NOTICE - npower is now E.On Next, so I will be continuing with the new branding
BRIEFS
I’ve chosen 4 briefs and at the end narrowed it down to my final one with each brief explaining the challenge and reasoning to why I would pick it.
Brief 1
Background
A bank going back to 1690 became known as Barclays in 1736 when James Barclay joined as a partner, they then merged 20 private banks to form the company we know now, over the years, Barclays has survived multiple financial crisis, multiple international conflicts and technological revolutions, they know operate in over 40 countries and have over 80,000 employees.
Creative Challenge
Create an app or feature allowing Barclays to meet neurodiversity standards for their clients, this is a digital project but should also be looked into how digital meets the real-world experience.
Why I would pick it
This brief takes my existing knowledge of accessibility and pushes me further, I think it could teach me a lot more and be quite an interesting project to do as quite a bit or research will have to go in to it too.
Brief 2
Background
Spotify is a leading audio streaming service founded in 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon in Stockholm, Sweden; they went live in October 7th 2008 after multiple conflicts with agreements with music providers such as Universal Records as they originally operated under a freemium business model providing a free service with adverts, they then introduced premium plans which improved audio quality and provided endless song skipping and play variation all available via a paid subscription.
Creative Challenge
Create a feature within the app that allows listeners to connect with artists and their friends with the end goal of making Spotify a more social platform connecting people.
Why I would pick it
This brief would test my abilities to integrate a useful but complex feature within their existing app whilst using their existing branding and layout.
Brief 3
Background
The weather app is a theoretical brief with no background.
Creative Challenge
Create a weather app tailored to smartphones and must include all relevant information to the user to quickly check the daily weather forecast.
Why I would pick it
This brief would allow me to showcase my creativity and app design skills integrating my accessibility knowledge.
Chosen brief
Background
npower is an electricity and gas provider. They want to engage more with customers to help them choose the best products and services for their needs. Alongside electricity and gas, npower also offer a number of energy-saving advice products which can help customers to reduce their energy usage and associated costs.
Customers already have access to a number of online tools and apps which let them visualise and compare their energy use and manage their account with npower.
Creative Challenge
Design an app that helps people use their energy more wisely, which at the same time is fun or interesting. The app must have a stand-alone reason to use it, in addition to being functional. Considerations include changes in customers’ lives that may affect their energy usage, such as having a new baby or dependents leaving home, and how the app could solve a need or want in the customer’s everyday life. npower also faces the challenge of identifying customers who are eligible for government schemes and helping them understand how these products could benefit them in the long run. Removing the hassle of installing energy-saving products is another challenge, as well as integrating other publicly available third-party or device-based data to make energy more relevant or interesting for customers in their everyday lives.
Considerations
Time of life: Think about changes in customers’ lives that will change the amount of energy that they use eg a new baby, dependents leaving home, or moving home to upsize or downsize. What need or want in the customer’s everyday life could the app solve?
- Benefiting from Government Schemes: Energy companies are required to install energy saving products such as insulation in people’s homes as part of the Government’s carbon reduction obligations. For some customers meeting certain eligibility criteria, these products may be free or partly subsidised, making them an attractive option.
One of the key challenges that npower faces is identifying customers that are eligible for the government schemes and helping them understand how these products could benefit them in the long run. How could an app engage customers in this group in thinking about energy saving products?
- Removing the hassle: think about why customers may not want to install energy saving products, e.g. they’re difficult to install, make their property less attractive, in difficult to reach places, etc. How could an app engage this group of customers?
- Third party or device data: Despite electricity and gas being a major part of people’s lives, it is generally a ‘low interest’ category. How could you integrate other publicly available
Key Points
Background
npower seeks to enhance customer engagement by offering energy-saving solutions alongside their electricity and gas services. Customers currently have access to online tools and apps for managing their accounts and comparing energy usage.
Creative Challenge
Design an app that not only promotes energy efficiency but also provides an element of enjoyment or interest to users, offering a unique value proposition beyond functionality.
Target Audience
The app is aimed at UK domestic energy customers, with a focus on specific customer groups, situations, or scenarios.
Deliverables
- Main Deliverables (mandatory): Present the solution through a video or images, emphasizing the app’s features and benefits.
- Supporting Material (optional): Include a working app prototype and additional visuals to enhance the presentation of the solution.
Considerations
- Time of Life: Address changes in customers’ lives affecting energy usage and explore how the app can fulfill their evolving needs.
- Benefiting from Government Schemes: Identify eligible customers for government energy-saving schemes and illustrate the long-term benefits through the app.
- Removing Hassle: Overcome barriers to installing energy-saving products, such as installation difficulty, by incorporating solutions into the app.
- Third-party or Device Data: Integrate external data sources to make energy consumption more relevant and engaging for customers.