Designing linked journey maps to understand the complexities of the residential solar energy market

Abstract A journey map is a visual representation of a process undertaken by a person, and is related to product use and human-centered design. Here, we introduce combined (linked) journey mapping techniques and use them to capture a complex system—residential solar panel purchase and installation—from the perspectives of both the homeowner and the installer at the same time. Few studies have analyzed the installer, who we found significantly influences the homeowner's decisions. The advantage of the linked journey map over individual journey maps is that it decreases subjectivity of findings as “pain points” worthy of further study, and modeling can be verified from two or more vantage points. We demonstrate these maps as a semi-formal analytical tool to categorize, parameterize, and unite insights affecting both stakeholders. We gathered data from in-depth interviews with homeowners and installers and built individual journey maps. Then we identified interactions between the two, and merged their two maps to identify points on the journey that create difficulty or frustration. These maps provide comprehensive insight analysis for later surveys and agent-based model creation. We found that post-contract stages were filled with pain points. Both homeowners and installers found the lack of communication between all stakeholders, slow permit processing times and lack of assistance from utilities and housing jurisdictions, and lack of standardization for the permitting process to be painful.