Greenify

Overview

1. Project Overview

2. Understanding the User

3. Starting the Design
4. Refining the Design
5. Going Forward

Project Overview

Problem: Homeowners face a number of challenges when embarking on a sustainable home renovation project. The traditional method of hiring an architect can be costly and time intensive. Existing online platforms have an overwhelming amount of resources and most specialize in a specific area. Why isn't there a turbo-tax model for homeowners, so that they can make informed decisions on renovation options, that are based on sustainability impact, time, and budget?

Goal: Design a user-friendly website for homeowners to directly upload images of their home and receive design suggestions based on site analysis, renovation features, and project defining constraints such as time and budget. To integrate AI tools in the design process, such as ChatGPT to conduct user research and interviews, and Midjourney for image generation.

Product: Greenify is a website that uses image to 3D model based AI technology to generate a personalized home model with sustainable design suggestions for the homeowner. These design solutions are offered based on property location and analysis of the 3D home. The homeowner can tailor the design solutions by budget, timeframe, and energy impact.

My Role: UX/UI Designer designing a product from conception to delivery, including: research into AI technologies, conducting user interviews, digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, and iterating on designs.

Project Timeline: December 2023 to February 2024 (6 weeks), project completed in Figma.

Understanding the User

User Research

Leaning on my years of experience in the architectural industry and working with residential clients, I gathered my thoughts about past user experiences and the defining pain points of time, budget, and information. To further backup my experiences I leveraged ChatGPT to develop user personas for a sustainable home renovation software and then simulated interviews to further understand the user needs.

Pain Points

1. Transparency and unpredictability: The traditional design approach can be very dynamic with unpredictable costs and timelines

2. Balancing sustainability with practicality: The motivation to be sustainable with practical considerations such as budget, timeline, and feasibility

3. Limited expertise in sustainable building practices: Understanding the aspects of the building renovation and information regarding sustainable design

Persona

User Story

As a homeowner aiming to renovate sustainably while considering practical factors, I want the platform to integrate cost-effective and practical solutions into its recommendations so that I can achieve my sustainability goals within my budget, timeline, and feasibility constraints

Starting the Design

Wireframes & Low-fidelity Prototype

Home Information

Site Analysis

Project Definition

Design Suggestions

Chat Interface 1

Chat Interface 2

The initial designs focused on a pop-up overlay to complete the project setup and input project information. For clarity and ease of use, a dedicated full-screen approach was developed in the high-fidelty design.

Another aspect of the initial design was a chat interface to make changes to the design and/or budget. This was removed in favor of a dashboard style interface in later designs.

Refining the Design

User Testing & Findings

I conducted moderated usability studies done remotely in Europe and North America with 4 participants. Each session lasted 15-20 minutes. Findings from the study helped refine the high fidelity designs. The top insights were:

1. Landing page with information regarding product.

2. Clarify and provide information to sustainable strategies.

3. Simplify project setup (information would have been provided through upload and AI technology).

Mockups & High-fidelity Prototype

Landing Page + Login

Additional Landing Page with further information was created as to not lose users during the funnel to login/create account.

Before Usability Study

After Usability Study

Before Usability Study

Site Analysis + Design Features

These two screens were combined after usability testing into one screen, so that the user gained more information regarding features as it related to the site.

After Usability Study

Prototype: Project Setup

The user can start by uploading exterior photographs and a video narrating the interior of their home. This would be generated into a 3D model. The user then would need to review information regarding their home such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, etc. and their room adjacencies. This would allow for an accurate 3D model of the home to exist to develop sustainable renovation strategies in the next flow.

Prototype: Design Recommendations & Project Dashboard

The user would define their budget and timeline, then would be suggested design recommendations based on the project definition and site analysis. They can play around with other design elements and budget, time, and energy savings in the project dashboard, before being connected with local companies to contract the work.

Final Layouts

Landing Page

Image Upload

3D Model Generation

Project Setup Info

Floor Plan Layout

Design Recommendations

Project Definition

Sustainable Design Features

Project Dashboard

A major component of the dashboard is the interactivity and that the user can immediately see changes to energy production, budget, and timeline while adjusting the design elements. This becomes a sort of "playground" for the user to refine their design.

Going Forward

Takeaways

Impact:

Homeowners would be able to use technology they already have (their phone) to review design suggestions and plan design changes. This would save the homeowner money and time as well as allow "greenification" of homes much easier.

What I learned:

I initially focused on all the small details and building out every single interactive element for the product. I quickly realized I needed to focus on the bigger picture and getting initial user feedback to validate if the designs were working. I think taking a step back once in a while to view the product and design as a whole is very important.