that previously required an additional control and display device are now possible with a single control panel. This impressively shows that the operation process can hardly be more efficient than with Integral IMAP.