Early Feature Ideas

The following early feature ideas occurred to me during the literature review process. They are naive and meant to allow thinking in terms of what-if a particular user experience was possible. These prototypes were not tested with users directly and rather formed a basis for directing the questions asked in a potential user survey.

Susan (Sustainability Conversation)

What if I could have a chat like this at the supermarket? Imagine what questions I would ask before buying a product. AI: “Kris, do you still remember Coca-Cola’s packaging is a large contributor to ocean plastic? You even went to a beach cleanup!” Me: “That’s so sad but it’s tasty!” AI. “Remember your values. Would you like to start saving for investing in insect farms in Indonesia instead? Predicted return 4% per year, according to analysts A and B.” If I’m not so sure, I could continue the conversation. Me: “Tell me more” AI: “A recent UN study says, the planet needs to grow 70% more food in the next 40 years. Experts from 8 investment companies predict growth for this category of assets.” Me: “Thanks for reminding me who I am” … Moments later. AI: “This shampoo is made by Unilever, which is implicated in deforestation in Indonesia according to reporting by World Forest Watch. Would you consider buying another brand instead? They have a higher ESG rating.”

Example Suggestions of the AI companion:

“Don’t buy a car, use a car sharing service instead to save XYZ CO₂eq. Services available near you: Bolt, Uber, Line Taxi”
“Use a refillable shampoo bottle to save XYZ plastic pollution”
“Call your local politician to nudge them to improve bicycle paths and reduce cars in your neighborhood. Over the past 2 years, you city has experienced an increase of cars from 290 cars per capita to 350 cars per capita.”

Speculative scenario of an interaction between a human user and a robo-advisor through the interface of chat messages in the context of retail shopping for daily products.

Early prototype of my Sustainable Finance AI Companion (Nov. 2020).

Sunday Market

What if I could go to the Sunday market with other people who care about sustainability? First prototype (based on literature review) called HappyGreen’s for going to the organic Sunday Market with friends. Choose industries of focus? Fashion, Food, etc?

True Cost

What if I you could see the actual cost of each product including externalities?

How Far?

What if the exact distance traveled by a product to reach me was clearly displayed during shopping? Seeing precise transportation distances and associated emissions could immediately clarify the environmental impact of buying local versus imported goods. Such transparency might encourage consumers to prioritize local and sustainable sourcing.

Country Profiles

What if I knew my country’s top pollution sources? I could instantly access detailed insights into my country’s primary sources of pollution? Having clear, accessible data on national environmental challenges might empower consumers to support policies, businesses, and lifestyle changes that address critical sustainability issues.

Know Your Company (KYC)

What if I could KYC the companies I interact with? This is a common practice for banks, they need to KYC “Know Your Client”. As a consumer, could I approach companies in a similar way to banks - using “Know Your Company” (KYC) for daily interactions with businesses? Possibly detailed transparency about corporate sustainability, ethics, and practices would enable consumers to engage only with companies whose values align closely with my own. Similary, What if I could “Speak Truth to Power”, affecting companies with truth? Consolidate user feedback for companies.

CO₂eq Flex

What if I could show off how much CO₂eq I have retired? What if I could showcase my contributions to reducing carbon emissions, similar to how fitness achievements are shared? A visual display or “badge” reflecting my environmental impact could encourage others, creating a ripple effect of positive behavior and raising community awareness about personal sustainability efforts.

Sustainability Watch

What if I could see all my sustainability data on a wearable device in the right context? My wearable device could provide instant, contextually relevant sustainability data throughout my day? Imagine checking my watch during shopping or commuting and instantly seeing personalized, actionable insights that help me make more eco-friendly decisions seamlessly integrated into my daily routine.

Narrative Layouts

What if I spent 5 minutes every day with a guide who could help me make more eco-friendly choices? How should the layout storyline be structured? Well it’s like Strava (that running app) for sustainability… or if you have heard of Welltory. I believe sustainable choices that would improve my life.. be it what I consume, save, invest, etc.. so I’m trying to design an app around this idea. I’m basically building the UX of AI.. focused on sustainability. How should the layout storyline be structured? Well it’s like Strava (that running app) for sustainability… or if you have heard of Welltory. I believe if I spent 5 minutes every day with a guide who could help me make more eco-friendly choices that would improve my life.. be it what I consume, save, invest, etc.. so I’m trying to design an app around this idea.

Shopping Divest

What if I you could build a community based on what I buy? Or join existing communities based explicitly on sustainable consumption habits? By sharing my purchasing choices and sustainability experiences with others, perhaps we could collectively amplify the positive impact of our eco-conscious decisions.

Mapping Feature Ideas to Theory of Planned Behavior

Categorizing early feature ideas by purpose and rationale.
Type of Feature	Specific Features	Purpose	Rationale
Transparency & Impact Intel	True Cost, How Far?, Country Profiles, KYC	Surface hard-to-see facts so choices feel data-backed	Make sense of complex sustainability data, so the user can quickly grasp hidden externalities, supply-chain distance, CO2 footprints, or a comapny’s ESG record.
Personal Coach & Nudge Engine	Susan Chatbot, Sustainability Watch, Narrative Layouts	Give real-time, context-aware advice that steers decisions	These features work like a pocket mentor: chat UI, wearable devices, or daily storylines that nudge the user toward greener action.
Social & Collective Flex	Sunday Market, Shopping Divest, CO₂ Flex	Use friends, status, or crowd power to boost motivation	These ideas thrive on group shopping, community leaderboards, or brag-worthy carbon “badges,” focusing on social proof and friendly competition.

While these feature ideas were developed independently, before I knew the Theory of Planned Behavior existed, the following is an attempt to organize the features according to TPB constructs.

Early feature ideas mapped to Theory of Planned Behavior.
Type of Feature	TPB Construct	Meaning	Rationale
Transparency & Impact Intel	Attitude towards the behavior	“Do I think acting sustainably is good and worth it?”	By exposing hidden costs, supply-chain distance, and ESG scores, these features shape positive (or negative) evaluations of a purchase.
Personal Coach & Nudge Engine	Perceived behavioral control	“Can I actually pull this off?”	Real-time tips from Susan or a smartwatch lower friction, boosting a user’s sense that greener behaviour is doable.
Social & Collective Flex	Subjective norms	“Do the people around me expect this?”	Sunday-Market meet-ups, carbon badges, and community feeds make sustainable choices visible and socially reinforced.