How do users interact with photovoltaic-powered products? Investigating 100 'lead-users' and 6 PV products

Georgia Apostolou, Angèle Reinders

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In order to better understand how ‘lead-users’ interact with PV-powered products, the behaviour of 100 people interacting with six different PV-powered products in their daily life was analysed. The sample of respondents to be observed consisted of 20 groups, each one formed by five students of Industrial Design Engineering at Technical University of Delft (TU Delft). The tested PV products are: the IKEA Sunnan lamp, the Waka Waka light, the Waka Waka power (charger and light), the Little Sun light, the Logitech solar keyboard and the Beurer kitchen weight scale. In this study the design of the six tested PV products was analysed, lead-users’ expectations were outlined, as well as their opinion of the products’ performance during and after use was addressed. Results show that respondents need reliable PV products with appealing design and improved performance.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)66-93
Number of pages28
JournalJournal of Design Research (online)
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Keywords

  • photovoltaic
  • PV
  • PV-powered
  • PV products
  • user behaviour
  • lead-user
  • interaction
  • users’ expectations
  • design
  • performance
  • aesthetics

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