In recent years, the energy sector has seen many changes: A stronger focus on sustainability, prices and rates have become more flexible, and customers are becoming energy producers themselves. Digital transformation has played a crucial role in these changes.
As a consequence, the energy sector needs to focus on user centricity because many products in that area are now digital products like apps, online platforms, or smart tools such as smart meters.
Moreover, there is more than just one user group in this industry. Customers from energy suppliers are diverse and have strong regional ties. They have different requirements and expectations when it comes to digital services. In addition to end-consumers, the different service providers and energy suppliers play a part in the digitalization of the energy sector.
With digital products and services – just like with any other product – it is important that companies consider the respective users and include them in the development process. As a great benefit to companies and users, UX specialists can support at various stages in the process.
Areas for UX in the energy sector
There are various use cases for UX in the energy sector. Among those are for example: interfaces, dashboards, or also thermostats.
- Consumer platforms: Focusing on UX helps to make structures clearer. This means that customers can navigate the product without issues and can find answers to potential questions much faster. This reduces support costs for companies, while increasing user satisfaction and customer loyalty due to better communication and comprehensibility.
- Interfaces for solar home systems: Improved usability makes it easier and clearer to control the solar home system. This in turn increases the usage because users are no longer frustrated with complicated or unclear instructions. They can also track their own energy consumption and make conscious decisions to save energy.
- Tracking and sustainability: With a coherent visualization and clear, helpful dashboards, customers have a real benefit because they can better understand their energy usage behavior and focus on energy savings. Savings give users a sense of achievement so that they can enjoy them and also actively pay attention to how to keep saving – it’s just like reaching the next level.
- Smart thermostats: When it comes to smart thermostats, it’s important to make sure that all the systems, icons, and settings are clear and easy to understand. This improves usability and efficiency.
- Network expansion: Focusing on UX in digitalization increases usability. Additionally, processes can be better supported technically and designed more efficiently. This makes the overall planning process and the specific project planning more efficient. It also makes the acceptance process and quality assurance on the construction site easier. The optimized tools furthermore help to improve communication with and integration of suppliers, and they can provide support in meeting legal requirements.
Looking at these examples, a few keywords stand out: Clarity. Comprehensibility. Usability. That’s no coincidence, it’s the core of UX. Products should be clear for users, easy to understand, and above all, usable. And user here means both the company and the end customer because both sides are users of the product.
All areas of UX are working together to achieve these 3 goals. UX research understands the users’ needs. UX design adds clarity to the product. And UX writing takes care of the comprehensibility.
What benefits do companies have?
Companies that invest in UX can benefit in different ways. Overall, it depends on the product because they are very varied in the energy sector. Here are some of the benefits that can be achieved:
- Better customer retention and more trust due to improved usability
- Reduced support costs due to clear communication and fewer inquiries
- Efficient processes due to optimized (internal and external) tools
- Improved supplier integration with digital tools
- Higher usage numbers due to clear, intuitive structures.
What benefits do customers have?
It’s in the name, but when it comes to user centricity the users are the main focus. Alongside the companies, they are the actual customers. Their benefits are:
- Joy of use due to tools and systems that encourage using them
- Being able to see energy-saving options by tracking their own energy consumption
- Less frustration with possible issues or questions due to improved communication and information provided online.
As you can see from the examples and benefits, the areas for UX in the energy sector are vast. UseTree is ready to help so that you don’t have to do everything by yourself. As UX specialists covering UX research, UX design, UI design, and UX writing, we’re by your side to make energy products and platforms user-centered for both consumers and companies.