Introduction
At Tesla (previously SolarCity), I drove the product strategy for their mission-critical operational systems during a period of explosive growth. The company faced significant challenges with fragmented data, inefficient field operations, and complex regulatory requirements across markets. As Principal Product Manager, I collaborated with leadership to reimagine how technology could scale and transform the entire solar installation process.
Challenges
- Three separate customer databases with conflicting information
- Inefficient scheduling and field operations
- Complex, jurisdiction-specific regulatory requirements
- Limited visibility into installation performance metrics
Solutions
- Unified Customer Data Platform with advanced reconciliation engine
- Mobile Performance App that gave installers real-time earnings visibility
- Visual Scheduling & Dispatch System for optimizing field resources
- Regulatory Compliance Framework managing jurisdiction-specific requirements
- Executive Dashboard providing cross-functional visibility
Outcomes
- 10x increase in installer productivity through performance-based tools
- Streamlined operations across the entire customer journey
- Enhanced data integrity supporting improved decision-making
- Created scalable systems that became core components of Tesla Energy
- Contributed to SolarCity's successful acquisition by Tesla
Conclusion
The systems and tools I built fundamentally transformed how SolarCity operated, establishing the digital foundation that supported both rapid growth and ultimately, successful acquisition by Tesla. These platforms continued to evolve as core infrastructure within Tesla Energy, demonstrating the lasting impact of thoughtful product design on organizational success.