Debunking Green UX Myths: A Guide for SaaS Leaders

Myth 1: “Green UX? Way too expensive!”

“Another trendy concept that's going to blow up our budget!” That's what many entrepreneurs think when they hear about Green UX.

It's true that completely redesigning your SaaS interface can be an investment. But eco-design is not limited to expensive and complex overhauls. There are many simple and quick optimizations that can be implemented without breaking the bank.

Let's take a look at some concrete examples:

• Choose green web hosting: Did you know that you can host your SaaS on servers powered by renewable energy? All without necessarily increasing your hosting costs.
• Disable energy-intensive features: Limit energy-consuming animations, autoplay videos, or image carousels that unnecessarily overload your pages.
• Educate your users: A simple message in your interface encouraging them to download only necessary files or to empty their trash can have a considerable impact on a large scale.

As you can see, Green UX can start with simple, inexpensive actions accessible to everyone.

Instead of focusing on the cost, it's more judicious to evaluate the long-term benefits of Green UX, both in terms of brand image and performance and savings.

Did you know?

Dark Mode, often perceived as an easy-to-implement "Green UX" solution, is not always as effective as it seems. On OLED screens, frequently used for high-end smartphones, displaying pure black (#000000) allows for maximum energy savings because the pixels concerned are turned off. On the other hand, on an LCD screen, a technology still common for laptops and external monitors, the backlight is always active, even when the screen is displaying black.

Therefore, if your SaaS is primarily accessed on computers, favoring Dark Mode with very dark colors will have a limited impact on overall energy consumption, unlike pure black (#000000) on an OLED screen. The effect will be primarily aesthetic, which is not insignificant for user experience, but it will not be a "Green UX" miracle solution on its own.

Myth 2: “Green UX is too complicated to implement!”

Green UX can seem intimidating for some companies, conjuring up images of complex procedures and in-depth technical knowledge. However, it's important to debunk this misconception.

Integrating Green UX into your development process doesn't necessarily mean starting from scratch or revolutionizing your work methods. It's more about gradually adopting best practices and integrating them into your existing workflow.

Take the example of a Design System. A well-designed design system, with reusable and optimized components, improves development efficiency while promoting digital sobriety. This avoids redundancies and reduces the weight of web pages, contributing to a smoother user experience and lower energy consumption.

It's true that some advanced technical optimizations may require the expertise of developers. However, many actions are accessible to everyone, without in-depth technical knowledge. For example, choosing lightweight fonts, optimizing image weight, or opting for a clean design are all simple steps that will positively impact your SaaS's performance and its environmental footprint.

Adopting a Green UX approach is a gradual process based on strategic choices and concrete actions. Far from being an insurmountable puzzle, Green UX proves to be an accessible and meaningful approach.

Myth 3: "Green UX is only for big companies!"

"We're not Google! We don't have the means or resources to get into Green UX." This is a common refrain among startups and SMEs.

However, it's important to remember that company size doesn't matter when it comes to environmental issues. Digital technology pollutes, regardless of the number of users on your SaaS platform. And every player in the sector has a role to play in making digital more responsible.

Moreover, eco-design can be a real asset, even for small businesses:

• It allows you to stand out from the competition. More and more users are sensitive to the environmental impact of their choices. Showcasing your eco-responsible commitments can make all the difference.
• Green UX is part of a global optimization process. Improving the accessibility of your SaaS, optimizing its performance, also means reducing your infrastructure costs and improving user experience. These are all crucial issues, regardless of your company's size.
• Remember that Green UX is a gradual process. You can start with simple, inexpensive actions and go further as your means and needs allow.

So, ready to prove that even small businesses can have a positive impact on the planet?

Why Green UX is a REALITY (and an Opportunity) for SaaS

An Unavoidable Issue: Digital Technology Facing its Environmental Impact

It's hard to deny: digital technology, although often perceived as immaterial, has a very real impact on our planet. And this impact continues to grow as our dependence on digital intensifies.

A few figures are enough to raise awareness of the magnitude of the phenomenon:

• Digital technology now accounts for nearly 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than global air traffic. (Source: The Shift Project)
• Manufacturing a single computer requires an average of 800 kilos of raw materials and 1.5 tons of water. (Source: French Interministerial Mission for Eco-Responsible Digital Technology)
• In 2022, over 62 million tons of electronic waste were generated worldwide. (Source: Gouv.fr)

The booming SaaS sector is no exception to this reality. Data hosting, network traffic, device usage... Every action taken on your platform has an environmental footprint.

Faced with this observation, digital sobriety is becoming a necessity. It's not about giving up technological progress but rather rethinking how we use and design digital technology to reduce its impact on the planet.

