With tight deadlines (designs needed to be complete within a month of project initiation), a fast and fluid design approach was necessary to quickly develop a high fidelity, interactive prototype that could be shared with stakeholders and pilot users. Early feedback allowed for adjustments and iterations to streamline a number of components and design patterns, which made it easier to adjust in future iterations during development.
It was important for Trickl+ to be straightforward and intuitive for all users of different tech-literacy levels, tailoring the experience to individuals’ households' needs. Bright colours, illustrations and custom icon design add aesthetic & emotional appeal to encourage customers to participate in energy-saving events.
It was important for Trickl+ to be straightforward and intuitive for all users of different tech-literacy levels, with an experience tailored to individuals’ households' needs. Bright colours, illustrations and custom icon design added aesthetic & emotional appeal to encourage customers to participate in energy-saving events.
Cards to separate and organize different blocks of information for scannability allowed users to act on important items quickly. Grouping of cards at the top of the screen provided high-level overviews and recommendations, helping users act on real-time energy tips and tools to reduce or shift home energy usage. Establishing reusable design elements was critical in ensuring I could design and build quickly and consistently.
Reports and analytics also proved to be an important tool to inform and engage users to track their usage, follow their own progress in changing habits, and provide the best insights to help uncover cost saving opportunities. Select participants received Smart Home appliances that would integrate with the Trickl+ mobile application through a smart hub.
It was important to communicate with customers effectively, to ensure seamless accuracy of real-time data. Alerts and warnings were integrated throughout the app for users to quickly identify problem areas – especially if issues were to arise with devices that needed intervention to reconnect or configure.
The pilot demonstrated that giving users control over their own household energy management can produce significant reduction in demand - up to 1kW reduction per household. After a successful pilot program, the Trickl+ app has now been expanded and is accessible for all London Hydro users.
Lean frameworks for quick iterations. Not all projects can undergo extensive feedback stages. Creating a design system and utilizing components meant that many changes required adjustments vs full overhauls of pages.
There is always another idea. It can be challenging dealing with out-of-scope requests that could derail the project, but focusing on the users needs helped deliver a quality product in time.