The document proposes solutions to improve a power company's (POWCO) customer-facing strategy and reduce home energy usage. It suggests raising awareness through free home energy diagnostics, tailored incentives like rebates and challenges, and providing feedback on energy usage through a mobile app. This would benefit the power company through improved relationships and capacity, consumers through savings and responsibility, and the environment through less waste.

1. DESIGN
TOREDUCE
ENERGYUSE
INTHEHOME
Improving the Consumer-Facing Strategy
and Innovating the System User Interface
DesignManagement + InteractionDesign

2. DESIGN
TOREDUCE
ENERGYUSE
INTHEHOME
IMPROVING THE
CONSUMER-FACING
STRATEGY
DesignManagement

3. Current state
limitations of Powco
Customer-facing
Strategy
DesignManagement

4. PROBLEMS Dependence on consumer to moder-
ate home energy usage.
OUT THERE
Existing incentives are not enough to
catalyze change.
General lack of consumer awareness
of energy supply limits and POWCO
strategic goals.
DesignManagement

5. COMMUNICATION
POWCO wants to communicate a complex message.
“We want you to use less, but we are capable of providing.”
Ambiguous, ineffective service brand messaging.
Large, unmet challenges in shaping communication.
Obtusely communicated incentives and promotions.
No active feedback loops (conversations).
Lack of tailored/targetted consumer messaging.
DesignManagement

6. TECHNICAL
Power companies require the customer to do the vast
majority of the legwork
Site energy calculators are hard to use, ineffective
Until recently with the implementation of smart
meters, there was no feedback as to the user’s
energy consumption until the monthly bill arrived.
DesignManagement

7. RAISE
AWARENESS
How do customer feel
about interacting
with the power company?
Do they think it works?
Why?
Do they think
it is broken? How?
What is their experience
from the first phone call
to paying the final bill?
What would get them excited?

8. Ideas for
a proposed
solution
DesignManagement

9. RAISE
AWARENESS
Solutions
It isn’t just the service, it is how that
service makes the customer feel.
Free home energy diagnostic with
account setup for residences.
Use real numbers to shock them or
make them feel their choices really do
matter
Send energy saving tips via the web,
email, or text
DesignManagement

10. INCENTIVES
Credit Union or COOP approach
Rebates, Point/Reward Systems
Community-Based.
Challenges/Competitions/Partnerships
Tailored Incentives for
Generational/Demographic Groups.
Upgrading Older Homes/Appliances
DesignManagement

11. IN-HOME DEVICE
DesignManagement

12. CONVENIENCE
Associate new behavior with
an existing routine
Less work for customer
Easy to understand
Convenient features such as auto bill
pay, local weather,efficiency mode
DesignManagement

13. USER CENTERED
Introduce ownership
User is in control of total home
energy profile.
User can create settings and goals
around personal preferences.
Mobile app options for greater
flexibility, control
DesignManagement

14. FEEDBACK
Give user frequent feedback
about the consequences of
their actions.
Detailed energy usage
Real-time savings/loss
Understand consequences and make better choices
Introduce or increase present gains
Choice bracketing - daily vs yearly totals
Tips for saving energy
DesignManagement

15. Powco reaching out to customers
Educational institutions are
important partners.
Develop better
customer
relationships
TEAMWORK
DesignManagement

16. MARKETING
MESSAGE
Communicate specific goals
Social networking
Possible message
“Save Energy:
For your home and yourself”
DesignManagement

17. Benefits
DesignManagement

18. BENEFITS
For the power company
Improved customer and community
relationships
Decreased strain on existing facilities
Poised to usher in new, sustainable
technologies
DesignManagement

19. BENEFITS
For the consumer
Ownership of home energy usage
Greater savings
Sense of responsibility—home own-
ership, energy usage, conserving re-
sources
DesignManagement

20. BENEFITS
For the environment
Less energy waste
Reduce carbon footprint
Explore renewable energy sources
DesignManagement