Ecosystem Design
The rise in climate change awareness and escalating energy costs has sparked a widespread search for sustainable alternatives. Among these, solar power stands out as a beacon of hope. Despite the concerns these issues raise, they also open up exciting possibilities for innovation and progress.
This project was part of my Google UX Design Professional Certificate coursework.
SolarCrowd is for
Small Businesses
Local Government's
Renters
The Planet
Making a Change
Everyone
SolarCrowd started with a simple realization: solar power is a circle of friends that not everyone is invited to. My concept? To extend that circle, to make solar power not just a privilege but a choice easily within reach for everyone.
Individual Clients
Challenges include restrictive housing situations and lack of space, which often prevent eco-conscious individuals from adopting solar energy solutions.
Local Governments
Local administrations struggle to balance budgetary limitations with the desire to promote sustainable community initiatives.
Small to Mid-Sized Businesses (SMBs)
SMBs grapple with integrating sustainable practices into their operations, often constrained by the complexity of information and the need for clear ROI on green investments.
A simple observation led to a big question: Amidst growing demand, how can we make solar energy not just available, but truly accessible for all?
SolarCrowd's response: Break down the barriers of cost and complexity to empower wide-scale adoption of solar energy.
The breakthrough came with the concept of an integrated ecosystem, combining a mobile app and a responsive website. This ecosystem would not only facilitate investments in solar energy but also foster a community of like-minded individuals committed to a sustainable future.
The SolarCrowd Ecosystem: A Synergistic Relationship
Individual Clients: They join the platform seeking accessible solar investment opportunities, contributing to the demand for renewable energy.
Local Governments: They partner with SolarCrowd to meet community sustainability goals, leveraging the platform to fund and manage solar projects.
Small/Mid-Sized Businesses: These businesses invest through SolarCrowd to fulfil corporate social responsibility and benefit from solar incentives.
Local governments initiate and support solar projects, setting the stage for community engagement and investment.
Individual clients and businesses invest in these local government-sanctioned projects, generating capital and demonstrating demand.
In the SolarCrowd ecosystem, local government officials find optimal locations for solar projects and facilitate expert planning, while business leaders utilize data-driven insights to inform and engage stakeholders.
Individuals can then connect to this framework, investing in accessible solar opportunities and monitoring their impact, which is supported by the foundational investments of governments and businesses.
SolarCrowd's design merges sleek, modern aesthetics with intuitive functionality, presenting a clean and inviting interface that beckons users to interact and explore the possibilities of solar energy.
Adjusting the Approach in SolarCrowd
While crafting SolarCrowd, I learned a lot. User tests showed I needed to be clearer about what we're building.
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Simplifying the Concept
People weren't getting 'crowdfunding'. I saw the confusion first-hand, despite users making it through the setup. So, we shifted our language to 'community-funded' to make things more relatable.
Clearing Up Misunderstandings
75% of users expected to make a payment right away. That wasn't the plan. I've since made it super clear that they're just starting a conversation, not opening their wallets.
Revamping the Onboarding
I went back to the drawing board with the onboarding process. It's more direct now, and walks users through our platform step by step, ensuring everyone's on the same page from the start.
What's Next for SolarCrowd?
The design behind SolarCrowd still needs to be taken from concept to pilot, testing out some of the assumptions in a real-world scenario.
To wrap up, SolarCrowd aims to be more than a concept; it's a step towards a future where sustainable energy is a communal effort, built on a foundation of user-centric design and collaboration.