The power of empathy

CHALLENGE

In the conservative yet competitive energy industry, one well-known Kiwi power company wanted to uncover ways in which they can truly add value to the lives of their residential customers.

APPROACH

I used a mixed-methods approach to understand how residential customers value and engage with power.

I began with need finding – a broad study in which I asked people how they relate to their homes. I did not address energy directly. I asked about household matters such as repairs, maintenance, expenses, rooms, appliances, and so on. The goal was to obtain information that would help map energy onto other household activities and issues. In the next phase of the ethnography portion of the process, we sought to create a hybrid methodology using design and anthropology methods. Together with key stakeholders, we used specific techniques from both design and anthropology traditions. Examples from design include the 5 Why’s, and incorporating brainstorming or ideating into the interview. From anthropology we took rapport building using open-ended questions, and simulations or scenarios that would help us identify areas of opportunity.

OUTCOME

We identified 6 most desirable ‘problems to solve’ or human needs around which to build services and products and prioritised these based on desirability but also strategy, feasibility and viability.

Several insights recognised that these residential customer are dealing with very basic physiological needs such as providing enough food to feed the family, respiratory issues, regulating the temperature of their home and keeping their family secure and safe. While power is already providing value in these areas, it can be significantly enhanced. Over the next few months we worked with the power company to develop solutions to test and eventually implement into the market.