Contents
This Lifecycle Diagram follows the energy inputs and waste outputs of the process of solar photovoltaic (SPV) energy journeying to a home to heat water. Solar energy is interesting, so this assignment was an opportunity to learn more about the real impacts of the manufacturing process.
SPV manufacturing and operation was researched in detail for this energy science course. Research was approached differently than in technical communication courses, as the point was to demonstrate knowledge rather than design information.
Assembly of the diagram was done in Google Slides, which was not the optimal program for this, but vector software was not available at the time. Aside from fist-fighting Google Slides, the process descriptions along the right were the biggest struggle. The diagram was to fit on a letter size, so there was limited space to write well-crafted paragraphs. In the end, the audience—an energy science professor—was evaluating for content, so extreme conciseness won out to meet his subject matter expectations. This assignment serves as inspiration for me to design a more nonexpert-accessible (a nonexpert audience may still be a technical audience) Lifecycle diagram.
Below are samples from the project. Click the image to expand.
