Kai is on a mission to streamline renovation projects with AI-powered planning, scoping, and purchasing by building a platform that supports complex renovations from the initial assessment to the final walkthrough.
Partnering with The Home Depot, the platform integrates directly with their complete product catalog - offering real-time pricing, store-level inventory, and one-click procurement for contractors in the field.
I teamed up with the CPO and an AI-savvy engineering team to lead product design, targeting a critical 90-day launch window for partner evaluation.
As the solo design resource, I was responsible for helping define the 0-to-1 strategy, establishing a scalable design foundation, crafting the product's core visual identity.
We leaned hard into a progress-over-perfection mindset and hit our launch deadline, getting the product into users' hands quickly for real-world validation.
Initial feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Those insights helped us refine the experience to better support unique business needs, and the product has since entered a dedicated polish and validation phase as we continue to scale and introduce new features.
The early prototype and product vision also played a key role in demonstrating the platform's potential to investors. That momentum helped contribute to securing a $10 million investment from Home Depot, providing the resources needed to accelerate product development and support long-term growth.
Partnering with the CPO and an AI savvy engineering team to lead design on a new product initiative in a fast moving startup environment
Real estate professionals struggle with manual property evaluation, inconsistent scoping, and slow procurement.
We had a strict 90-day window to deliver a functional product demo for a key partner evaluation.
Design the full product lifecycle from initial assessment through final walkthrough, validating the experience at every stage.
As the solo design resource, I was responsible for helping define the 0-to-1 strategy, establishing a scalable design foundation, and crafting the product's core visual identity.
Speed was a constraint. So was uncertainty. Here’s how we navigated both.
Requirements were actively evolving. They were constantly shaped by technical limitations, shifting business priorities, incoming user feedback, and a aggressive timeline.
Staying adaptive wasn’t optional, it was the only way forward.
Building with AI accelerated delivery and got features out fast, but it became clear quickly that visual consistency would be a challenge given the timeline and resources.
Human design judgment was essential to keep the experience coherent.
Getting this experience right was critical to the success of the product.
Field users snap photos of issues and link them to tasks so contractors know exactly what to fix, covering everything from full kitchen renovations to minor paint touchups or HVAC repairs.
Creating a photo-to-task workflow that was both flexible enough for how users worked in the field and organized enough to scale was one of the most critical design challenges.
By creating a frictionless and intuitive experience, we turned what could have been a tedious task into one of the app’s most satisfying moments.
In usability testing, we noticed field users struggling in tight spots (like crawl spaces or under sinks) trying to juggle an iPad in one hand and a tool in the other.
To make this process easier, we designed a custom dual-camera interface (patent pending) that allows for more flexible, one-handed documentation.
Users can easily find photos by filtering for specific locations on the property or by the type of contractor that is assigned to the task.
Large image previews make it easy to catch every detail, right down to the assigned contractor and timestamp.
Eliminated outdated paper copies and printer reliance, saving time on printing and manual updates while ensuring information is always correct.
Through our Scope Editor tool, contractors can now access real-time assignments, product specs, and project notes in one centralized, editable place. QR codes placed at each location give the assigned contractor instant access to the most current project info.
Jay’s impact was immediate and substantial. He seamlessly integrated with our product and engineering teams…
Shipped on time for the partner evaluation.
Got the product into users hands early to gather feedback and refine features.
Prototype and product vision proved the platform’s potential, securing a $10 million investment from Home Depot.
Working alongside an outside web development firm, I led design efforts for the company website
Brought the brand into the physical world. Designed print collateral and merchandise that extended the core visual identity beyond the digital experience.
Bridging the gap between the product experience and marketing efforts
This project was a great reminder that entering a new domain is always chaotic, but embracing that uncertainty is how real learning and evolution happen. We balanced rapid execution with continuous feedback, making real-time adjustments along the way.
Staying curious often yields the best design decisions, particularly when navigating constant change.
The development workflow leaned heavily on AI, enabling rapid prototyping and exceptional team velocity. AI accelerated the build, but human design judgment remained essential for flow, consistency, and nuance in a product this complex.
The pace created design debt we knew we’d need to address in the polish phase. That was a deliberate trade-off to hit the launch window.
Utilizing AI, we moved fast, we intentionally kept feedback loops tight, and we iterated as we went.
We built a solid foundation and officially moved into the “polish and vet” phase. I absolutely love working with smart people who are passionate about what they are doing, their enthusiasm for the problem they are facing is a great motivator for me.
Great people, a unique product, and a good opportunity to push on AI - this was def a memorable one 🙏.