Sprih
Building a one-stop platform for carbon management and offsetting for organizations.
Summary
I spent 15 months designing and strategising the user experience and brand experience for Sprih, an organization deeply committed to combating climate change. In addition to product design work, I also did the branding and brand positioning for Sprih. Within 15 months, there were two versions of the product that were designed, developed and deployed in the market.
Role
Project Lead
User Experience (UX) Researcher
Interaction (IxD) Designer
User Experience (UX) Designer
User Interface (UI) Designer
Brand Identity Designer
Timeline
2021-2023
skills
Product thinking
Interaction design
Market researcher
Accessibility design
Visual design
Brand design
tools
Figma
Miro
Illustrator
Notion
Photoshop
Indesign
*Note
*This case study covers only parts of several months of design process focusing mainly on my role within the project. I have retracted or changed portions of findings to conceal any confidential information.
about sprih
In the face of climate change, organizations must urgently prioritise sustainability and accountability for a resilient future.
Sprih, an early player in India, identified the chaos in carbon management and pioneered a user-friendly solution. Their platform not only calculates carbon emissions but also aids in planning and offsetting through in-depth research and data-driven insights.
Seeking a modern, timeless brand identity, Sprih reflects its dedication to a greener future, offering a one-stop solution for simplified sustainability accessible to all organizations.
Project objective
One-stop platfrom
Provide a one-stop platform for organizations, streamlining tracking, calculating, and offsetting with a focus on minimizing the learning curve for seamless adoption.
Scalable platform
Develop scalable and accessible dashboard that can help decision maker and experts take their next step
Community driven
Foster community engagement to create a collaborative ecosystem for shared sustainability goals.
Gathering Insights
To kickstart the project, my research included one-on-one interviews with domain experts which provided qualitative and emotional insight into key points of users journeys.
Competitive analysis to better understand the UX of carbon management platforms, and the flows of carbon calculator and carbon trading websites.
The absence of standardised methodologies.
Ever evolving government regulation and compliance makes it challenging.
Challenges in environmental impact reporting.
Effects not visible enough to bring the change.
Understanding Business Goals
Before we could dive deep into designing, it was important to know what business goals did the leadership team of Sprih intend to achieve so that the timeline can be designed keeping those in mind
Getting V1 ready to gauge out the Indian market in 3 months.
Science based data will drive the platform.
To make the transitions from their existing methods to Sprih platform as smooth as possible.
project goal
How might Sprih use data-driven insights to create a user-friendly platform for organizations, simplifying the tracking and understanding of their environmental impact, while guiding them towards sustainable actions?
Stakeholder mapping
After conducting thorough research and market analysis, we identified and analyzed key players (users, investors, and both internal and external factors), who would significantly influence the platform.
We delved deep into understanding the diverse perspectives and expectations of these stakeholders. This guided us to consider not only users and business goals but also to cater to the needs and preferences of all relevant stakeholders involved in the platform, ensuring a more successful and inclusive outcome.
Details blurred out due to Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Ramesh Gulati
Ground staff
Goals:
Finish job in the least possible time.
Wants to quickly figure out the day’s task.
Improve speed of data entry.
Needs:
Easier methods of transferring data from company database into the product.
Adequate training and support to perform the task.
An user friendly system that is easy to learn
Astha Vohra
Executive
Goals:
To understand the impact of her company’s carbon footprint on the environment.
To improve her company’s sustainability practices and reduce carbon footprint.
Wants her company to be recognised as a leader in sustainability.
Making sure her company is up to date with all compliances and policies regarding sustainability.
Needs:
User friendly interface.
Clear and concise information that can help her make informed decisions and real-time insights to make sure she is up to date with her company’s progress.
Reporting templates that are recognised by the government, making her task easier.
Integration with other tools that is used by her company.
Persona building
During the research phase, engaging with domain experts, we delved into the existing behaviours and journeys users undertake to manage and offset their carbon footprint.
This exploration led us to identify four distinct user personas, aligned with various touch-points in the carbon management journey, from data upload to report generation and carbon footprint offsetting.
Fiza Ahmed
Team Supervisor
Goals:
Use the data collected to improve her sustainability targets.
Wants to grow her career and thus looking for the best solutions to show her proficiency.
Making sure her team is motivated and productive.
Needs:
Easier methods of transferring data from company database into the product.
A way for her to cross check data entered by her team.
A solution that easily integrates with the current workflows.
