Giving users the choice

When it comes to sustainable user experience, designers and commissioning parties bear responsibility. However, with a customisable eco view, users can have a say in how resource-friendly they want to consume a website. This can be done in a playful, interactive way with various settings for adjusting data volume, energy consumption and visual complexity.

Selectable design options for users could look something like this:

1. Standard: full colours, images/videos are displayed automatically and all features are available
2. Energy and data-saving: compressed images, no videos, reduced animations and image content in greyscale ensure lower energy consumption of OLED displays
3. Minimal mode: content is only available in text form; the absence of images and a visual layout reduce loading times and CO₂ emissions

An example of this is the online magazine ‘Branch’: the website changes its design depending on the amount of fossil fuels in the network. This means it always stays within a defined carbon budget. Website visitors can also choose for themselves whether they want to display images or just read the image descriptions.

Conclusion: Sustainability benefits both your business AND the environment

By working with a specialised UX agency, you can:

1. Reduce emissions: Thoughtful planning in the feature definition stage can unlock huge sustainability gains. Sustainable UX design starts by identifying which functions are truly essential and how to implement them with minimal environmental impact.
2. Enhance user experience: Close collaboration between UX designers, UI designers and developers is key to creating efficient solutions. Clear communication and iterative processes help eliminate data waste and ensure an optimal user experience.
3. Strengthen brand image: Sustainability is becoming a key trust factor for customers. With strategic UX design, you can position your brand as an industry leader in innovation and climate responsibility.