Helping Atlantic-Canadian businesses understand and implement their climate-action goals
Helping Atlantic-Canadian businesses understand and implement their climate-action goals
Helping Atlantic-Canadian businesses understand and implement their climate-action goals
Role
UX/UI Designer
Duration
4 weeks
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Miro
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
ClimaTech Innovations Inc (CTI) provides climate solutions that deliver simple, local, and tangible methods for businesses to fight climate change
ClimaTech Innovations Inc (CTI) provides climate solutions that deliver simple, local, and tangible methods for businesses to fight climate change
OVERVIEW
CTI currently offers its clients an emissions analysis with which our team was tasked to translate into a new SaaS dashboard
OVERVIEW
CTI currently offers its clients an emissions analysis with which our team was tasked to translate into a new SaaS dashboard
PRIMARY RESEARCH
PRIMARY RESEARCH
What are the pain points of the current product?
What are the pain points of the current product?
CTI provided a rudimentary prototype and carbon analysis report to our team. I reviewed the carbon footprint analysis and initial designs to assess their efficacy in communicating progress results, informing decision-making, and providing recommendations. Presented below are two main takeaways:
CTI provided a rudimentary prototype and carbon analysis report to our team. I reviewed the carbon footprint analysis and initial designs to assess their efficacy in communicating progress results, informing decision-making, and providing recommendations. Presented below are two main takeaways:
Reduced complexity provides clarity
Reduced complexity provides clarity
Complicating the decision-making process with 12 emissions reduction opportunities in a sea of text yields a poor user experience, per Miller's Law
Complicating the decision-making process with 12 emissions reduction opportunities in a sea of text yields a poor user experience, per Miller's Law
Information hierarchy
Information hierarchy
Ensuring clients understand metrics and insights and are able to find what they need within 5 seconds depends on a clear and concise layout
Ensuring clients understand metrics and insights and are able to find what they need within 5 seconds depends on a clear and concise layout
What are the competitors doing?
What are the competitors doing?
The carbon accounting and management space may be niche, but our research unearthed a long list of potential competitors that we could source insights into user needs, preferences, and expectations, as well as industry-wide design trends and standards. Screens of four competitors are presented below:
The carbon accounting and management space may be niche, but our research unearthed a long list of potential competitors that we could source insights into user needs, preferences, and expectations, as well as industry-wide design trends and standards. Screens of four competitors are presented below:
What makes a good SaaS dashboard?
What makes a good SaaS dashboard?
Clear visual hierarchy reinforces mental models, highlights important information, and facilitates user comprehension
Well-defined actionable insights facilitate user actions
Contextual data visualizations
Clear visual hierarchy reinforces mental models, highlights important information, and facilitates user comprehension
Well-defined actionable insights facilitate user actions
Contextual data visualizations
Our discovery process is going well, right? Wrong.
Our discovery process is going well, right? Wrong.
I ran into an obstacle…
I ran into an obstacle…
Our stakeholders' priorities were misaligned
Our stakeholders' priorities were misaligned
I wanted buy-in from our stakeholders in interviewing current clients about their experience with ClimaTech.
ClimaTech Innovations wanted to start designing.
In order to find a solution, I needed to emphasize how fundamental the UX process is to building products that are centered around user needs, goals, and pain points.
The outcome? Both stakeholders agreed to the user-centered strategy moving forward, giving clarity and purpose to future design decisions.
I wanted buy-in from our stakeholders in interviewing current clients about their experience with ClimaTech.
ClimaTech Innovations wanted to start designing.
In order to find a solution, I needed to emphasize how fundamental the UX process is to building products that are centered around user needs, goals, and pain points.
The outcome? Both stakeholders agreed to the user-centered strategy moving forward, giving clarity and purpose to future design decisions.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might we translate the carbon footprint analysis framework into a user-friendly, centralized dashboard where clients can measure, manage, and mitigate their carbon emissions?
How might we translate the carbon footprint analysis framework into a user-friendly, centralized dashboard where clients can measure, manage, and mitigate their carbon emissions?
PLAN AND IDEATE
PLAN AND IDEATE
With a clear understanding of the product, product requirements, and business goals, I began the ideation stage focusing on generating as many ideas as possible.
With a clear understanding of the product, product requirements, and business goals, I began the ideation stage focusing on generating as many ideas as possible.
