Visit a heat pump
NESTA
Delivering a service to help people learn about heat pumps in real-world settings.
Delivering a service to help people learn about heat pumps in real-world settings.
We've launched Visit a Heat Pump to connect people who are interested in getting a heat pump with local heat pump owners. Go to Visitaheatpump.org.uk
Impact goal
Most people in the UK have never seen a heat pump. For those considering one, it’s difficult to find out how it might work in their home. We think that if people are able to see a heat pump in real life then they will become more confident in the technology and more likely to take the next steps towards getting one.
As of today, we have more than a 1,000 hosts and 50 installation companies registred. In the past year, more than 2,000 households were able to see a heat pump in real life!
As of today, we have more than a 1,000 hosts and 50 installation companies registred. In the past year, more than 2,000 households were able to see a heat pump in real life!
Role
The project started two years ago and was launched as a live service a year ago. Since it is active, the platform has been continuously refined, incorporating user feedback and developing new features to deliver impactful outcomes for multiple users.
Over this period, I led product and user research, facilitated team decision-making through prototyping and workshops, built the BETA site in Webflow, and later collaborated closely with developers to create core functionalities. In the spring, I will lead a discovery phase of work aiming at identifying a three year strategy for the service (e.g, desired impact, partnerships opportunities, users challenges).
Over this period, I led product and user research, facilitated team decision-making through prototyping and workshops, built the BETA site in Webflow, and later collaborated closely with developers to create core functionalities. In the spring, I will lead a discovery phase of work aiming at identifying a three year strategy for the service (e.g, desired impact, partnerships opportunities, users challenges).
Research and development
As a designer, I led the design of the service based on extensive user research and testing. I conducted a service safari and comparative analysis of similar services, such as home-swapping platforms, showrooms, and eco-group initiatives, to gather insights and inspiration. I designed and tested prototypes to evaluate user experience and functionality and led interviews with heat pump owners to better understand their needs, concerns, and expectations. By mapping user journeys, I identified pain points and opportunities, while exploring digital platform integrations to enhance the service's capabilities.
These efforts resulted in a clearly defined service journey and the decision to collaborate with developers on key features.
Delivery and service launch
Before launch, we worked closely with external developper to build core functionalities to the site (e.g, emails automation, map search, booking system) and ensure its robustness for launch.
Since the service's rollout, we adopted a short sprint approach to enhance the platform's robustness and integrate new features based on initial user feedback and usage data. I actively contributed to the development and testing of these features, collaborating closely with project team members in an agile environment. This iterative process ensured the platform remained adaptable and scalable, effectively addressing the evolving needs of its users.
︎︎︎ We currently have 1,012 heat pump hosts and had more than 2,000 visitors in the past year.