An Artificial Intelligence powered energy dashboard that helps homeowners understand their current energy usage.
Design Challenge
Taker
Product Design
Feb 2023
Solo
Figma
Yes? No? Sometimes? Don't worry, many face challenges. Introducing: Home Energy Watch.
Quick sanity check on dollar amount of energy bill and comparison to budget.
View usage in energy types and in comparison to household, local, and global usage.
Locate alerting issues with a 3D interactive mapping of the household.
View usage alerts with projected loss in dollars and energy units.
Open an issue page that details the performance and usage history of an alert.
View the best replacement option and implement right away.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I had a clear initial step: listen to the users themselves.
I conducted 30-minute interviews with my parents, the most accessible homeowners, and also with four college undergraduates adjusting to apartment/house living. Direct user feedback was instrumental.
After grasping user needs and pain points, I assessed the current satisfaction levels.
I discovered successes and potential areas for improvement in three popular energy dashboard products.
Preconditioned Negligence
Household owners have limited time, money, and motivation to care about energy usage.
Low Interpretability.
The process to identify and optimize home energy usage is hindered by high costs, significant efforts, and a lack of actionability.
Not Actionable Process.
The process to identify and optimize home energy usage is hindered by high costs, significant efforts, and a lack of actionability.
Most people handle energy use passively, without much incentive for routine or slightly costly usage. Yet, they're motivated when faced with significant changes, like a doubled energy bill. Aligning with the key insight behavior, I aimed to design a homeowner dashboard focused on proactive alerts and solutions.
To track the system, I used principles from Data Science and Industrial Engineering courses.
I identified 8 stages from data collection to report generation. This process clarified interaction logic and greatly enhanced my design efficiency later on.
Then, I identified seven key relationships with business stakeholders and mapped a viable business model.
Users originally connect with data providers, service providers, regulators, and organizations to understand and optimize energy usage. The dashboard product will profit from condensing a centralized platform.
In crafting the user experience, I focused on the persona Robert, a 52-year-old homeowner. Financially stable and complying with local regulations, he's used energy sensors for two years. I studied his interaction with the dashboard, noting key features for my final design.
After grasping my product's essence, I sketched out various layouts. Then, on Figma, I mapped out the user experience, using red dots to represent anticipated user actions.
Initially, I organized my dashboard in a simple grid. However, I noticed it didn't align with the "references on the left, actions on the right" mental model.
I rearranged so that the key user actions, the usage alerts panel, situates on the right side. This change makes the system easier to use and builds trust for users.
Originally, I had a disorganized power histogram showcasing machine usages horizontally. While informative, it didn't drive the desired user action to reduce electricity usage.
I transitioned the decision with cards that each includes device name, energy category, and losses. I also added floor and location guidance for quick user understanding.
I incorporated semantic colors to timestamps indicating abnormal usage, like a heater running during sleep hours due to low functionality. This quick visual cue provides immediate context for owners.
I introduced tags, such as "HIGH," prompting users to recognize alerts of high importance, prompting swift and informed actions.
Benefits overview and upcoming steps were added for enhanced accountability. For a room heater replacement, key information includes the estimated delivery date of March 2nd and an automatic billing of $99, requiring no further action.
These improvements result from effective collaboration with key partners and service providers, aligning with my business model.
Observe real-life energy management by homeowners to gather concrete insights and align the product with user habits.
Visualize clear logic for scalability and explore the product's potential with complete user flows.Collaborative Engagement:
Involve engineers and business specialists to create a more viable product.
Visualize clear logic for scalability and explore the product's potential with complete user flows.
Involve engineers and business specialists to create a more viable product.
Involve engineers and business specialists to create a more viable conceptual product.
I made sure to design dashboard interfaces that serve as external memory, so users don’t need to constantly switch screens to grasp important details.
Visualize clear logic for scalability and explore the product's potential with complete user flows.
Involve engineers and business specialists to create a more viable product.
I loved diving into complex challenges and applying my technical skills to create meaningful, innovative solutions！
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