Shrikant Patel
Sustainability expert
Goals:
To implement impactful sustainability solutions.
Being updated about current trends, policies in the carbon management domain.
To educate clients on the benefits of carbon management.
Accurately measure and reduce client’s carbon footprint
Needs:
User friendly interface.
Accurate and reliable carbon measurement and reporting.
Collaboration and communication to effective manage sustainability projects.
Integration with other tools that is used by the company.
User flows
After developing personas, it was crucial to ascertain the points of interaction for these personas with the product before delving into the intricacies of the product flow. A 360-degree map was designed to comprehend these interactions and tailor the flows to be more user-driven.
Conducted stakeholder mapping on Miro, with details blurred out due to Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Information Architecture
This step was incredibly crucial to the entire project, given the abundance of data to display and numerous actions to perform. Envisioning an intuitive user flow, the following information architecture was devised for the platform.
IA for the platform. Details blurred out due to Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Design system
Crafting a robust and scalable design system that takes into account a range of products in the pipeline for the next two years, ensuring a cohesive and impactful user experience.
As a design lead, my responsibilities encompassed the the effective management, development, and maintenance of the company's design system. I concentrated on building a solid foundation, creating new components and standards, and supporting the design and development team in the seamless utilization of the design system.
creating product themes
Creating product themes is a key stage in the development of a design system. A theme is a collection of tokens that describe various interface properties, including colors, typography, shadows, sizes, spacing, and more. Thanks to this theme, each component of the design system can quickly and easily adapt to the requirements of a specific product.
We conducted an analysis of the base components, categorized them into semantic groups, and developed a set of variables that cover various usage scenarios and future needs.
Defining Key components
In the process of developing the design system, we meticulously crafted its architecture and delineated key components along with their respective purposes. These elements were thoughtfully designed to seamlessly integrate with both light and dark themes.
Final overview
final overview
final overview
final overview
final overview
*Note
Due to the confidential nature of this project under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and the inclusion of designs and data pertaining to its forthcoming versions, certain data points have been altered for privacy and security reasons.
Carbon Calculator
The Carbon Calculator serves as the starting point for users to initiate their carbon footprint assessment. Here, users input their consumption data, and the system processes this information to generate a comprehensive analysis. The results are then presented in a user-friendly format on the Analysis Dashboard, making it easy for users to comprehend and gain valuable insights into their environmental impact.
Considerations in building this
Existing user behavior pattern.
Presenting large data succinctly.
Enabling users to gain valuable insights at a glance.
target User archetype
Ramesh Gulati
Ground staff
Fiza ahmed
Team supervisor
Astha Vohra
executive
Simplifying of data entry
This feature lets users seamlessly integrate data sources with plug-and-play automation or even add data manually for a unified view of emissions.
Add new entry
Facility
Choose
Consumption period
*
Choose
Choose
Invoice date
Choose
Choose
Type
*
Renewable
Non-renewable
Source
*
Purchased
Self-produced
Supplier
*
Choose
Quantity
*
Choose
Choose
Additional details
Enter description here
Upload proof of data
Browse file
*Indicates a compulsory field
Save & close
Button
Transparency of data
This feature helps users consolidate data and make it finance-grade and auditable - providing a clear view into users footprint that minimizes climate risks and maximizes integrity.
Data history
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Factor with finesse
Sprih intelligently selects region-specific emission factors from global databases, ensuring users’ data precision and regional compliance.
Net-Zero Simulator
After determining a company's carbon emissions, Sprih assists them in setting achievable goals to become net-zero in the future. The Net-0 Simulator acts like a smart assistant, making this process super easy by planning the journey for them. It considers factors such as the type of business, revenue, and future plans, using this information to suggest targets that are impactful yet attainable. It's like having a helpful guide that understands the company's growth and helps it make a positive environmental impact.
Considerations in building this
Ensuring users find it easy to take all necessary steps.
Users should visually witness the consequences of their decisions.
Empowering users to take responsibility for their actions.
target User archetype
Fiza ahmed
Team supervisor
Astha Vohra
executive
Shrikant Patel
Sustainability expert
Sprih SustainSense
Sprih's SustainSense is designed to deliver guided emission reduction strategies tailored to a business emission footprint and peer strategies.
Progress Tracking and Task Distribution
This tools allows a user to see their emission data set targets in one place and recalibrate their sustainability goals as needed. Users can also monitor their progress through a dynamic and adaptive dashboard.
