🏠 Making home renovation easier with direct-to-consumer (DTC) digital tools

Helping homeowners plan and buy windows and doors with less hassle and more confidence

Note: To respect client confidentiality, some project specifics have been intentionally left out.

Project Summary

  • Client: Leading window and door manufacturer, European market

  • Timeline: 5 months (2022)

  • Industry: Manufacturing | Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) | Venture Building

  • My Role: Lead CX Researcher & Strategist 

  • Team:

    • Client-side: 8 Domain Experts (Product, Sales, Marketing, and IT leads)

    • Venture Studio Team: Entrepreneur-in-Residence, UX Designer, Business & Operations Specialists

  • Expertise: Customer Research • Venture Building • Service Design • Innovation Strategy • Digital Ecosystem Design

Challenge

With rising consumer expectations and growing disruption from emerging direct-to-consumer (DTC) competitors, a well-established European manufacturer recognized the urgency to evolve. Traditionally strong in B2B channels, they aimed to directly engage consumers -- homeowners, property investors, and renovation service providers -- through a digital ecosystem that simplifies one of the most complex home upgrade decisions: replacing windows, doors, and façades.

The goal: Deliver a more trusted, guided, and integrated renovation experience, while growing brand preference and supporting existing partners.

Approach

We took a staged venture-building approach to navigate risk, align stakeholders, and test solutions in four markets: Germany, France, Italy, and the UK. At each step, we aimed to:

  • Deepen customer engagement by addressing friction points across the customer journey

  • Empower end-users with tools, expert guidance, and tailored recommendations

  • Build a scalable service-led DTC model that complements B2B channels rather than competing with them

  • Validate new value propositions and service concepts through live market feedback

  • Ensure long-term business viability through robust modeling and planning

Phase 1: Discovery & Insight Gathering

  • We conducted 100+ qualitative and quantitative interviews with consumers (homeowners), service providers, and internal teams to uncover pain points and opportunity areas across both digital and offline touchpoints.

Phase 2: Concept & Value Proposition Development

  • Co-created 20+ digital service concepts, from guided configurators to installer coordination tools. These were iteratively tested and refined with 45+ homeowners and service providers across the four focus markets.

Phase 3: Prototyping & Pilot Testing

  • Built and tested low-fidelity prototypes with target users to refine usability and operational fit.

  • This phase also allowed us to gather early pilot customers and assess real market interest, helping shape the venture’s direction and reduce risk.

Phase 4: Business Modeling & Roadmap

  • Defined a phased go-to-market and operational strategy, balancing direct consumer engagement with existing sales channels. 

  • Developed financial models, acquisition and retention forecasts, and a roadmap to scale -- derisking future investment through clear business logic and execution plans.

Out of respect for client confidentiality, process materials are not shown. What’s shared here represents high-level outcomes and strategic direction.

Synthesizing discovery insights into a target customer profile and high-level emotional journey for the homeowner segment.

Developing value propositions through testing and iteration, followed by prototypes reflecting validated customer needs.

Outcomes & Impact

  • Product-market fit was validated through 170+ interviews across homeowners, developers, and service providers, grounding the solution in real-world needs

    • Consumers responded positively to the clarity, guidance, and personalization -- early validation sessions revealed increased trust, smoother decision-making, and stronger engagement throughout the journey

    • Installer partners reported their confidence in better-prepared customers, leading to more efficient collaboration and fewer delays

  • Leadership approved €300K in funding to pilot in two key markets, supported by a strong business case and operating model

  • Workflows were designed to strengthen, rather than compete with, existing B2B relationships, ensuring alignment with core partners

  • The client is now positioned as an innovation leader, blending premium product quality with a differentiated, digitally empowered customer experience

Ready to explore what’s possible for your team or challenge?

I’d love to hear from you!