ECO2
Reducing household carbon emissions through a gamified, accessible energy app built on real-time smart meter data.
UX Case Study
OVERVIEW
Project Type: UX Research, Content Strategy, Website Redesign
Duration:3 Month
Role: UX Designer & ResearcherDesigner
Tools: Figma, Google Forms, Miro, Mockup App
THE GOAL
Design a mobile experience that enables users to understand their energy use, take control of their household carbon footprint and feel motivated
to make sustainable changes without needing technical expertise.
THE PROBLEM
Despite smart meters being installed in over half of UK households, many users either ignore their In-Home Display (IHD) or find energy apps unhelpful.
Key issues:
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Users don’t know what actions to take
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Existing apps are often basic, passive, and lack motivation
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There’s no emotional connection to the environmental impact
THE APPROACH - DESIGN THINKING
WIREFRAMES & FORMATIVE TESTING
In the early stages of design and development, the formative method is used to identify issues with user interface (UI) design.
It also offers solutions to address these issues during the initial phases of development.
Three methods for conducting user testing were selected:
Think-Aloud Protocol , Nielsen Heuristics and Surveys
STYLE TILE
Design objectives:
•Simple design -Easy to read
• Inclusive - no gender distinctions
• Free from distractions
• User-friendly
• Easy to use
• Accessible
Colour:
The selected colours are suitable for most individuals, the colour scheme chosen ensures that even those with colour vision deficiencies can easily use and access the app.
Button colours - #F5F5F5 , Text colour- #000000 , Background colour - #FFFFFF .
Primary colours - #4285F4 , #FBBC05
Fonts:
Typography played a significant role in the branding process, focusing on improving readability and user engagement, During the low-fi formative testing phase, some of the participants suggested that the font size should be increased, note that a few of these participants were wearing reading glasses.
FINAL SCREENS
THE RESULT
UNDERSTANDING
100% of users felt better informed
EMPOWERMENT
70% felt confident reducing energy
NPS
WHAT NEXT?
1) Explore integration with household devices to track usage by appliance
2) Introduce team goals for family members or flatmates
3) Test different leaderboard formats for clarity and motivation