Sustainability Roadmap Planning
This feature allows businesses to establish realistic sustainability targets with Sprih. Sprih helps users build attainable science-based targets supported by data.
Step 1: Set Target
Set your reduction targets
Step 2: Net-0 Planner
Customise your Net-0 plan
Step 3: Review
Review your scenario before finalising.
Industry Benchmark
In the Industry Benchmark section, users can see how their efforts to reduce carbon emissions stack up against other companies in the same domain. They can see where they stand and how much progress they need to make. The Sprih research team provides a handy list of company profiles, which provides details about each company's emissions and what they're doing to offset them.
Considerations in building this
Ensuring users have a clear visualization of their position within their domain.
Making sure the platform encourages rather than discourages them from taking necessary steps.
target User archetype
Astha Vohra
executive
Shrikant Patel
Sustainability expert
Comparing Emissions Data
This feature lets Sprih ranks a business’s carbon footprint against their peers and the industry average. Business also get detailed benchmarks based on the sustainability data of various companies.
Outpace Net-Zero Commitments
This feature lets users understand their peers’ Net-Zero deadlines, and helps them set ambitious yet achievable deadlines to stay ahead and lead the sustainability charge in their respective sector.
Sector-Specific Benchmarking
Using this feature, businesses can understand where they stand in their sector against their peers and can address their sector's unique environmental challenges effectively.
Competitor Sustainability Strategies
Sprih uses this feature to provide a window into the initiatives, investments, and innovations that a business’s industry counterparts are adopting, and offers offering valuable insights in a detailed tabular format.
Offset Marketplace
Users can explore and participate in a marketplace where companies buy credits. They can choose projects of their liking and invest in them by buying carbon credits. The platform streamlines the process, creating a one-stop-shop for companies looking to make eco-friendly choices and support each other on the journey towards sustainability.
Considerations in building this
Emphasizing project visibility and ensuring a transparent platform that provides all the necessary details to facilitate well-informed decisions.
Target User Archetype
Astha Vohra
executive
Management Tools
Users can effortlessly manage and optimize various aspects of their business operations through a centralized platform. Whether it's overseeing facilities, managing users, or configuring settings, the tool acts as a one-stop-product, streamlining processes for a seamless journey towards operational efficiency.
Considerations in building this
Ensuring it provides a centralized hub for easily managing and overseeing all aspects of business operations.
To prevent any information overload and confusion.
target User archetype
Fiza ahmed
Team supervisor
Astha Vohra
executive
project results
The platform was adopted by more than five large-scale organizations within a span of 15 months.
The platform rapidly gained popularity during the timeframe my team and I worked on it. The team size also expanded, propelling the project into a fast-paced sprint with a keen focus on outcomes.
Click here to learn more!
my learnings
Reflections after 15 months: key takeaways from an incredible journey with an exceptional team
my learnings
Discussing feature viability should be a collaborative affair.
When discussing feature viability, it's essential to involve the UX design team, tech team, and leadership in the conversation. This collaborative approach ensures that all perspectives are considered, leading to well-informed decisions about the feasibility and implementation of new features.
Ask questions.
Since the team was relatively small, I was able to interact with each and every team in the system, enabling me to be more empathetic towards them and vice versa. Anytime there was an overload of information, it was usually forgotten in the span of the day. One of the most important lessons I learned was that it is okay to ask questions and ensure everyone is on the same page, rather than allowing avoidable mistakes to occur.
Balancing between users and business.
Designing a product is like a dance, while prioritizing an intuitive and satisfying user experience, it's equally crucial to align with overarching business goals. This synergy ensures that the product not only delights users but also contributes to the overall success and sustainability of the business, creating a harmonious relationship between user satisfaction and organizational objectives.
Over-document for easy handoff.
Clear documentation makes lives easier for everyone! I learned the hard way that when you leave room for interpretation, your designs probably won’t be engineered to spec. I had to revisit my designs several times to ensure that component padding, naming conventions, and other forms of documentation were consistent and clear.
Designs do not exists in a vacuum.
Designs are like puzzle pieces—they impact the whole tech team. Communication and collaboration across teams are the secrets to successful projects.
Memorable Moments
Showcasing the developed V1 of the product to the whole team.
Getting down to the nitty-gritty of the product in a meeting with the development team.
Navigating development challenges with the team and finding the right balance.
Presenting and sharing designs with the leadership, development, and research teams to gather feedback.