10100410User focused design of Kinewell Energy software for offshore wind planningClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKOffshore wind has 64 GW installed globally (as of 2022) and is proving to be a viable and effective technology to support the decarbonisation of the energy sector as we strive towards net zero targets. To reach targets of 50 GW of offshore wind in the UK by 2030 will require new wind farms to installed. This indicates a significant opportunity for innovative tools that can be utilised in the planning stage of new projects to deliver value. Kinewell Energy develops and commercialises innovative technologies that add significant scalable value and impact positively on environmental challenges. KLOC is Kinewell Energy's first software solution, and economically designs and optimises offshore wind inter-array cable layouts. In 2016, KLOC was highly commended by the IET innovation awards, and since then has been continuously developed. Recently, we were recognised by Business Live as one of the 'five most promising North East firms set for success in 2023', and awarded 'Energy Innovation of the Year 2023' by VentureFest. In 2021, Kinewell Energy secured funding through the North of Tyne Combined Authority's (NTCA) TIGGOR programme, which has driven the business forward, including launching KLOC in the cloud with a web-app user interface. Now, our licensed solution can be accessed from anywhere, anytime, using desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile via an intuitive graphical web-app. This gives end-users productivity gains. We've since expanded our software portfolio with new offerings, such as KDOTS (export system technology choice software) and KWOTA (turbine location placement software). In this project we will take user focused design approaches to improve Kinewell Energy's software products for offshore wind planning. We will gather end-user feedback, and collaborate with the Design Council to identify new ways forward to ensure our products can reach a greater number of end-users. During the project, we will develop, test and refine the software to work towards outputs in an iterative way. This will enable us to overcome sales barriers around how users interact with our software. This project will result in an improved product that better accesses export markets through language translation, simplified user-interface, streamlined sales processes, and improved training.