Understanding the space before drawing a single frame
Of household energy use is space heating — yet most apps treat all consumption identically
Of UK consumers say smart home technology costs too much — EcoBuddy had to work with what users already owned
Competitor Analysis
I analysed five existing energy apps — British Gas, OVO Energy, Ivie, Energy Saver App, and Scottish Power. The gaps were consistent across all five.
| Gap | EcoBuddy's Response |
|---|---|
| Delayed data — next-day only | Real-time smart meter integration |
| Provider lock-in | Works independently of any supplier |
| No personalisation | AI recommendations based on individual usage patterns |
| No environmental metrics | CO₂ impact made tangible for users |
| Overwhelming notifications | Customisable, targeted alerts only |
| No government scheme guidance | Dedicated ECO4 and scheme content section |
Primary Research
Prefer mobile as their primary platform
Manage consumption via smart meter
Cited real-time insights as most desired feature
Spend £100–£200 monthly on energy bills
Semi-structured interviews with 4 participants gave depth — a homeowner in a three-storey townhouse, a London flat renter, an apartment owner, and a new property buyer. Seven themes emerged from the raw data: demographics, pain points, behavioural factors, awareness, preferences, suggestions, and dislikes.
Difficult to get real-time insights — existing apps only show next-day data
Lack of personalisation — generic tips don't account for house type or usage behaviour
Lack of knowledge — users want education alongside data, not just numbers
Fragmented solutions — managing energy across multiple apps creates friction
Affinity Mapping
Interview data was synthesised into an affinity map across four participants, producing business and user assumptions before any design decisions were made.
Affinity map across 4 participants — 7 themes surfaced, including Pain Points, Behavioural Factors, and Preferences. Four key findings shaped the entire feature set.
Personas
Every feature decision was filtered through two distinct users.
IT professional · 3-floor London townhouse · Frustrated by delayed data and basic provider insights. Wants real-time visibility to act on his energy use.
Directly shaped H1 — the real-time dashboard built independent of any supplier.
Sales manager · New 2-bed apartment · Lacks consistent energy habits and knowledge. Wants simplicity and fewer notifications.
Directly shaped H2 and H3 — personalised recommendations and the EcoEducator.
Both personas were stress-tested against every feature decision — if a feature didn't solve a pain point for either user, it didn't make the MVP.
User Journey Map
The full user experience was mapped across six stages to identify emotional low points and the design decisions they drove.
User journey map — 6 stages from Awareness to Advocacy. Emotional low points at Onboarding (trust gap) and Exploration (information overload) directly shaped the simplified dashboard and step-by-step device connection flow.
