Electricity System Distribution (Ontario)

Context

The project was initiated by the Ontario Ministry of Energy to centralize and modernize the management of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) across the province—spanning solar, wind, microgrids, and battery systems.

Challenge

Stakeholders held siloed data, priorities varied, and user access/control requirements conflicted. The system needed to be accessible, data-rich, and scalable—all while meeting the needs of highly diverse users (including those with disabilities).

Goals

Create a unified dashboard with role-based views and data visualization Ensure WCAG accessibility compliance from day one Prototype and test scalable workflows for DER control and monitoring

My Process

User Research: Conducted interviews with multiple stakeholder groups Identified pain points in legacy systems and unmet needs Design Thinking Workshops: Ran ideation sessions with 4+ UX practitioners Created empathy maps, journey maps, and pain-gain visuals

UX Artifacts: Wireframes, storyboards, interactive prototypes using Figma/Adobe XD Built modular components for a custom design library

Agile Workflow: Worked in 2-week SAFe sprints Collaborated with product owners, developers, and QA in daily standups Presented design updates weekly to stakeholders, including CTO and VP Dev

Impact

Delivered a new centralized design system used org-wide Enabled stakeholders to visualize energy data & control assets in real-time Significantly improved accessibility and system usability for all user types Laid UX groundwork for future smart grid integrations in Ontario