Piclo

Creating maps as strategic tools for team collaboration

User research • Service design

This case study demonstrates my ability to conduct in-depth user research, synthesise complex information into useful visualisations, and create tools that drive organisational alignment and product development.

Background

Piclo is a global digital marketplace that connects energy flexibility providers (such as owners of renewable energy sources, batteries, and electric vehicles) with system operators who manage the electrical grid. This platform allows these providers to earn money by adjusting their energy consumption or production to help balance the grid.

The problem

Upon joining Piclo, I discovered that our service covered only a fraction of the complex, months-long flexibility procurement process, but we were lacking:

  1. the knowledge of the end-to-end process of both sellers and buyers in the market

  2. an effective way to create alignment of the process for effective team collaboration

I believed there were opportunities to fill the user knowledge gap and create a visualisation to:

  1. Facilitate internal alignment

  2. Highlight existing features

  3. Identify potential new features

  4. Guide discussions on service improvements

Phase 1: Longitudinal Research Study

To gain deep insights into the procurement process, I conducted an extensive research study:

  • Tracked 3 buyers (System Operators) and 2 sellers (Flexibility Service Providers)

  • Held bi-weekly individual conference calls over 4 months

  • Shared insights company-wide in digestible formats, sparking discussions and generating new research questions.

Phase 2: Visualisation Process

The challenge lay in condensing vast amounts of information into a clear, useful format:

  • Experimented with various formats to condense vast amounts of information

  • Identified different internal needs, leading to two versions of the map

Phase 3: Ongoing maintenance

To ensure continued relevance:

  • Regularly updated maps as new services were created

  • Adjusted maps when new clients were onboarded

Internal user archetypes

Explorations of the map visualisation

The final output

Personal Learnings

  1. Value of Longitudinal Research: Deep, long-term studies provide invaluable insights into complex processes

  2. Importance of Adaptability: There are no fixed ways of mapping processes, explore and find the format to solve the problem for your team.

  3. Power of Visual Tools: A well-designed map can serve multiple purposes across an organisation

Impact

The journey maps became integral to Piclo's operations:

  1. Enhanced Collaboration: Facilitated team alignment and communication

  2. Informed product development and design: Guided new feature development

  3. Improved Client Interactions: Enhanced support process, workshops and sales pitches

  4. Efficient Onboarding: Simplified staff training process

  5. Strategic Tool: Served as a solution architecture guide for new clients