By integrating Green UX into your strategy, you're embracing this eco-responsible approach and participating in building a more sustainable digital world.

The Benefits of Green UX for SaaS Companies: Much More than Just Ethics

Of course, the ethical aspect is fundamental. But it would be reductive to limit Green UX to a simple philanthropic action. In fact, adopting an eco-responsible approach when designing your SaaS offers many tangible benefits for your business:

Attract and Retain Users

• In a context where consumers are increasingly sensitive to the environmental impact of their choices, highlighting your commitment to a more sustainable digital world is a real differentiating factor.
• By offering a smooth, fast, and environmentally friendly user experience, you appeal to a clientele concerned about their impact and looking for responsible solutions.

Boost Your Performance and Profitability

• An eco-designed SaaS often translates to an optimized website: reduced loading times, smooth navigation, intuitive interface... These are all elements that contribute to improving user experience and, consequently, your conversion and retention rates.
• By optimizing your resources and limiting your energy consumption, you also achieve significant savings on your infrastructure costs (hosting, maintenance, etc.).

Going Further: The Positive Impact of Eco-Design

• Beyond purely economic aspects, Green UX helps make digital accessible to a wider audience by limiting bandwidth requirements and optimizing display on all devices.
• Internally, integrating Green UX into your strategy also means uniting your teams around a meaningful project and strengthening their sense of belonging.

Far from being a brake on innovation, Green UX represents a fantastic opportunity to combine economic performance, environmental responsibility, and customer satisfaction.

Green UX According to merveilleUX, a Global and Committed Approach

Values at the Heart of Our Approach

At merveilleUX, Green UX is not just a trend we apply for the sake of fashion. It's an obvious choice that stems directly from our core values:

• Empathy, which guides all our thinking, pushes us to consider the impact of our creations not only on end-users but also on the environment. A successful digital product meets the needs of its users without compromising the future of our planet.
• Accessibility means ensuring that everyone benefits from digital technology, without exclusion. By designing lightweight, ergonomic, and resource-efficient interfaces, we contribute to making digital accessible to as many people as possible, while limiting its environmental impact.
• Adaptability is essential to meet the specific needs of each client and each project. We know that Green UX is not just a series of ready-made recipes. This is why we adapt our approach to each situation, prioritizing dialogue and co-construction.

For our agency, Green UX is above all a global and holistic approach, part of a long-term vision. It's not just about helping SaaS companies optimize a few lines of code but about rethinking how we design, develop and use digital technology, with a focus on sustainability and responsibility.

merveilleUX Expertise at the Service of Your Responsible Digital Transition

At merveilleUX, we support SaaS companies in creating digital products that are as efficient as they are responsible. For us, eco-design is not a constraint but an opportunity to innovate and create unique user experiences, in harmony with environmental challenges.

Far from being limited to a simple checklist of best practices, our approach is based on a thorough understanding of the specific challenges faced by SaaS and on solid technical expertise:

• UX Audit: First and foremost, we carry out an in-depth UX audit of your SaaS to identify areas for improvement in terms of performance and accessibility, taking into account your technical constraints and business objectives.
• Mockups: We design ergonomic, intuitive, and resource-efficient interfaces, favoring the lightest and most efficient technical solutions, without ever compromising user experience.
• Sustainable Design System: To support you towards a more responsible digital world, we help you create a modular and scalable design system that facilitates the maintenance of your platform, limits unnecessary development, and promotes visual consistency and sobriety.
• Tailored Support: Because each project is unique, we make it a point of honor to offer you personalized support, adapted to your needs, values, and ambitions.

Together, Let's Create a More Sustainable Digital Future

At merveilleUX, we are convinced that Green UX is everyone's business. That's why we place collaboration at the heart of our approach.

Building a more responsible digital world is above all about sharing a common vision and moving forward hand in hand, drawing on each other's skills. UX research - learn more about UX research here - is one of the pillars of this collaboration. It allows us to understand the needs and expectations of end-users and to imagine digital solutions that meet those needs while minimizing their environmental impact.

Do you have a SaaS project? Do you want to reduce the environmental impact of your platform without compromising its performance?

Contact us! Let's discuss your needs, your desires, and your ambitions. Together, let's imagine and design efficient, committed, and sustainable digital solutions for a more responsible digital future.

Conclusion

So, is Green UX a concept reserved for "do-gooder" companies that can afford to have an ecological conscience? As you've understood, the answer is no!

Far from being a brake on innovation or a luxury reserved for the elite, Green UX is an opportunity for all SaaS companies, regardless of size, to reconcile economic performance, user satisfaction, and respect for the environment.

Contact us and let's bring a more sustainable digital world to life together!