pRONOVOS CONSTRUCTION BI

PRONOVOS CONSTRUCTION BI

pRONOVOS CONSTRUCTION BI

Construction is one of the least digitized industries, with the vast majority of companies still relying on Excel to run their businesses.

As the only designer for ProNovos Construction BI, I was responsible for branding, UX, visual design for all parts of the product, and assisting with the marketing and sales initiatives. Yep, it was a lot (of fun!), and I am extremely proud of the results we have achieved over 4 years, building the product from the ground up.

CLIENT

pronovos

ROLE

product designer

year

2022

results

Increased active monthly users (+600% in 4 years)

why we did it

The solutions contractors normally have in place—usually a combination of MS Excel+accounting system+project management software—are meant for record-keeping. They are very straightforward and only have enough functionality for keeping track of past events. They fail to deliver any kind of analysis out of the box.

Excel can be used to gain some insight into the numbers, but it requires proficiency in both the financial field and Excel itself. It’s also not cloud-based, so the insights are never in real time, and rarely are they easily accessible by anyone on the team.

Pronovos: an overview

Contractors are drawn to ProNovos because their existing tech stacks fall short in delivering meaningful insights. Traditionally, construction companies have relied on a classic trio: Excel, an accounting system, and possibly a project management software. This combination often lacks the ability to provide deep analytical insights.

When these companies first reach out to us, they are seeking more than just data—they are looking for actionable insights. They want not just a chart to look at, but full workflows associated with it.

When ProNovos launched, it relied heavily on custom-built solutions. The sales and implementation process could sometimes take up to 8 months and required extensive on-site training for the entire company upon signing the contract. Although this approach could have continued to be a successful strategy for a small service shop, we saw a bigger opportunity.

The starting point

When I joined ProNovos, it was providing custom-built analytics to its customers and selling custom solutions to prospects. It was “everything for everyone,” meaning it could be customized to fit the specific needs of any contractor, which, in an ideal world, sounds amazing.

After observing the sales process and analyzing both the deals that stalled and those that resulted in signing the contract, I noticed a few major challenges with the approach:

why we did it

Demo

During the demo stage, it became evident that many contractors were aware that they should be utilizing analytics to improve their business outcomes, but they were uncertain about which metrics to track and required guidance.

Implementation

It was challenging to manage custom solutions due to the volume of requests.

The absence of clear objectives also made it difficult for the team to transition clients to support due to multiple rounds of revisions.

Post-implementation

Custom solutions often failed to provide the insights contractors sought, leading to data overload. The product was not delivering the value we knew it could, or when it did, it was too hard to access information quickly.

Pronovos: an overview

The starting point

I love reading, let’s build a library bookstore

After observing the sales process and analyzing both the deals that stalled and those that resulted in signing the contract, I noticed a few major challenges with the approach:

Demo

Implementation

It was challenging to manage custom solutions due to the volume of requests.

The absence of clear objectives also made it difficult for the team to transition clients to support due to multiple rounds of revisions.

Post-implementation

Data fragmentation

Prospects grappled with fragmented data across various sources (ERP, project management tools, Excel spreadsheets), getting in the way of comprehensive analysis.

Complex analysis tool

Existing products on the market were too complex for most contractors to understand and navigate, primarily designed for tech-savvy individuals with finance backgrounds.

Stagnant reporting

Traditional reporting lacked visibility. This led to the concept of a standard library from which users could choose, setting clear expectations for new clients and significantly reducing the product's time-to-value. Our hope was that it would make data more accessible and interpretable, empowering users to make informed decisions.

I love reading, let’s build a library bookstore

We came up with the idea of a Marketplace after observing how our customers engage with the product. The observations revealed a common theme: users lacked simplicity and guidance. Our product was too robust and flexible, to the point where it was getting intimidating to use, as it seemed like it required extensive training or a deep understanding of the functionality (Autodesk Maya, anyone?). We also considered the pain points experienced by contractors who were not using analytical tools:

Data fragmentation

Prospects grappled with fragmented data across various sources (ERP, project management tools, Excel spreadsheets), getting in the way of comprehensive analysis.

Complex analysis tool

Existing products on the market were too complex for most contractors to understand and navigate, primarily designed for tech-savvy individuals with finance backgrounds.

