I am designing a computer program that a student flat can set up by networking their computers together. The program will measure the power usage of an individual’s room and compare it with his/her flat mates.

I got the idea from doing research in the holidays. Because I live in a hall of residence I was restricted to only taking power readings from within my room, to get a broader range of facts I also tested in some friends rooms. Without trying it became slightly competitive. Therefore I plan to make my interface a competition within the flat, which will therefore force the students to lower their energy consumption.  There will be a points system that will record power usage and can compare daily, weekly and monthly power consumption. This point system will fuel the natural competitive nature that everyone has and to add to this there will also be a rewards system.

I plan to keep the design of my interface really simple and straight forward, the design will be clean and logical. Specific information will be available but only if the user wants to see it, otherwise the interface will only show basic, yet informative, symbols and colours.