Energy Label
The Standards and Labels (S&L) of the Energy Industry in Ghana
Design Case Study • Graphic Design • Interaction Design • Print Design • User Experience Design • User Interface Design
Project Scope
Project Goals & Objectives
To create an alternative design that is easier to understand. To critique the current Ghanaian design standards and systems.
Project Requirements
To be minimal. To be simple. To be easy to understand.
Project Scope Description
Research, Empathize, Ideate, Define, Redesign, Test, Final Design.
Project Exclusions
Inclusions: The Ghana flag, the five-star measure, a simple statement stating whether good or bad, product consumption, and efficiency.
Exclusions: Multiply colors through the design.
Project Constraints
Time: Within one week.
Money: Not Applicable.
Scope: Not Applicable.
Resources: All resources are available.
Risks: The inability to find high-quality research on this topic.
Project Assumptions
This project would be completed in time if all research required is found easily. This project will help me think about other ways to support Ghana design-wise.
Project Deliverables
Redesigned Label (JPEG)
Introduction
Energy, especially Electrical Energy has been a major issue in Ghana. It has become a crisis because in the past decade the population of Ghana has doubled which has led to an increase in demand for energy. The Akosombo Dam which was built during the Independence era has reached its peak of performance and production. Suggestions have been brought up to solve this problem; Professor Edward H. K. Akaho (Director-General of the Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC)) stated that if Ghana does not introduce nuclear electricity to form part of its energy mix, Ghana will face serious problems (GNA, 2009). Creative solutions have also been designed and implemented to help solve the energy problem in Ghana. This paper seeks to address and study the design of one of these solutions.
Solution Provider/Promoter (Description)
The solution was developed in 2000 when CLASP (Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program) an American Company worked with Ghana’s Energy Foundation from 2000-2002 to assist the Ghana Standards Boards (GSB) and Ministry of Mines and Energy to identify products and develop Standards and Labels. To be precise, the solution provider is a partnership of Ghana’s Electrical Appliance Labeling and Standards Program (GEALSP) and CLASP to design a standard and label for sub-Saharan Africa (Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Program, 2011).
Description and context of the problem being addressed or value being created
GEALSP and CLASP’s goal was to design and create efficient performance standards and labels for Ghana’s energy needs, culture, and economic realities. They planned to factor in the low-income groups of the population so the solution would be feasible and affordable for the entire Ghanaian population. To add, the attractiveness of the solution was important to enable businesses to supply the product (solution) to an equal standard. With the needs, culture and economic realities of the Ghanaians factored into the design, GEALSP and CLASP agreed on starting with the room air conditioner standard (RAC). After that standard, the lighting systems, refrigerators, and deep freezers standard was developed. The RAC standard was chosen to be tackled first as the first minimum energy performance standard (MEPS) because of its role in peak electricity demand and also in the Ghanaian Market, RAC is largely part of the new equipment. The picture below is the final design of the solution GEALSP and CLASP came up with (Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Program, 2011).
System actors (Stakeholders) involved
The main stakeholders involved in this solution are GEALSP (Ghana’s Electrical Appliance Labeling and Standards Program) and CLASP (Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program). The suppliers and consumers of the standards and labels can also be considered stakeholders (Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Program, 2011).
Storyboard describing a typical scenario or scenarios involving the chosen solution in us
Meet Erica, a mother, and businesswoman. In recent times, Ghana has been going through a serious energy crisis, so Erica has made it a point to conserve energy by buying energy-efficient products. She heard about the new S&L stickers and how they show the energy consumption a product uses. She wants to buy a fridge with the S&L sticker so that she would be able to conserve energy (Electricity).
Meet Mike, a Shop Keeper at the convenience store and supplier. Mike has introduced the new S&L stickers to the products he sells in his shop. He also believes in energy conservation, so he adopted this new standard to promote environmental ethics and to encourage the conservation of energy.
Meet Charlene, Erica’s daughter, and a student. Charlene is just a 10-year-old that asks a lot of questions and wants to know everything.
