MY WORK

Simplifying Energy for Texas Residents

Client
Power Wizard

My Role
Experience Strategy Lead

My Deliverables
User Experience
Product & Website Strategy
Identity Oversight
UI Design, Copy, Dev Oversight

Year
2019

Challenge

Texas is the only state that manages its own grid, and it’s one of a handful of states with a deregulated electricity market. This means Texas residents can choose their electricity providers, just like picking a health care provider or phone service. It also means that electricity prices are constantly changing based on the weather and supply and demand. It’s a dynamic and often volatile environment that can be confusing and overwhelming for consumers. If they’re not paying attention, they can easily end up overpaying.

NextEra Analytics, a company that used advanced math and science to solve problems facing the energy industry, was tasked to create an online solution that dynamically researched and enrolled Texas residents in the best energy plans. They needed a solution that established deep relationships and solved the complexities of consumer energy management.

Solution

The NextEra team were super smart mathematicians, data scientists, and engineers. Most of the software and apps they made were for energy pros who were highly technical and software savvy. As they embarked on building a consumer-facing product, they needed someone like me who knew how to take complex concepts and ideas and transform them into easy-to-understand tools for everyone.

My approach started with reviewing all of the existing materials they had about the project and the market. I made sure I was fluent enough to earn their trust. Next I facilitated a workshop to get to know the team and what they were trying to accomplish. Most of them hadn’t been exposed to user experience practices, so I made sure to emphasize the purpose and value of the work I was leading. I helped them understand that when we look at the solution through the eyes of their target audience, we can design something they’ll actually use. We need people to actually use the product if we want it to succeed. After facilitating stakeholder workshops and interviews, I condensed the findings into a simple, high-level vision and opportunity.

We worked together to outline personas, journey maps, and requirements, which I formalized into shareable documentation. I conducted customer interviews and user testing of competitor sites to understand and communicate the user’s perspective to the rest of the team. I also looked at competitors to understand how this new solution could be differentiated.

I created iterations of user flows and wireframes, testing prototypes along the way, to establish an end-to-end online experience that would engage users. I created a library of reusable content blocks that could the design and development teams used as a foundation to bring the experience to life. I created a wireframe prototype of the solution and tested it on Texas residents that aligned with our personas.

I helped the team select a creative agency and consulted with them to establish a brand identity for the tool. I led the creative team to establish a brand that reflected both the business goals and user needs. This brand came to life in the website designs.

I hired a UI designer to create a branded interface based on the final version of the wireframes. I consulted with the development team during production, attending daily standups and sprint meetings, and making sure the solution we launched aligned with our vision.