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User 2:

In his 50's.
Some experience using desktop computers.
Has an iPhone, not an Android device.
Uses electricity for heating, A/C, lights, washer, TV, oven, computer.
Some domain knowledge of smart grid.
A list of commonly used electrical appliances, each having its own default settings.
- For example, controls the setpoint of air conditioners and fridges. Turns washers on or off.
- The user should be able to change the default settings.
The ability to buy and sell power.
Uses the relative costs to determine if an appliance should be on or off.
Maintenance free.
Doesn't like passwords.
View energy consumption patterns.
Control appliances remotely, from outside (turn on and off).

User 3: business owner interested in minimizing energy consumption of office and manufacturing plant

User-related questions:

Age, gender, culture, language
- 47-year-old American male; native English speaker
Education (literacy, numeracy)
- Some college; complete literacy and numeracy; business experience
Physical limitations
- None
Experience with computers and mobile devices
- Extensive computer experience, but limited experience with mobile devices, esp. touchscreen devices
Motivation, attitude
- Interested in minimizing costs of operating office and manufacturing plant, by reducing energy consumption and reselling extra energy generated by operations
Domain experience
- Existing experience with energy reuse technologies (e.g. using heat produced by manufacturing processes to heat office space)
Application experience
- None
Work environment and other social context
- Works in small- to medium-size office with attached manufacturing plant and warehouse
Relationships and communication patterns with other people
- Managerial relationships with others in office; communicates in person, by email, or by phone

Task-related questions:

Why is the task being done?
- To limit energy consumption and profit from extra energy generated
What does the user need to know or have before doing the task?
- Understanding of energy usage of plant
- Understanding of smart grid and the means of reselling energy
Where is the task performed?
- On site at the office/plant
- Remotely, on nights/weekends
What is the environment like? Noisy, dirty, dangerous?
- Plant and warehouse are noisy and dangerous
- Office space is quiet, safe
How often is the task performed?
- Daily
What are its time or resource constraints?
- Should use minimal time, so executives/facilities managers can attend to other aspects of their jobs
How is the task learned?
- Training
What can go wrong? (exceptions, errors, emergencies)
- An error in which there is not enough energy to power machinery in the plant would be problematic, leading to lost profit
Who else is involved in the task?
- Plant, warehouse, and facilities managers; potentially other executives

Related Links:
http://www.umeter.me/services_en.jsp

Model Details

Start with a simple model--input/output
To avoid emergencies, set a default buffer (20%?)--amount extra to save
Need to find a balance in the amount of detail to show to users by default
Need to find a balance between letting the program make decisions and letting the users make decisions
Tasks:
- Monitor energy consumption of each device, and aggregate consumption
  - Allow custom grouping of devices
  - Make sure naming distinguishes devices, in the case that there are multiple devices of the same type
  - Hierarchical structure of grouping allows scalability
  - Be able to sort by consumption over a certain period of time
- Control devices
  - Turn on and off
  - Change settings
  - Control remotely, not necessarily from the same network
  - Schedule operation
- View price information received from grid
  - Save and display in a parallel format to the monitoring pane
- Sell generated power back to utility company
  - Specify a time, assuming they have a battery or some kind of storage
- Configure application
  - Discover new devices
  - Configure and receive notifications about energy usage and pricing
  - Set a password