Shaping the future of experiential hospitality
I led research and design for Axiom Labs' 0 ➔ 1 MVP launch, creating an AI-powered solution to streamline construction project reporting and empower project managers with actionable insights for better decision-making.
Industry
Hotel Development
Timeline
Completed
Role
Team & Product Lead
Team
2 x Lead CX Designer/Researcher, Product co-Lead, GTM Lead
Overview —
Our venture team, a blend of internal experts and venture builders, worked directly with a mega-scale construction development to identify opportunities for modernising the construction process. Operating from within the parent company's tech studio, we tackled an industry where up to 30% of $11 trillion annual spend is lost to inefficiencies.
Through extensive research and an iterative customer development process, we developed a digital solution leveraging AI and data-driven insights to automate project reporting and enable faster, more accurate decision support for project owners and managers. The venture has since spun out into a standalone startup, dedicated to scaling this solution.
Challenge & Pivots —
Initially, we were tasked with addressing inefficiencies in the construction industry by building a tool to improve project visibility and communication for senior stakeholders - with a remote monitoring key feature (via a digital "control room" solution). The mothership's hypothesis was that better top-level reporting would empower leadership to make informed decisions and reduce delays.
However, as we engaged with users, we uncovered a different reality. After hearing the same thing over and over again, we found that what project teams really struggle with is:
❌ Manual data collection, verification and reporting consuming their valuable time
❌ Critical decisions are based on outdated or incomplete information
❌ A lack of effective communication between stakeholders, which leads into other problems and bottlenecks
❌ Unforeseen disruptions causing delays and budget overruns
These insights highlighted a disconnect between the initial hypothesis and the on-the-ground realities faced by project managers. By leveraging a customer development approach, we pivoted our direction to focus on solving the most urgent pain points—ultimately creating an AI-powered solution that addressed core challenges in reporting and decision-making.
Approach —
01
Research & Discovery
I joined the team after the initial discovery phase. As the product design lead, I worked closely with two CX researchers to transfer learnings and lead the second phase of research.
Conducted over 15 in-depth interviews, building upon earlier research with 65+ decision-makers from Project Management Consultancies and General Contractors globally
Mapped out the current ecosystem, systems, stakeholder relationships, and workflow inefficiencies
Led synthesis sessions to identify key patterns and opportunities
02
Solution Validation
We conducted user interviews, surveys, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
03
Product Strategy & Design
We conducted user interviews, surveys, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
04
MVP Development & Iteration
We conducted user interviews, surveys, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
Key Outcomes —
Delivering Impact
The V1 MVP successfully addressed critical user challenges by:
Automating data collection and simplifying project reporting
Providing role-specific insights to empower decision-makers.
Introducing AI-powered risk predictions and actionable recommendations.
"This will save people a lot of time and make more informed decisions. Often times, there are lot of different scenarios variables to consider."
Project Director, UK
"Being able to automatically get this data, is really like magic."
Project Manager, MENA
"I've never come across something like this before. It's a game changer really."
Project Manager, UK
"It would be incredibly useful. Especially with complex projects: if you are delayed on an item, the human brain isn't going to be the best thing."
Project Director, UK
"It’s one of the challenges of our time and we need this."
Senior Infrastructure Engineer, MENA
"It makes my life as a PM much easier. It can read all kind of platforms and inputs and can facilitate our work on a daily basis."
Project Manager, UK
Outcome —
Despite the hurdles, we created an MVP and successfully secured our first pilot program. The pilot has been providing valuable real-world testing and feedback, enabling the team to refine the platform further. While the spin out introduced challenges, it also provided the freedom to pursue PMF without internal restrictions.
Learnings —
Despite the hurdles, we created an MVP and successfully secured our first pilot program. The pilot has been providing valuable real-world testing and feedback, enabling the team to refine the platform further. While the spin out introduced challenges, it also provided the freedom to pursue PMF without internal restrictions.
