The Charge Club

This projects aim was to develop a mobile app that used smart meter data to reduce or shift domestic energy use to off peak times by positively engaging households with climate action.

Introduction

The Problem

The Big Picture

As the world moves to more sustainable energy sources 'balancing electricity supply and demand [will be] increasingly challenging'(Eyre and Kilip, 2019, p15). Displacing the energy consumption peak by shifting use from the most busy times, is projected to be key for the UK's emission reduction (Ipsos, 2009).

Household Picture (UK)

Changing how households use and think about energy is crucial to achieving this shift in domestic energy use and enable the continued movement to sustainable energy. With families differing motivations and understanding, and deeply ingrained habits, new technology needs to be explored in ways that are meaningful to there users.

The Process

The project broadly followed two phases: discovery and design. Working from an existing research pack the discovery process was driven by seeking the right opportunity, as well as a fast 'colouring in' of the research where questions arose, to narrow down the scope.

In the design phase, I focused on a flexible and efficient process, working with limited information by necessity, but using behavioural change theories and best practices to iterate and evaluate a fresh concept.

Discovery

Review research pack

To identify a viable user group to target, I reviewed the research pack and selected a set of personas, representing a family and their temperament towards energy use. I then used the Com-B behavioural change model to frame the data, mapping assumptions to identify areas of opportunity and barriers to changes in energy user behaviour.

I identified an opportunity to focus on teenage family members (ages 11-18), using them as a catalyst to greater awareness in the home. Teens were also seen as more open to environmental motivation and adopting an app of this nature if positioned correctly.

Testing Assumptions

I examined this hypothesis using an assumption matrix to pinpoint questions that needed further investigation. Three key areas of inquiry were identified and explored though additional secondary research and analysis of the data provided using the ‘5 why's’ method to explore the root cause of the insights.

Leading questions

1- How do teens use energy in the home?/How do they think about their energy use?

2-Do teens want more independence/responsibility? (motivator?)

3-How do teens feel about climate change?

Bringing Together Research

At this stage I developed a proto-persona to frame these insights and further develop user empathy for teen family members. This was created alongside three user needs statements mirroring the three areas of interest highlighted above, and laid the foundations for the design principles brought forward from the discovery phase into the design phase.

Initial Ideation

Moving into the design phase I was looking to find a way to fulfil teens' needs for community, independence and eco empowerment and achieve the project's business and ecological aim of shifting energy use.

A key challenge, which had been highlighted in discovery, was that teens had limited autonomy over both their energy use and schedules. However, asking what do teens control led me to turn these challenges into a direction. Using the research and persona to explore their context of use through storyboarding highlighted device charging/use in peak energy times. The problem was also highlighted to be internal and unconscious at the point of use, being a lack of awareness, therefore the app would need to be the initiator of interaction.

I began to build the idea of a ‘charge club’ or event like charging when thinking of an after school context and the need for community.

Design

UX vision statement:

“I believe there is an opportunity to design a mobile app for senior teens, which feel they should be doing more to reduce emissions but are disconnected from their energy use and have less energy autonomy.”

Design Principles:

Developing Feature Set

With a general concept revolving around shifting device charging times beginning to develop, I began to question which features would be included in the app to achieve its aims, using a MoSCoW prioritization matrix. I also considered feasibility, including how to utilise smart meter and other user data whilst considering user privacy.

Design Development

I returned to storyboarding as a thinking tool to grow the concept of a ‘charge club’, trying to identify if the goal would be achieved through the app and if it would be a reasonable interaction to expect in the user’s schedule.

App Architecture

I refined the app architecture, with the structure kept purposely shallow and outwards facing, as its key functionality was expressed through notifications, charging screens and widgets, to be a pleasant but unobtrusive part of life.

UI Sketching was used to develop the ideas further working through the questions:

How will the app communicate the concept of peak and off peak energy times/ when charge club is?
How will the app build long term commitment to shifting energy?
How will the app give a clear link to device energy use?
How will the user be rewarded/what will points encourage and mean to them?
How will the idea of a community be simulated independently? How will a live event feeling be generated?

Testing at low-fidelity

When I had pinned down a more definite user flow, I developed screens a low-fidelity paper prototype and tested them with a user. (Because of ethical constraints this was not a teen, but as close as possible to the target user)

Prime questions investigated in testing were:

- Does the concept of the charge club clock make sense to users?

- Are rewards understandable and desired?

- Is the progression of actions understandable? Is the next action clear for the use?

-Does the user feel like they are part of a community through the steps taken?

Final Development

In line with these findings, I made changes to the app, primarily to ensure the incentives of the reward system made sense to users. I then used Figma to develop a higher fidelity, interactive prototype.

User need statements:

The Solution

The Charge Club is a mobile app that reminds teens of their energy consumption and makes the act of charging devices during off peak times a rewarding and communal event, connecting them to larger, more meaningful and positive action.

Notifications and incentives help the user to be less thoughtless about their energy use, reducing guilt and reconnecting them to their energy use. This is done not by punishing the user, but focuses on what teens can control, by making the shifted charging time a desirable event experience; through unique charging animations, social communal charging, and earning points which act as virtual votes to support club eco projects.

This gives a meaningful interaction for the user by dealing with the pain points of anxiety for the environment and their perceived lack of power, as well as their desires for peer connection through community action and giving independence to manage their own devices responsibly.

Smart meter data is utilized in the app to frame teens actions in the context of their household and offer tips for shifting beyond device use which could result in other family members shifting energy. Weather and grid data is also used to predict high and low peak energy times for the day, aiming to trigger the young audience to start thinking about energy in a new way, giving them a better approach for future energy habits as they gain independence.