Bridging gaps in workforce management
CHALLENGE
The solar commissioning process at Sunnova Energy was fraught with inefficiencies, including disorganized submission via disparate email chains and .pdfs, and frequent errors in documentation which led to system rejections - a costly consequence of a roundabout workflow. These challenges led to delays, increased costs, and customer dissatisfaction, highlighting the need for a cohesive, optimized solution.
SOLUTION
APPROACH
Develop an intuitive tool for solar dealers
Streamline the submission and review process for QAQC
Craft a clear structure to minimize rejections and promote timely work, improving customer satisfaction
Get dealers paid faster via project approval
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITES
FROM SCATTERED DOCS TO AN INTEGRATED SUBMISSION
Documentation for solar installation, known as a "commissioning package", was originally submitted via unformatted PDFs or through ad-hoc methods like email, which resulted in disorganized information and lost details. This led to frequent errors, delays, costly truck rollouts, and repeated review cycles, ultimately disrupting timelines and harming customer satisfaction.
The solar installation app's home and subtask screen, before and after the redesign
I designed this process for mobile and web platforms, serving two related user types.
Mobile users are installers who document the installation process, capturing photos that sync seamlessly with the web for real-time submission and review.
Web users are solar dealer managers who conduct internal quality checks, validate compliance, and edit submissions, streamlining workflow and improving quality assurance before final submission to Sunnova.
Commissioning web's task screen, before and after the redesign
BASIC ANATOMY OF A SUBMISSION
Solar system detail information consists of equipment, tasks, and subtasks. Based on the contracted equipment, tasks and subtasks are automatically configured. To complete a task, the user must fill out all associated subtasks, and once all tasks are completed, the commissioning package can be submitted.
Completing tasks on mobile
Completing subtasks on mobile
In addition to core submission functionality, I developed a broad set of features for the process. Below are some key functionalities of the web platform that I streamlined and animated as part of a product tour and tutorial feature set:
REMEDIATE A REJECTION
DOWNLOAD PHOTOS
DRAG N' DROP PHOTOS
SEND FEEDBACK
HANDLING A VARIETY OF STATES & SCENARIOS
After the dealer submits this information, Sunnova engineers review it on their intake platform called the Engineering Review Site, evaluating submissions against specific criteria to decide on approval or rejection. Since approval is the mutually desired outcome, I focused on designing a process that supports this shared goal between Sunnova and its broad dealer network.
Upon dealer submission, Sunnova engineers have an SLA of 3-5 business days to review. If the submission is rejected, the approval process and system activation may be significantly delayed.
Engineering review site's task screen, before and after the redesign
I architected the flow of review and rejection in the Engineering Review Site, in which reviewers select from a predefined list of rejection criteria and write a comment for context to allow the dealer to fix their mistake. Reviewers may provide a general rejection or map rejections to a specific image(s) in a given subtask.
In the Engineering Review Site, this flow is crucial to completing a review and capturing all of its nuances.
EXPANDED IMAGE REVIEW & AI ENHANCEMENTS
A highly requested and well-received feature is the ability for reviewers to add to or edit their review directly in the expanded image view and toggle between all photos for a more seamless experience.
I also designed an AI flag feature to identify potential issues in commissioning packages and flag errors like missing documentation or mismatched details. Reviewers can edit and convert flags to rejections, save them as rejections, or dismiss them. These actions refine the model, improving its accuracy over time.
SMOOTH INSTALLATION & A SATISFIED CUSTOMER
Once a solar system is approved and installed, the experience doesn’t end there.
To ensure a white-glove journey from start to finish, customers are guided into a post-installation experience within their app, where they can view their overall system performance. This final touch not only reinforces confidence in the product but also demonstrates the impact of going solar: transforming complex tech into a clear, empowering user experience.
The home screen in different states as it responds to the weather and time of day - which provides an expectation of how the user's system may be affected as a result
To give customers deeper insight into their energy production, the experience includes a detailed breakdown of system performance. Users can view energy data by day, week, month, or year, and even drill down to see output from individual equipment.
This level of transparency empowers customers to track trends over time, spot anomalies, and fully understand the value their system delivers - turning data into a meaningful, everyday connection with their solar investment.
In cases of limited data - mainly via system maintenance or technical issues - the system displays only the historical information available to the customer [right]. The interface adapts accordingly, avoiding empty states and maintaining clarity while still delivering meaningful insights.
IMPACT
This case study highlights the development of a streamlined commissioning process that improved task efficiency and quality control for installers and dealer managers. Key innovations include automated task configuration, photo syncing, and a robust engineering review platform.
AI-powered issue detection and reduced feedback loops facilitated by the improved commissioning product suite reduced rejection rates by 60%, boosted user adoption to >95% of Sunnova's 1500+ strong dealer network within a year, and significantly increased satisfaction, aligning the process with shared goals of quality and efficiency.
INSIGHTS GAINED
Working on this project over several years provided valuable insights into designing for complex workflows and balancing the needs of diverse user types. Integration between mobile and web platforms was essential to support real-time data synchronization and streamlined processes.
Additionally, integrating user feedback was crucial in iterative design refinements in enhancing usability while meeting nuanced and complex operational standards. This experience also reinforced the value of leveraging AI and automation to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and achieve measurable impact in adoption and satisfaction.