Designer
OVERVIEW:
The goal of this product development is to design an external user interface that provides a simple, rapid, and lucid understanding of how transitioning to energy-efficient, all-electric home systems can aid in reducing one's carbon footprint. To accomplish this objective, I carried out interviews and usability testing to determine the best solution.
As part of my role in this project, I am responsible for conducting user research, analyzing the gathered data, and designing the interfaces. After the testing and design stages are finalized, I work in collaboration with the developers to integrate the interface into the real world.
ROLE:
Lead UX/UI Researcher & Designer
PROBLEM:
In what ways can Helio Home educate homeowners on the environmental impact of their home's natural gas and outdated electric systems, and assist them in transitioning to cleaner and more efficient alternatives?
SOLUTION:
The MVP was developed through a process of discovery, research, testing, and design iterations, with the aim of helping users comprehend the impact of their homes on the environment.
TOOLS:
Figma, Google Meet, Notion, UserBob.com, Usabilitytesting.com, Slack, Google Docs
USER RESEARCH:
The user research for this project involved several rounds of user interviews, A/B testing, and usability testing, aimed at gathering both quantitative and qualitative data on the users. The collected data was carefully analyzed and compared to gain insight into how users understand the data related to their homes and the electrification process. Through this process, we were able to identify areas where users struggled and determine how to improve the user interface and experience to enhance user understanding and engagement.
DEFINITION & IDEATION:
During user research I discovered that users can be overwhelmed by the difficult, chunky interface and this can lead to frustration and drop in enrollment numbers.
I believe that providing a clear, simple, and straight forward user flow will retain and grow enrollees. Improvements to the internal enrollment process will take up less on the enrollment specialist’s time, making to possible to complete more enrollments. Improvements to the external self-enrollment will increase the amount of enrollee taking advantage of the ability to not have to call to enroll in their benefits.
I might do this by presenting the user with a questionnaire about themselves, their interests, and how they would like to enroll in benefits. Doing this will allow the product to help the user decide how they want to enroll and do it quickly and easily.
TESTING:
The primary goal of the usability testing was to evaluate the user flows and design of the site to determine if they were intuitive and easy for the user to navigate. To achieve this goal, we used Figma prototypes and Google Meet as a medium to conduct the testing and gather valuable feedback from users.
By observing users as they interacted with the site, we were able to identify pain points and areas where users were having difficulty. This information was then used to make improvements to the user interface and experience, ultimately leading to a more user-friendly and effective design.
KEY FINDINGS:
It is unfortunate that Helio did not make it to the next round of funding, and the design phase had to be cut short before completing the testing of the MVP. However, the initial testing of the product was quite positive, as users appreciated learning about their home's energy usage and its impact on the climate. They also found the design to be clean, modern, and easy to understand. If given the opportunity to create a version two, I would:
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simplify the initial home data confirmation screen by converting multiple options into dropdowns
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provide more clarity on the costs associated with electrification
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revisit a one-page option with further testing to ensure the most optimal user experience
By implementing these changes, I believe we could create an even better product that would resonate well with users and meet their needs more effectively.