Plico — Designing a smarter way to manage distributed energy systems.
Enhancing visibility, usability, and data clarity for a virtual power plant platform in Western Australia.
The Challenge.
Plico needed to simplify the monitoring and management of distributed energy systems for engineers managing a virtual power plant in Western Australia. The existing platform was complex and data-heavy, making it difficult to quickly assess system health and make informed decisions.
Key Goals:
- •Data clarity: Present complex energy data in digestible, actionable formats
- •Usability: Streamline workflows for engineers monitoring hundreds of systems
- •Scalability: Build a design system that could grow with the platform
- •Centralized management: Create a unified dashboard for system oversight
Key Contributions:
KPI dashboards, intelligent alerts system, market controls interface, reports redesign, and reusable design templates.
A Challenge and an Opportunity.
Working with a limited but highly engaged user base of energy engineers provided a unique advantage. Their deep domain expertise and willingness to provide detailed feedback enabled rapid iteration and validation. This close collaboration meant we could test assumptions quickly, refine interfaces based on real operational needs, and build features that directly addressed daily pain points in managing distributed energy resources.
User-centered design through constant communication.
Market Research
Understanding energy management needs and competitive landscape
Ideation
Collaborative workshops to define features and user flows
Prototyping
Creating interactive mockups and design system components
User Testing
Direct feedback sessions with energy engineers
Implementation
Close collaboration with developers to ensure design fidelity
Monitoring
Tracking usage patterns and iterating based on real-world data
From complexity to clarity.
The redesigned platform transformed how engineers interact with distributed energy data. Complex system states that once required multiple screens and manual calculations became instantly visible through intuitive KPI dashboards.
The new alert system reduced response times to critical events, while the centralized control interface eliminated the need to jump between different tools. Engineers could now make faster, more informed decisions about market participation and system optimization.
By turning user feedback into tangible product improvements, we created a platform that engineers actually wanted to use — transforming a necessary tool into a competitive advantage for Plico's virtual power plant operations.