As a UX designer, I embarked on a project to address the challenges faced by owners of solar systems regarding their energy production and consumption. Solar system owners often find themselves uncertain about how much power they generate and use, as well as their reliance on solar power versus municipal power. This issue becomes particularly pressing during energy crises and unpredictable weather conditions.
The project aims to provide clarity and control to solar system owners by developing a user interface that delivers real-time insights into their energy usage. The focus is on helping users understand their energy production and consumption patterns more clearly. Additionally, the project seeks to assist users in making informed decisions about their energy use and planning for varying conditions, ultimately enhancing their overall experience with their solar systems.
"Alex is a tech savvy user who wants to know what power his home uses solar power it brings because he wants to know if there is enough solar power for his appliances."
Our Smart Solar App will let users know when they can use their appliances
Which will affect when home owners use power By showing when they have most solar input power.
We will measure effectiveness by tracking a decline in municipal electricity used trough the app.
- Provide users with insights into their power generation
- Offer users clear information on their power consumption
- Display the energy usage of individual appliances
- Offer tips on how to reduce power consumption
- Integrate weather forecasts with projected power input
During the user flow phase, we focused heavily on making the process of connecting a new device easy and user-friendly. This is especially important because it is one of the first tasks a user must complete before the app can be used for its main function.
The branding colors have been slightly adjusted in consultation with SAM SAM to improve accessibility. A neutral background was also chosen to keep the app calm and organized.
The main feature now has clear, large buttons to ensure they are easy to find and use. The forecast uses candles to indicate how much energy will be produced.
During the creation and testing of the prototype, we discovered that there is still work to be done to make the appliance checker more intuitive. It became clear that we need to improve the clarification of which appliances are already in use and which appliances are not yet in use but need to be checked for sufficient power.
The solar forecast works very well, and the summary provides the user with a quick and easy overview.