<aside> <img src="/icons/groups_gray.svg" alt="/icons/groups_gray.svg" width="40px" /> World class Design Team
Played a pivotal role in shaping the Opower Design team culture and the hiring practice – now regarded as a model for companies who wish to build excellent teams and products.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/token_gray.svg" alt="/icons/token_gray.svg" width="40px" /> IoT Patent Contributions
Awarded several patents in recognition of my contributions as inventor of IoT-integrated Demand Response and Energy Efficiency technologies
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<aside> <img src="/icons/brain_gray.svg" alt="/icons/brain_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Go-to-Market Presence
Regularly presented Opower’s behavioral design and research focus as a differentiator to prospects and existing customers as part of Opower’s standard sales process.
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<aside> <img src="/icons/globe_gray.svg" alt="/icons/globe_gray.svg" width="40px" /> International Research
Led research of Middle Eastern utility customers to assess the feasibility of introducing energy efficiency programs in the region. This required creating numerous prototypes tailored to the language and culture specific to that geographic area.
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For a typical American, heating and cooling accounts for around 48% of their total home energy use. Opower collaborated with Honeywell to develop innovative web and mobile applications that remotely control Honeywell's latest line of WiFi-connected thermostats. The Opower apps were specifically crafted to not only provide control but also to encourage users to establish schedules—something often overlooked in most thermostats–and prompt users to set efficient temperatures, even if it means making slight comfort sacrifices.
The uniqueness of the Opower apps lies in their capability to connect users with their utility. This entire package, comprising the home thermostat and feature-rich apps, comes at no cost to the customer. The utility provides these tools as part of an incentive program to encourage participation in various energy efficiency programs, such as Demand Response, which contributes to a broader, community-driven approach to energy efficiency.
When Opower initially launched its web portal, it introduced a suite of products aimed at enhancing customers' comprehension of their energy consumption and establishing a connection with the utility. However, after seven years, the portal remained relatively unchanged, even as the objectives of the utility industry evolved. While also rearchitecting the entire suite of web products, we took the opportunity to critically examine the initial design principles behind the web portal and set out to redefine the product's goals in alignment with the dynamic changes occurring in the industry.
As a design leader, I have focused on assembling teams of diverse skillsets, aiming to foster an environment that encourages motivated, engaged, and continually challenged designers.
The transition from Opower to Oracle presented a leadership challenge that required navigating uncertainty where I sought to provide a clear vision, acknowledging the collective efforts amid significant changes and establishing my commitment to continuous improvement and learning.
