At EcoIno, our goal was to increase awareness in energy consumption. We wanted to develop an application where users could manage their smart outlets and stay informed on their energy usage.

As a product designer, I spearheaded the design process and ensured the quality of our final product.

Our final deliverable received excellent marks from our mentor and peers.

Phantom power is the energy consumed by electronic devices even when they’re turned off but still plugged in. This wasted energy can add up over time, increasing electricity bills and environmental impact.

Existing platforms for energy management have plenty of important information but they lack a cohesive integration with physical products. This can lead to excess energy being used when devices are idle.

Do people understand the breakdown of their electricity bill?

Are people familiar with phantom power?

How often are people’s electronics plugged in but not in use?

What methods do people use to conserve energy?

Our study involved 54 participants selected through convenience sampling.

We developed a user flow to guide new users efficiently through the platform, enabling quick task completion with minimal clicks while encouraging exploration of additional features. Intuitive icons served as visual cues to simplify navigation and reduce complexity.

We developed some low-fidelity prototypes to visualize our user flow.

Our participants were two college students who lived off campus and paid for their own electricity bills. We conducted a usability testing where they looked at the functionality of our prototype below.

We designed EcoIno to merge efficient energy management with collaboration, combining a clean, data-focused utility app look with vibrant accents for an engaging experience. A cohesive design system ensures consistency across all features.

Our studies revealed the lack of awareness in phantom power and its correlation with energy waste. Through the testing phase, we came to an understanding of the importance of iteration, highlighting the value of approaching design from the viewpoint of a new user.