Sketches
Sketches
I started my design process by sketching and user flows. With so much information within the carbon footprint analysis, it was important leverage sketching to visually assess potential layouts relative to the user's end goal of offsetting their carbon emissions.
I started my design process by sketching and user flows. With so much information within the carbon footprint analysis, it was important leverage sketching to visually assess potential layouts relative to the user's end goal of offsetting their carbon emissions.
User Flow
User Flow
We engaged in several working sessions to finetune the platform's flow without compromising usability.
Presented is the manage flow where clients implement offsetting recommendations or update activity data.
We engaged in several working sessions to finetune the platform's flow without compromising usability.
Presented is the manage flow where clients implement offsetting recommendations or update activity data.
PROTOTYPE
PROTOTYPE
Designing a carbon accounting solution that enabled businesses to measure, manage, and mitigate their carbon emissions could turn into a convoluted, hard to use platform. However, I made sure to design with this ethos in mind: the platform must feel effortless to use.
Designing a carbon accounting solution that enabled businesses to measure, manage, and mitigate their carbon emissions could turn into a convoluted, hard to use platform. However, I made sure to design with this ethos in mind: the platform must feel effortless to use.
How do we get there?
How do we get there?
By building a product that is intuitive, actionable, and fast
By building a product that is intuitive, actionable, and fast
THE SOLUTIONS
Dashboard
Dashboard
User journeys matter. I wanted to take the user on a strategic journey that ended with them taking climate action.
"What's my company's emissions metrics?"
"Can I see a breakdown of my emissions?"
"What can I do to offset or reduce my company's carbon emissions?"
User journeys matter. I wanted to take the user on a strategic journey that ended with them taking climate action.
"What's my company's emissions metrics?"
"Can I see a breakdown of my emissions?"
"What can I do to offset or reduce my company's carbon emissions?"
Manage
Manage
Clients need a holistic view of the carbon impact of business functions and activities. Moreover, they need the ability to import said activity data in order for ClimaTech to continue providing accurate emissions analytics.
Clients need a holistic view of the carbon impact of business functions and activities. Moreover, they need the ability to import said activity data in order for ClimaTech to continue providing accurate emissions analytics.
Mitigate
Mitigate
"Wow, I did not realize how much my company pollutes the environment…I need to do something about this" - Client
This is where ClimaTech's focus on simple, local, tangible climate solutions come into play! Clients can view forest plots in the Atlantic-Canada region and select where they would like to offset their emissions with tree plantings.
"Wow, I did not realize how much my company pollutes the environment…I need to do something about this" - Client
This is where ClimaTech's focus on simple, local, tangible climate solutions come into play! Clients can view forest plots in the Atlantic-Canada region and select where they would like to offset their emissions with tree plantings.
EVALUATION
EVALUATION
What did users think of the design?
What did users think of the design?
We conducted usability tests on two clients to ensure the current platform's functionality aligns with the client's expectations. Through testing we can uncover problems and discover opportunities that will improve the user experience. Moreover, we wanted to ensure the platform was intuitive, fast, and actionable.
We conducted usability tests on two clients to ensure the current platform's functionality aligns with the client's expectations. Through testing we can uncover problems and discover opportunities that will improve the user experience. Moreover, we wanted to ensure the platform was intuitive, fast, and actionable.
2 main takeaways
2 main takeaways
Cluttered layout
Cluttered layout
Problem: 2/2 users found the dashboard to be cluttered.
Solution: Remove non-essential emissions widgets and only provide the most essential metrics and tasks on the main dashboard. If clients want to view more emissions analytics, they can do so by navigating to the appropriate Measure page.
Conclusion: Hick's Law states that people take longer to make a decision when presented with too many options. Since the dashboard sets the tone for ClimaTech's clients, it becomes important to construct a simple, yet easy-to-use, user journey.
Problem: 2/2 users found the dashboard to be cluttered.
Solution: Remove non-essential emissions widgets and only provide the most essential metrics and tasks on the main dashboard. If clients want to view more emissions analytics, they can do so by navigating to the appropriate Measure page.
Conclusion: Hick's Law states that people take longer to make a decision when presented with too many options. Since the dashboard sets the tone for ClimaTech's clients, it becomes important to construct a simple, yet easy-to-use, user journey.
