Working closely with the CEO and software engineers, I brought structure and simplicity to a rapidly evolving product. I facilitated cross-functional workshops, made impactful design decisions aligned with business goals, and used Lean UX methods to move quickly and iteratively as the product matured.
I joined the project mid-build, inheriting a library of components originally built for another domain and working with limited dev capacity. In collaboration with the devs, we laid the foundation for a cohesive design system, and found ways to repurpose what had already been built.
The challenge here wasn’t just technical — it was also about building credibility and trust. Users loved the overarching concept but found the process overwhelming, often putting it in the “too hard basket.” There was resistance in sharing their data, and if they'd completed a one-off energy optimisation they had little reason to return. Proving customer lifetime value was critical for Acacia to secure future B2B2C partnerships in the long-term.
Typology
Fintech & Sustainability
Product
B2B2C SaaS Platform
Role
Product Designer. Worked closely with CEO across UX & business strategy, research, and delivery. Designed the core user journeys and established a design system in collaboration with developers. Built roadmaps for future revisions.
Timeline
Q3 2023 - Q2 2025
Collaborators
Anil Sagaram (Founder & CEO)
Pat Abadilla (Software Engineer)
What's Acacia's mission?
Making the renewable energy transition frictionless.
Acacia empowers organisations, their customers, and employees to unlock savings through smarter decisions across energy, transport, and finance. The platform offers tools for switching to cheaper, greener energy plans, adopting solar and batteries, assessing EV suitability, and even connecting to virtual power plants.
The platform is trying to do something very hard: Changing hearts and minds.
Fighting for credibility
Acacia’s biggest challenge wasn’t technology — it was building credibility. Every core feature asked users to make difficult financial or environmental choices. These were the moments where hesitation crept in: users needed guidance, not jargon and complexity. My role was to design clarity into these journeys, building confidence at each step so users could unlock Acacia's value without feeling overwhelmed. This was the foundation for credibility — and credibility was essential for driving conversion and securing future partnerships.
Some user insights
Users “loved the idea” but needed guidance
The platform was well received, but we were asking users to do something hard. We had to be clear on the problem being solved and reinforce how simple it was to get started.
Users were required to “work things out”
While some enjoyed exploring, a larger percentage want to be guided. Too much was left to interpretation — every word and interaction needed to build clarity.
Users put it into the “too hard basket”
At critical decision points, complexity and jargon contributed to drop-off. Once doubt entered the experience, trust eroded quickly and users abandoned the process.
A trust barrier…
Usage analysis and tailored upgrade recommendations are central to Acacia’s product value — but delivering this experience required users to share their energy data through the CDR consent flow. This was a tightly regulated process, filled with technical language that only heightened hesitation. Without trust, most users abandoned the journey before unlocking the product’s core features.
Building confidence before the consent stage became critical: only by addressing credibility first could we guide users through the process and deliver the platform’s full potential.
We recognised that we didn't have a data problem, we had a trust problem.
Driving long-term engagement
“I did what I had to do — why would I go back to Acacia?” Retention quickly emerged as one of the platform’s biggest challenges. Many users treated Acacia as a one-off utility: once they switched plans or completed an upgrade, there was little reason to return.
For the business to grow sustainably, we needed to create ongoing value that encouraged regular re-engagement. The opportunity was to position Acacia as an independent partner in every user's renewable energy transition — always in the their corner, delivering insights that optimise their finances while helping them do their part for the world at large.
The platform needed to demonstrate strong customer lifetime value to secure long-term B2B2C partnerships.
Solution
The problems of credibility, trust, and engagement directly shaped the solutions. To turn interest into action, I focused on simplifying complex user journeys and building user confidence at each step. Working together, these features transformed moments of hesitation into trust, action, and sustainable growth.
Solving for the problems of credibility, trust, and engagement.
Some key features I designed
Onboarding flow
Gamified progress indicators
Data consent experience
Home upgrade modules
Energy profile & insights
Onboarding flow
Converting interest into action
The onboarding flow was intentionally designed to feel approachable and human, reducing the cognitive load from the very first screen. By breaking down complex tasks into clear, bite-sized steps, users were never left guessing what to do next or why it mattered. Subtle design choices — from the platform's look and feel to the tone of language — all worked together to reduce anxiety and reinforce that Acacia was on their side. This approach created early wins, instilled confidence, and set the stage for deeper engagement throughout the platform.
A step-by-step flow that speaks to users on their level. Keeping it simple and learnable. Driving conversion by providing a comforting balance between guidance and autonomy.
Data consent experience
Building trust via user autonomy
The data sharing stage was one of the biggest friction points in the journey, with clear drop-off patterns. Rather than overwhelm users with jargon, the redesigned flow emphasised the benefits of sharing data and explained how it directly improved their experience. By adding a manual upload option and clarifying how CDR safeguards their information, users felt both in control and reassured — building the trust they needed to take their next step.
Plain-language explanations of what data is accessed and why. Offers choice through a manual upload path, preserving user control. Builds trust while meeting CDR compliance.
Home upgrade modules
Future-proofing Acacia’s growth
The modules were designed as flexible templates that can be quickly applied to different upgrade pathways without needing to be rebuilt each time. This gave users a sense of familiarity and predictability across journeys — no matter whether they were switching energy plans, installing solar, or considering an EV.
For the business, the modular approach meant new partnerships could be onboarded quickly while keeping the overall experience cohesive. It established a framework where innovation didn’t come at the cost of usability or consistency.
Flexible templates for use across all upgrade pathways. Provides consistent learnability and memorability for users. Future-proofed to enable new B2B2C partnerships at speed.
Energy profile & insights
The reason to keep coming back
The dashboard repositioned Acacia from a one-off tool into an ongoing partner in the user’s clean energy transition. By making energy data easier to understand and serving them valuable insights, the experience turned abstract numbers into actions users could take with confidence. It was designed to instil a sense of progress, motivating users to return and play an active role in building a more sustainable future.
A personalised dashboard that delivers tailored insights, progress tracking, and comparisons. Keeps users motivated to return, boosting retention and lifetime value.
Outcome
The impact of these design changes reached beyond the interface. By removing friction and instilling trust at critical moments, users felt confident to share their data, complete upgrades, and return for ongoing insights. For Acacia, this shift proved its ability to deliver customer lifetime value — a key requirement for winning and sustaining B2B2C partnerships. The result was an experience that worked for both sides: empowering users with clarity and control, while positioning the business for long-term growth.
Trust built credibility and credibility drove engagement — and engagement was critical for securing long-term partnerships.
What's next for Acacia?
Impact now, growth tomorrow
When I joined Acacia, the product lacked a unified design system. I rebuilt UI components from scattered demos, pixel by pixel, and worked closely with developers to define styling rules that brought much-needed consistency to a fast-evolving product. These foundations ensured we could move quickly without sacrificing cohesion.
As the product matured and more ambitious solutions emerged, I developed a roadmap for a V.2 rollout — a way to iterate on the experience once additional developer resources became available. We had to be smart and efficient: designing for immediate impact while planning ahead for sustainable growth.
Pixel by pixel, I built the foundations. Then mapped the path to Acacia’s next chapter.
