Methodologies

1. Research & Discovery

   • Secondary Research & Market Analysis – Studied trends in smart home adoption, rental housing challenges, and energy efficiency to identify key barriers and opportunities.

   • Primary Research (Surveys & Interviews) – Engaged with renters, early-adopter homeowners, and industry experts to understand needs, frustrations, and expectations from a smart home system.

   • Competitive Benchmarking – Analyzed existing smart home solutions (e.g., Apple HomeKit, Google Nest) to assess gaps in usability, accessibility, and sustainability.

   2.Affinitization & Insight Generation

   • Affinity Mapping – Synthesized research findings to uncover key pain points, motivations, and behavioral patterns among renters.

   • Persona Development – Created user personas (e.g., "The Urban Renter," "The Tech-Savvy Minimalist") to guide design decisions based on real user needs.

   • Customer Journey Mapping – Mapped out renters’ daily routines, pain points, and interactions with smart home technology to design frictionless touchpoints.

   3. Ideation & Concept Development

   • Service Blueprinting – Designed a detailed service blueprint mapping out frontstage (user interactions) and backstage (AI automation, data processing) elements of the Vesta experience.

   • Systems Thinking & Ecosystem Mapping – Visualized how Vesta’s components (hardware, software, AI) interact with users, energy providers, and smart devices to create a closed-loop, sustainable system.

   • Design Sprint & Rapid Prototyping – Iteratively tested different product-service combinations to refine Vesta’s plug-and-play usability, modularity, and AI-driven automation.

   4. Prototyping & Testing

   • Wireframing & UI/UX Design – Developed interactive prototypes of the Vesta app and smart device interface, focusing on ease of use and seamless integration into daily life.

   • User Testing & Feedback Loops – Conducted real-world usability testing to validate Vesta’s functionality, intuitiveness, and impact on energy savings.

   • Scenario Testing & Role-Playing – Simulated various user scenarios (e.g., waking up, leaving home, coming back) to refine AI automation and adaptive environment features.

   5. Implementation & Refinement

   • Service Prototyping & Pilot Testing – Proposed real-world pilots with utility companies and rental communities to validate market feasibility.

   • Business Model Design – Developed a subscription-based revenue model, ensuring affordability and long-term sustainability.

   • Storytelling & Pitch Development – Crafted a compelling narrative, visual storytelling, and impact metrics to showcase Vesta’s viability as a service innovation.

Methodologies

1. Circular Design Thinking
   Vesta is designed for longevity and modularity, allowing components such as smart lighting, climate control, and security sensors to be upgraded, replaced, or repaired individually. This extends their lifespan and reduces electronic waste. The material selection process prioritizes recyclable materials and minimizes non-repairable adhesives, ensuring easy disassembly for refurbishment or recycling. Additionally, Vesta's AI-driven system continuously improves through software upgrades, reducing the need for frequent hardware replacements.

2. Energy Efficiency & Smart Optimization
   AI-powered smart climate zoning, lighting schedules, and automated energy tracking help users reduce unnecessary energy use, lowering their overall carbon footprint. The Vesta app provides real-time energy insights, allowing users to make data-driven decisions about their consumption habits. AI-coached energy-saving recommendations further help users gradually transition to more efficient behaviors without disrupting their daily routines.

3. Human-Centered & Sustainable Behavior Design
   To encourage sustainable choices, Vesta incorporates gamified elements such as eco-score tracking and progress milestones. The plug-and-play nature of the system ensures ease of installation, eliminating the need for invasive wiring or construction, which reduces material waste. Non-intrusive automation allows users to override AI settings manually, ensuring that sustainable features align with real-world comfort preferences rather than forcing change.

4. Service-Based Sustainability Model
   Vesta is designed with a product-as-a-service approach, offering a subscription-based model instead of traditional ownership. This allows for continuous hardware and software upgrades, reduced material waste through refurbishment and part replacements, and increased accessibility without excessive production demand. The system can also integrate with renewable energy sources such as solar panels and smart grids, making it adaptable for a more sustainable home infrastructure.

5. Systems Thinking & Lifecycle Design
   Vesta follows a closed-loop lifecycle, where products are designed for easy disassembly, refurbishment, and material recovery through responsible recycling. The system is built to collaborate within existing rental ecosystems, energy providers, and circular economy networks, allowing for broader scalability and adoption.

6. Impact of Sustainability Design in Vesta
   By using these sustainability-focused methodologies, Vesta minimizes waste, optimizes energy use, and encourages long-term behavioral change in home environments. The result is a smarter, greener, and more renter-friendly smart home solution that balances convenience, sustainability, and future adaptability.