Piclo Energy

Scaling Bid Submissions for Flexibility Providers

Example of a high-impact tactical solution

Brainstorming solutions

Our team explored various options:

  1. UI-based features to gain efficiency (ineffective against the increased scale)

  2. API integration (ruled out due to integration time constraints)

  3. Integrate with an online spreadsheet, e.g. Google Sheets (insufficient time and lack of reusability)

  4. Import bid by Excel file (File import is used for other key features on the platform. Development effort is lower by reusing existing code, but it has challenging UX issues)

Rapid prototyping to identify a direction

I created a low-fidelity prototype to illustrate Option A, B and D and tested with some companies who were going to bid.

Focusing on Option D: importing bids from a file

I created a low-fidelity prototype to illustrate Option A, B and D and tested with some companies who were going to bid.

Exploring file import user journey

Based on assumptions and known user feedback, I visualised the file import and editing bids user journey to identify weaknesses.

A tough decision to make

Two major pain points were identified:

  1. The error messages after the file upload were not clear enough to help users recover from the error, leading to an unsuccessful file upload.

  2. Editing a large amount of bids is time-consuming using the existing features, blocking users from submitting the correct bids.

After a risk-benefit analysis and considering the time available, we decided to:

  1. Deploy manual support to guide users through the file upload process and provide training, led by the product manager and me (there was not enough time to train and engage Customer Support team).

  2. Create a new feature for bulk delete bids in the UI.

Provide customer support directly

  1. I created the process to provide effective customer support.

  2. Identify users who will need manual support. We identified the top 4 bidders and contacted them to schedule a training session.

  3. Validated the files with bids manually, minimising the chance of showing error messages.

  4. Support users through the upload process.

The result

All clients submitted the bids on time! It was the biggest tender round at the time, winning trust from both sides of the market. The bids were worth over £1 million, securing 555MW contracted capacity, which accounted for about 35% of all contracted capacity of the year by all UK network operators.

Through the design activities, I also

  • Highlighted the importance of API integration to FPs for future scalability.

  • Identified other improvements to enhance the bidding experience.

  • Built valuable relationships with some users which led to further design collaboration.

My reflection

  1. The value of flexible, quick-to-implement solutions in crises

  2. The necessity of API development for long-term scalability

  3. The importance of user-friendly validation mechanisms

  4. The need for robust error correction features in high-stakes environments

An urgent (but nice) problem

Our platform faced an unexpected surge in scale, with new Flexibility Providers (FPs) joining competitions. While exciting, this growth exposed limitations in our UI-based bidding system. With only a 5-day bidding window and insufficient time for manual data transfer, we needed a rapid solution to ensure timely bid submissions.

Key Constraints:

  • The existing system unable to handle increased volume

  • 2-week sprint to implement a solution

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.