Sustainable living in the digital age : designing and evaluating an interactive mock-up of a carbon footprint tracker app for personal environmental awareness

Abstract

This thesis presents the design and development of a high-fidelity interactive prototype for a carbon footprint tracking and reduction application, aimed at enhancing personal environmental awareness and behavior change. The study explores digital solutions for carbon reduction and sustainable living, focusing on integrating UI/UX design principles. Employing methodologies like benchmarking, user interviews, competitive analysis, usability testing, and design iteration, the research drew insights from sustainable living principles, consumption patterns, and behavioral aspects to inform development. Methodologies for calculating carbon footprints were explored, addressing challenges associated with quantifying environmental impacts.

The prototype was developed in Figma, emphasizing a user-friendly design integrating sustainable practices. Usability testing was conducted to evaluate navigation, task completion, and overall user experience, leading to iterative design improvements. Through the usability testing, the usability of the application was tested and optimized, making for a more user-friendly and intuitive final product.

The outcome of this research is a high-fidelity, functional, interactive prototype of a carbon tracking and reduction application, successfully containing intended features, enabling a more effective tool to monitor and reduce one’s environmental impact.