Stagnant reporting

Lo-fidelity wireframes. For the landing page, we drew inspiration from Netflix for the layout, showcasing featured content at the top of the page and placing recommended reports at the bottom, below the dashboards actively used by the user. This setup makes it easy for users to find what they need and discover new features, similarly to how one finds new shows to watch on a streaming platform.

California dreaming

Startup life means time always works against us, so we needed to release something that we could test with customers and prospects fast. Life always gets in the way, and we get distracted by mundane things at home, so the solution was to get ourselves out of our home offices and lock ourselves in an Airbnb in Costa Mesa, CA.

I spent a week alongside the CEO, who was working on data acquisition, a Construction Management Professor from Colorado State University, who was working on the implementation training materials, and a Product Manager.

Together with the Product Manager, we analyzed common requests from contractors and the key metrics that provided the most value, regardless of a construction company’s size or its employees’ financial expertise. We then organized these metrics to create comprehensive narratives around various aspects of a contractor's business, such as sales, revenue, and billings.

If something can be described just as a “dashboard”, we don’t need it

We already had a starting point because of the custom-built dashboards we created for our existing clients. Together with the Product Manager, we assumed that the product wasn’t gaining much traction because "a dashboard" is a very static concept. A dashboard initially excites someone when they see their data organized into charts, graphs, and tables. However, what a company looks for in a solution like ProNovos is actionable insights and guidance, not just visual data representation. We aimed to preserve the original concept of an analytical dashboard but to enhance it with additional functionality. The principle we adopted was straightforward: if something couldn't prompt action, it was excluded.

Everything, all at once

The Product Manager suggested that all information related to a specific dashboard should be available on a single screen to free users from navigating through multiple pages. This idea sparked a debate.

Ideally, we would have tested multiple hypotheses and prototypes with various users, but in the pre-seed startup world this was more a dream than a possibility. In my view, overwhelming users with too much information initially could deter them from using the platform, especially since most of our users and prospects were not very tech-savvy and lacked a financial background. While minimizing the need for extra clicks seemed beneficial, the time saved could be offset by the time spent trying to comprehend the data or deciding what to focus on.

The final design featured just the essential KPIs and visualizations at the top, with an extensive breakdown table at the bottom. To address the potential issue of overwhelming users with too much information, we included fly-out windows, hover states, and tooltips. These elements also served as educational tools, offering additional information to users without analytical expertise or financial backgrounds.

I’m bored, let’s do something

Addressing the static nature of dashboards, we focused on making each one actionable. We identified two major topics: profits and cash flow. We condensed the 20 dashboards into 8 categories (including the Project Review tool). Despite there being more dashboards than categories, the seamless integration of one category into another throughout the product made each dashboard actionable. Each dashboard had a specific objective, encouraging users to engage with them purposefully.

What was even more important is inter-connecting all the tools we have in the system, so that they don't live in a silo, which is exactly the problem we are addressing. We had to make sure that all the modules and dashboards in the product are connected to each other through a set of actions.

example data flow

Here's an example of how making an adjustment to a project's expected cost at completion affects other parts of the platform.

Capturing

When users adjust their project's budget or spending, we implemented a feature allowing them to select a reason—or root cause—for each change.

This enhancement adds an extra layer of analytics, transforming simple number adjustments into insightful documentation.

Summarizing

The data gets presented as a summary chart to analyze the reasons behind budget changes. This makes it easier for users to understand project dynamics both during and after project completion, and provides valuable insights for future projects.

Analyzing

Collected information feeds into other parts of the platform, like the Profit Margin chart, to help users make informed decisions.

Not just a dashboard—an educational tool

Following the initial launch for user testing and presentations to prospects, we frequently heard requests for guidance, not only on navigating the dashboards but also on understanding the financial and construction concepts behind the metrics.

We implemented various tooltips to explain these concepts and the calculations behind the metrics. This approach was not only about providing context but also about building trust with our users. By ensuring they understood the data being pulled from their accounting systems and its application, we hoped to foster greater trust in the platform. In matters of finance, clear and ample communication is crucial.

the outcome

The launch of the Marketplace surpassed our expectations. It significantly reduced the time-to-value for our clients and introduced a level of clarity and control previously unseen in the construction analytics field. This was evident in the growing number of deals closed by our sales team following the Marketplace's launch. Prospects seeking to enhance their businesses with an analytical solution found the ability to connect their data and gain immediate insights appealing.