On Monday morning, Erica set off for the electrical store to purchase an energy-efficient fridge. This is what went on in the shop…
Two weeks passed… One Saturday morning, Nana Yaa was up to her talking self. This is how the conversation went…
Charlene: Mum, what is that sticker on the Fridge?
Erica: My dear, it tells us how efficient a fridge is.
Charlene Huh? So the Ghana flag is telling us that the fridge is good? Really Mummy!
Erica: No, no, the numbers and stars on it.
Charlene: Ooh I see, so this one has five stars, does it mean it is like a hotel, like La Palm?
Erica: Erm, something like that, but in this case it tells me that we are using electricity wisely.
Charlene: Ooh I see, hmm… then all my toys should have the stickers because I also want to save electricity too.
Erica: Ha-ha-ha-ha, this my child, go out and play.
From the storyboard, you realize that users cannot understand the sticker the first time they encounter it. The explanation was needed to clarify the misunderstandings of the users; this causes the users to feel lost. Erica got an explanation from the shopkeeper Michael while Charlene got an explanation from Erica her mother. This should not be the case; a design should be user-centered; no explanations are needed. The design should be self-explanatory and give the user a good experience rather than making him/her go through the hustle of asking for help or trying to figure out what the product is meant for.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths (Internal): The coloring of the sticker was well chosen, as soon as you see the sticker you will know that it is meant for the Ghanaian market. In another country, the coloring of the sticker will change to represent the country’s culture and identity.
Weaknesses (Internal): The coloring to some extent was also a weakness; one could just conclude the product is Ghanaian-made. In the sense that, the sticker was just an identity to show the product was from Ghana, instead of showing the efficiency of the product.
Opportunities (External): The government can employ the S&L sticker for all energy commodities to inform the citizens of the country on what to buy to conserve energy. This will make the entire country energy efficient and help reduce the Energy Crisis.
Threats (External): There are no particular threats, a sticker is easy to produce and it is easily recognizable so it is quite an efficient solution.
Proposal (Improved Solution)
The sticker needs to be clearer than it is now; it needs to be simple but efficient. The sticker should be understood as soon as it is seen. A simple flag at the bottom of the sticker could represent the country where the S&L sticker is being used rather than using the colors of that country in the coloring of the sticker. Furthermore, the sticker should be transparent so that it takes on the color of the product is stuck on, this means the color of the letters should be a color that stands out depending on the product. Finally, the information on the sticker should engage the user; it should give the user an experience that will enable him or her to want all his or her products with the sticker on it; he or she would not buy a product until the sticker was on it. Below is the proposed improved version of the solution.
Proposed Design
In the proposed design, you realize that emphasis has been given to how good the appliance is, then the efficiency and consumption. This is what the sticker is supposed to do, to give the user a clear understanding of what he or she is going to buy. Secondly, the stars have a progressive nature, the better the product the more the stars; in this case, the product has four and a half efficiency out of five. The flag of the country has also been incorporated into the design at the bottom right. This gives the sticker a true Standard because all the stickers are going to be in this format. Finally, the extra information about the product has been placed near the flag to give the precise voltage and so on of that country. This newly proposed solution is much simpler and more efficient than the previous sticker. Now the user will get the information he or she needs without asking for help from others or without trying hard to figure out how efficient and eco-friendly the product is.
Problem Statement
An Energy Standard Label is needed to give consumers a clear understanding of the energy consumption of products to guide their purchase decisions for energy conservation through design thinking.
Bibliography
Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Program. (2011). S&L Success Story of Ghana. Retrieved 11 9, 2012, from CLASP Online: www.clasponline.org/en/WhyStandardsAndLabeling/StandardsLabelsSuccessStory-Ghana
GNA. (2009, August 26). Ghana would face serious energy problems if... - Akaho. Retrieved November 7, 2012, from Modern Ghana: http://www.modernghana.com/news/234793/1/ghana-would-face-serious-energy-problems-if-akaho-.html