Ecolens

EcoLens is an AI-driven digital tool supporting policymakers in climate-related decision making.

EcoLens is an AI-driven digital tool supporting policymakers in climate-related decision making.

Domain

Public policymaking

Client(s)

ErasmusAI, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Info.nl

Domain

Public policymaking

My role

UX Designer, Stakeholder manager

Project duration

6 weeks

Team (3)

Arianna Bardelli,

Fatemeh Azhm,

Stefan van Brummelen

Problematization

Design challenge

How can a generative AI tool support policymakers at the Ministry by integrating into their policymaking workflows and ensuring trust?

Contextualisation of problem

Policymaking

The Ministry of Economic Affairs wants to improve policymaking workflows by using AI. How can we develop a system that takes into account different human and non-human entities and gives them a sense of agency in the policymaking process? How can we voice their concerns? How can we help policymakers understand the impact and consequences of climate-related policies on these entities through the use of AI?

"I’m slowly going below European standards. Weren’t those laws meant to protect me?"

Fresh water

Policy maker

"I’m proud to announce the Green Industrial Transition Policy. It’s designed to drive sustainable growth, lower emissions, and support industries adopting green technology."

"Hello! Are you aware of my living environment?"

Local fauna

"Green jobs are great, but ensure they pay fairly!"

Workers and labor unions

Aren't we, as consumers, paying for the transition? How does it benefit us?

"Hey, if this ruins the soil and water, how are we supposed to grow food?"

Public opinion

Farmers

Policy maker

"I’m proud to announce the Green Industrial Transition Incentive Policy. It’s designed to drive sustainable growth, lower emissions, and support industries adopting green technology."

Fresh water

"I’m slowly going below European standards. Weren’t those laws meant to protect me?"

Farmers

"Hey, if this ruins the soil and water, how are we supposed to grow food?"

Local fauna

"Protect our homes while you go green, please."

Workers and

labor unions

"Green jobs sound good, but don’t forget fair pay!"

Public opinion

“How are we meant to support this if our energy bills keep rising?"

The solution

Ecolens

EcoLens is a concept for a web-based, AI-driven tool for policymakers of the Ministry of Economic Affairs that provides insightful perspectives from human and non-human stakeholders in climate-related policymaking.

This system is to be completely integrated into already existing government platforms as a “policy checker” that contextualizes a policy’s impact through data visualization and the sentimental analysis of both human and non-human entities.

After defining the project scope, a design-by-doing approach informed mostly the iterative design process to validate the design decisions.

Design-by-doing

Iterative design process

Discover

Define

Prototype

Mid-fidelity iterations

User interviews and testing

High-fidelity wireframes

Concept development

Sketches

Mid-fidelity wireframes

Product requirements

Problem statement

Workflow mapping

Debrief

QAD method

Stakeholder map

Literature review

Usability testing

Client presentation

Refined prototype

Ideate

Test & evaluate

Iterative design process

Design-by-doing

After defining the project scope, a design-by-doing approach informed mostly the iterative design process to validate the design decisions.

Discover

Debrief

QAD method

Stakeholder map

Literature review

Define

Product requirements

Problem statement

Workflow mapping

Concept development

Sketches

Mid-fidelity wireframes

Ideate

Prototype

Mid-fidelity iterations

User interviews and testing

High-fidelity wireframes

Usability testing

Client presentation

Refined prototype

Test & evaluate

Policymaking domain

Discover & define

Debrief

QAD method (validation with client)

QAD method

(validation with client)

Stakeholder map

Ministry of Economic Affairs

Central government

ErasmusAI

Ecolens

Policy makers

ClimateGPT

Info.nl

Central government

ErasmusAI

Ecolens

ClimateGPT

Info.nl

Ministry of

Economic

Affairs

Policy-

makers

Research framework

Framing genAI as supportive tool to set trust

Integration into workflows while maintaining flexibility

Include diverse and validated data sources to ensure transparency and reduce bias, addressing ethical considerations

Requirements list

Product requirements (4)

Stakeholder requirements (6)

Technical requirements (4)

Legal constraints (12)

Product focus (Ecolens)

Problem identification

Agenda setting

Policy development

Implementation

Monitoring and evaluation

Policymaking workflow

Product focus (Ecolens)

Problem identification

Agenda setting

Policy development

Implementation

Monitoring and evaluation

Public opinion

Ministry

Workers and

labour unions

Companies and

industries

Municipalities

Politics

Non-governmental

organisations (NGOs)

Activities included:

Sketching & iterating on initial ideas
Building interactive prototypes for testing
Conducting usability tests to refine designs

Exploring ideas & creating solutions

Exploring ideas & creating

solutions

Ideate, prototype, test, repeat

Activities included:

Sketching & iterating on initial ideas
Building interactive prototypes for testing
Conducting usability tests to refine designs

Deliver

Outcome & impact

The project was selected for ThingsCon Amsterdam through public viewings at the University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam.

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Design portfolio - Stefan van Brummelen

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Stefan van Brummelen

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