Ecolens

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

Domain

Public policymaking

Client(s)

ErasmusAI, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Info.nl

My role

UX Designer, Stakeholder manager

Project duration

6 weeks

Team (3)

Arianna Bardelli,

Fatemeh Azhm,

Stefan van Brummelen

Design challenge

How to integrate AI into policymakers' workflows to enhance efficiency while ensuring trustworthiness and compliance with EU laws?

Problem statement - improve policymaking workflows

The Ministry of Economic Affairs aims to improve policymaking workflows using AI. As a designer, the specified goal is: What role can AI play as a tool that adapts to the existing workflows of policymakers while ensuring trustworthiness and compliance with EU laws?

Improve policymaking workflows

The Ministry of Economic Affairs aims to improve policymaking workflows using AI. As a designer, the specified goal is: What role can AI play as a tool that adapts to the existing workflows of policymakers while ensuring trustworthiness and compliance with EU laws?

Problem

Ecolens - simulating policy impacts for informed climate decisions

Ecolens supports policymakers in climate-related decision-making by simulating and visualizing the impact of their draft policies on human and non-human entities in the context of use.

Solution

0. Stel een ‘perspectief’-lens in voor het AI-model om geüploade conceptdocumenten te analyseren.

1. Upload any policy-related files

2. Dashboard with response of lens and data visualisations (based on the uploaded files)

3. Guidelines for improvements based on the lens and selected data visualisation scenario

AI Disclosure

Policymaking domain

AI-workflow integration

Through design-by-doing and iterative expert testing, we developed an AI solution for policy-making workflows. My expertise focused on conceptualizing and validating the generic policymaking process, including both direct and indirect stakeholders, and assessing AI's potential contributions.

Design process

Policymaking workflow

Problem identification

Agenda setting

Policy development

Implementation

4

3

Monitoring and evaluation

Public opinion

Direct and indirect stakeholders

Ministry

Workers and

labour unions

Companies and

industries

Municipalities

Politics

Non-governmental

organisations (NGOs)

1

2

Product focus

5

Design process

Design process

Concept

development

Concepting testing with SMEs

Explored various potential solutions. Validated concepts through testing with subject matter experts. Aligned technological capabilities with stakeholder needs. Experts suggested: Including all human stakeholders in the lens setup. Giving them a voice in the dashboard to ensure objectivity.

Concepting testing with SMEs

Explored various potential solutions. Validated concepts through testing with subject matter experts. Aligned technological capabilities with stakeholder needs. Experts suggested: Including all human stakeholders in the lens setup. Giving them a voice in the dashboard to ensure objectivity.

Prototyping

mid-fi and hi-fi

Iterating & hi-fi prototype testing

Sketching and iterating on initial ideas. Collaborating with a teammate to design a hi-fi prototype for testing purposes. Preparing and leading quick usability tests with SMEs to refine designs.

Iterating & hi-fi prototype testing

Sketching and iterating on initial ideas. Collaborating with a teammate to design a hi-fi prototype for testing purposes. Preparing and leading quick usability tests with SMEs to refine designs.

User testing

with policymakers

Design validation & critical feedback

Policymakers confirmed the tool enhances informed decision-making by: Improving transparency Considering diverse stakeholder perspectives Critical feedback: Legal concerns about tool adaptability raised by the Ministry Experts worried about potential siloing of human stakeholder perspectives Experts recommend a comprehensive decision making overview for transparency and trust Changes made: Introduced a 'Change log' to address concerns

Design validation & critical feedback

Policymakers confirmed the tool enhances informed decision-making by: Improving transparency Considering diverse stakeholder perspectives Critical feedback: Legal concerns about tool adaptability raised by the Ministry Experts worried about potential siloing of human stakeholder perspectives Experts recommend a comprehensive decision making overview for transparency and trust Changes made: Introduced a 'Change log' to address concerns

Full test report

Personal reflection

Enterprise design skill development

  • Developed skills in designing AI-integrated tools that promote transparency and trust for expert users.


  • Rapidly translate expert feedback into iterative design improvements, balancing technical feasibility (using external systems) and user needs.


  • Frequently validate designs with AI experts and policymakers, leading to improved alignment of the prototype with practical applications.


  • Work with diverse interests, such as the policymaker’s own priorities, public opinion on the digitization of policy processes, and non-human entities like nature, water quality, and EU guidelines.

Mid-fidelity (process-related) sketches

Concept selected for ThingsCon 2024, featured in the RIOT-publication 2025 (p.122).

"The State of Responsible IoT is a collection of essays by experts from the ThingsCon community of IoT experts and practitioners. It explores the challenges, opportunities and questions surrounding the creation of a responsible Internet of Things (IoT)."

Design portfolio - Stefan van Brummelen

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2. Dashboard with response of lens and data visualisations (based on the uploaded files)

1. Upload any policy-related files

0. Stel een ‘perspectief’-lens in voor het AI-model om geüploade conceptdocumenten te analyseren.

3. Guidelines for improvements based on the lens and selected data visualisation scenario

AI Disclosure