Information architecture
Information architecture
Problem 1: 2/2 users were confused with the Data Input flow being found under the Mitigate page.
Solution: Moving Data Input under the Manage page, alongside the other data management flow, Recommendations.
Conclusion: Clients are presented 2 tasks when it comes to managing their carbon footprint: they can review and address emissions reduction opportunities (Recommendations) or upload emissions activity data that enables them to accurately measure their carbon footprint (Data Input).
Problem 1: 2/2 users were confused with the Data Input flow being found under the Mitigate page.
Solution: Moving Data Input under the Manage page, alongside the other data management flow, Recommendations.
Conclusion: Clients are presented 2 tasks when it comes to carbon footprint management: they can review and address emissions reduction opportunities (Recommendations) or upload emissions data that enables them to accurately measure their carbon footprint (Data Input).
Problem 2: 1/2 users wanted to explore available reforestation plots on an interactive map.
Solution: Create Explore and Purchase tabs.
Conclusion: Clients can explore mitigation opportunities on a map. When a desired plot is selected, the user is directed to a granular view of the plot to see which parcels are available for tree plantings, as well as review important analytics for claimed parcels.
Problem 2: 1/2 users wanted to explore available reforestation plots on an interactive map.
Solution: Create Explore and Purchase tabs.
Conclusion: Clients can explore mitigation opportunities on a map. When a desired plot is selected, the user is directed to a granular view of the plot to see which parcels are available for tree plantings, as well as review important analytics for claimed parcels.
FINAL DELIVERABLES
FINAL DELIVERABLES
Marketing Materials
Marketing Materials
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Next steps
Our design team released a minimum viable product in 4 weeks. However, if time permitted, here are three additional findings gleaned from our usability tests that could be implemented in phase 2:
Next steps
Our design team released a minimum viable product in 4 weeks. If time permitted, here are 3 additional findings gleaned from our usability tests to be implemented in phase 2:
Next steps
Our design team released a minimum viable product in 4 weeks. However, if time permitted, here are three additional findings gleaned from our usability tests that could be implemented in phase 2:
01 | Target goals: ClimaTech can develop a carbon strategy to set clear, quantifiable emissions goals or objectives based on Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), IPCC 1.5C or 2C targets, or EU climate compliance disclosures with emphasis on the potential return on investment on decarbonization.
02 | Spotlight Onboarding: Implementing spotlighting can aid the onboarding process by showing clients locations for certain tasks or leading walkthroughs for user flows, particularly when it comes to understanding what data is needed to successfully track emissions goals and how to upload said data.
03 | Carbon Education Center: Climate change has largely been framed as an environmental issue when in reality it has foundation within social, geopolitical, and economical spheres. In order to facilitate climate action in its clients, ClimaTech could offer an educational center on the specifics of climate change.
01 | Target goals: ClimaTech can develop a carbon strategy to set clear, quantifiable emissions goals or objectives based on Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), IPCC 1.5C or 2C targets, or EU climate compliance disclosures with emphasis on the potential return on investment on decarbonization.
02 | Spotlight Onboarding: Implementing spotlighting can aid the onboarding process by showing clients locations for certain tasks or leading walkthroughs for user flows, particularly when it comes to understanding what data is needed to successfully track emissions goals and how to upload said data.
03 | Carbon Education Center: Climate change has largely been framed as an environmental issue when in reality it has foundation within social, geopolitical, and economical spheres. In order to facilitate climate action in its clients, ClimaTech could offer an educational center on the specifics of climate change.
UPDATE
2/1/2025: I am continuing to work with the co-founder on a new business venture! Dylan has been an absolute pleasure to work with, and I look forward to taking on these new design challenges!
3/15/2024: I completed five months of contract work involving re-designing the company website, pitch decks, and client reports
GOOD DESIGN IS GOOD BUSINESS.
let me help you achieve BOTH.
GOOD DESIGN IS GOOD BUSINESS.
let me help you achieve BOTH.
GOOD DESIGN IS GOOD BUSINESS.
let me help you achieve BOTH.
UPDATE 3/15/2024
ClimaTech Innovations Inc offered me a contract position as a UX/UI Designer
Role
UX/UI designer
Duration
4 weeks
Tools
Figma, Photoshop
Role
UX/UI designer
Duration
8 weeks
Tools
Figma, Adobe Photoshop