Problem Statement
Homeowners increasingly seek alternative sources of electricity supply as backup solutions.
The main drawback of existing solutions is its manual nature.
There is need for a system that enables users to adapt these backup solutions to their lifestyle and doing so seamlessly.
Goal
Solarity aims to solve this problem by giving users full control of their energy backup.
The Solution aims to provide the ability for users to remotely view, analyze, control and automate their solar energy backup systems thus maximizing their energy usage, having more energy up-time and consequently saving the planet through efficient usage.
Gathering Insights
I started by doing some research on the market and seeing what energy solution companies are currently doing, this helped me to establish a clear direction for the project.
It was established that the tech savvy homeowners of any age who want to control and monitor their homes are the prime audience for this product.
after research, i proceeded to come up with sketches and wireframes that were then used to build up the mobile app solution.
Research
I interviewed 6 people who presently use bespoke solar energy solutions for their homes, the key findings from my interviews are summarized below:
More Screens
Key Takeaways
After 4 weeks of ideation and design, the app was once again tested with users and they all loved it.
One respondent in particular said " I would pay double what i paid for my current solar energy solution just to have this features" that goes to show how much people want to automate their lives.
I realize however that there are some limitations to the scope of execution with regards to micro-controllers and cloud computation that would need to be done to enable the hardware device connect with appliances in user's homes in a plug and play fashion.
I also plan to improve the app experience with insights gotten from users with aim to make it more intuitive for usage.