Turning a product catalog into an electrician's project tool

Schneider Electric had a mobile app primarily serving as a basic product catalog for electricians and distributors. It worked, but it was not worth much to users or to the business. The app was just one of over 300 separate applications Schneider maintained globally, creating fragmentation and maintenance challenges.

When I joined the project, Schneider Electric faced several critical issues:

• —Lack of clear vision for the app's evolution
• —Focus on solving small tactical issues rather than strategic needs
• —Lack of personalization across 187 countries and 35+ languages
• —Over 300 separate apps requiring support
• —No consideration of user voice in decision-making
• —Fragmented experience across multiple applications

My role was initially undefined beyond "improve the app," which presented both a challenge and an opportunity to shape the direction.

Research Round 1: Foundational Insights

I brought in two more designers and a data analyst for this round:

• —User journey mapping to understand workflow patterns
• —Data & behavioral analytics to identify usage patterns
• —User testing, click tests, and heatmaps to evaluate the current app experience
• —Qualitative feedback analysis from existing users

The round focused on how electricians actually work. What we found:

• Work in small teams (1-4 people) on 2-5 projects simultaneously
• Rely heavily on Excel and specialized tools like Esabora and AutoCAD
• Value time efficiency above all else
• Navigate a fragmented ecosystem of digital tools
• Self-identify as problem-solvers and quality specialists

Research Round 2: Concept Validation & Strategy

I used the first round to shape a second one, this time to test concepts rather than explore:

• —Lean Canvas workshop to define business model
• —Concept testing with prototypes in multiple languages
• —Feature prioritization matrix to balance value and effort
• —Value Proposition workshop to align on core offering

This phase tested the hypotheses and set the feature priorities. It also went deeper into the work itself:

• Lead generation primarily through recommendations and social media
• Quoting often happens in multiple stages
• Installation and maintenance involve team collaboration
• Project archiving relies on various cloud storage solutions

Across both rounds we sat with 41 electricians in Spain, France, and Russia. Four findings set the direction:

• Project-centric mindset

  Electricians think in terms of projects, not products. The app needed to reflect that mental model.

• Fragmented tools

  Users were juggling multiple digital tools, which created inefficiency and frustration.

• Regional differences

  Needs split by country. Invoicing was critical in France and not a priority in Russia.

• Validated value proposition

  “One app for the whole project experience” emerged as the core offering: quotation, panel design, documentation, collaboration, rewards, and learning.

The change I am most proud of is not in the app at all. It is in how Schneider decided what to build:

Getting there meant showing the client, round by round, what talking to electricians turned up that opinion in the room did not.

Out of the research I built a vision for the app, from catalog to working tool, on three pillars:

• —Unified Experience: consolidate functionality from multiple apps into one cohesive platform.
• —Personalized Experience: create country and role-specific experiences that show relevant content and features.
• —Project Management: develop tools for managing electrical projects from estimation through completion.

Working closely with product and engineering teams, we delivered key improvements:

• —Product catalog: separate PDF files per country → integrated digital catalog with technical documentation and FAQs.
• —Project Management Tools: limited list of products → complete project management with estimation tools and information storage.
• —Training Resources: webinars and tutorials only on the website → complete training catalog accessible within the app.
• —Personalized Experience: one generic app for all markets → country and role-specific content and features.

Over the year that followed, the app's numbers moved:

New users a year

+194K

Registered users

+30K

Monthly active users

+33%

The app stopped being a catalog with a search field and became the place electricians plan a job. The part that outlasted the redesign is the process: Schneider now puts concepts in front of electricians before deciding what to build.