SunPower
From hardware to human experience
The challenge
The solar industry is shifting. It is no longer just about panels and production, it is about complete energy ecosystems that included batteries, EV chargers, heat pumps and services on top of all that.
The problem? Most solar apps are stuck in the past, focused on charts, numbers, and graphs that only a small group of users actually understand or care about.
The bigger opportunity was clear: build experiences that demystify energy and speak human. Not only for homeowners, but also for partners and installers who needed better tools to install, commission, and hand off systems smoothly.
The digital experience is quickly becoming the key differentiator, and we had to rethink everything "beyond the panel".
My role
I joined Maxeon in 2022 as Experience Design Lead for the "Beyond the Panel" team. This team was in charge of the overall partner and customer digital experience.
My mission was to connect design, tech, and business and turn big ideas into simple and usable products.
I helped:
Translate complex requirements into clear, usable flows.
Lead collaboration across product, tech, and marketing.
Coach junior designers and keep UX aligned across different touchpoints.
Shape strategy around customer retention and partner efficiency.
Collaborate and lead several user research rounds to validate and uncover oportunities.
The approach
We knew we couldn’t just tweak screens, we had to zoom out and look at the full experience, across tools, users, and timelines.
This meant thinking in journeys, not just interfaces.
Ecosystem Mapping
We mapped the full journey. From onboarding partners, system commissioning to customer onboarding and ongoing use. This helped uncover key friction points, especially during handoffs between installer and end-user.
B2B2C Flow Redesign
We completely reworked the handoff from partner to customer. Installers got a smoother way to finish commissioning, and customers were guided through app setup with the right prompts at the right time. It reduced errors and support tickets.
Designing for Real People
Using the Knowledge Pyramid we shifted away from the focus on kWh and complex data dumps. Instead, we introduced meaningful insights like energy use per appliance category (“Refrigeration is up 5% this month”), contextual nudges, savings tips, and real feedback on self-sufficiency, pollution impact, and money saved. The goal was to keep people engaged and informed, even when nothing dramatic was happening with their system. Worth mention that the kWh and graphs were still there, but not as a primary source of information for users..
Team Enablement and Alignment
I set up regular concept reviews, created a clear testing and feedback process within the team, and made sure all stakeholders, from business to marketing, were aligned on the vision and direction.
Outcome and impact
While the full rollout is ongoing, the shift in mindset and direction was already visible. We moved from fragmented tools and data-heavy screens to a clearer, more human-centered experience that served both end users and partners.
We laid the foundation for a more human, lifecycle-based solar experience.
The commissioning flow was simplified, and partners were happier and more efficient.
Interestingly, we saw many of these ideas later echoed at industry events. We weren’t just keeping up. We were early.