The problem
Our relationship with a homeowner ended at closing. Once they had the keys, there was no digital connection between us and the people living in the homes we built.
Homeowners were on their own: flipping through manuals for answers, unsure what their home needed month to month (especially first-time homeowners), and in the dark once they asked for service. For us, it was hard to partner with them after the sale.
What I did
- Started from the outcome. I began with the impact KPIs the app would exist to move, then shaped the features to serve them, not the other way around.
- Set an AI-first principle. The assistant can do everything the app can. That rule shaped the features and the platform under them.
- Guided the architecture. The app runs on the Digital Home Platform, which I designed and architected from scratch: a record of every home we build, with AI workflows that correct bad data and fetch the right documents.
- Built the team and made the case. I built and staffed the team, worked out the go-to-market, and sold the enterprise on the investment.
- Made the assistant observable. We built full observability into the AI assistant, so we can see what homeowners ask and adapt the app to serve them.
The assistant can do everything the app can.
What changed
IdeaProduction
one cell per month · on time, on budget
- Idea to production in about ten months, on time and on budget.
- The first companion app in manufactured housing.
- Named Clayton's Innovation of the Year.
In my words
The sale is the start of the relationship, not the end of it.