Sector
Data Analytics in Mining, Valmec
Project Time
6 Months
My Role
Research
Wireframing
UI design
Interactive Prototyping
This case study focuses on the development of an interface solution aimed at empowering AGIG users to efficiently monitor and maintain Performance Enhancement Modules (PEMs). The design not only caters to AGIG's own customers but also extends to 3rd-party users of the PEMs.
Hydrogen Park SA is an innovative energy project to produce renewable hydrogen, for blending with natural gas via the local gas distribution network.
The facility includes electrolysers for hydrogen generation, hydrogen buffer storage, controls, and gas blending equipment. Valmec were contracted by the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group to complete the engineering, procurement, and construction of the HyP SA project.
In the development of this project, they sought to:
Give AGIG users the ability to monitor and maintain PEMs, this included AGIG’s own customers as they were 3rd party users of the PEMsProvision technical support through the use of a ticketing systemProvide a way of monitoring and benchmarking against site KPIs
Provide people with visibility
Task
Our main task was to give AGIG users the ability to monitor and maintain PEMs, this included AGIG’s own customers as they were 3rd party users of the PEMs. And after all the installation work, give the user the opportunity to submit help tickets and a way to order, update and bring in new equipment on an a quarterly or as needed basis.
Solution
When analysing the target audience and competitors of this service, we realised that the main pain point for users is a mistrust and poor visibility over energy consumption metrics and how the consumption of energy effects other site based KPIs.
We began by testing hypotheses and eventually came to the conclusion that the best way was to give a simple overview that users could drill down into to see more detailed and specific metrics, if their access gave them the ability to do so.
It was important that the use of the tool was role based to ensure privacy and security standards, especially in provisioning and working with contractors and other 3rd parties.
Our team decided to divide the overall user journey into 3 points:
1. Quick and easy selection of equipment to monitor, along with dashboard customisability
2. Along side this, users would see existing data in order to be able to benchmark before and after KPIs
3. Help and access to Valmec’s support desk to submit request tickets and general access requests through a help portal which would also serve as a checkout point.
These points were determined as the key factors that would onboard users the fastest and ensure that customer retention targets were met on a monthly basis.
Interaction with the service helps to track the necessary data of windmillAnalytics
The service allows users to collect information from the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyser such as generated electricity, power indicators, various battery indicators, temperatures, etc.
When we analysed other services, we come to realise that people by themselves, are not enough to collect useful and understandable information. Therefore, we decided to show analytics through widgets, which allowed us to display only important and accessible information for the user.
Hick’s law and simplicity in interactions
The service has a lot of features, which we knew would be overwhelming to users. We wanted to prioritise reducing cognitive overload to ensure users wanted to use the tool frequently and that it did the task they needed. Thanks to the design of some thoughtful interactive components, we ensured it would be much easier for the user to interact with the elements of the dashboard.
I spearheaded the building of the design system and component libraries which included things like interactive components, hovers, drags, clicks, and other states that help user navigate the service seamlessly and abiding by Hick’s law that states that “The time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices available”
With this, we reduce the user’s time spent on actions to find the desired functionality. Now, in using our platform, users can quickly navigate to the right action, while not feeling like the task or the system is overly complex
Testing
Usability testing indicated that users no longer had apprehensions about using a SaaS platform like this to give them accurate readings of what was going on on the ground. The backend architecture was iron clad, the UI was immaculate and users had an overall sense of wanting to use the product.
It was a big turn around from where they had started, feeling mistrust and being somewhat unwilling.
ResultControlling energy analytics just became accessible, convenient, intuitive (and beautiful!)
There is a saying that if your data isn’t beautiful to look at, you’re not organising it correctly. I’m a big proponent of this philosophy and I reflect that and carry it in my approach in the building of all products, including Valmec’s service to AGIG.
We were able to offer this new and convenient solution for users to monitor and benchmark against KPIs, and most importantly without being overwhelmed, have a trusting and relationship with the platform and the data it presented to them.
This project was particularly special to me because the use of clean energy is evolving and getting closer to changing our lives and the environment for the better, and in this project, we were happy to contribute to this development.
