THG Energy Case Study - Modernizing Energy Intelligence Platforms

THG Energy aimed to modernize its existing platforms by redesigning the user interface to be more intuitive and accessible, while retaining the existing backend logic and database structures. The goal was to improve usability and visual clarity without introducing significant changes to core functionality.

We began with a focused initial scope but maintained a long-term perspective aligned with THG’s strategic goals. The starting point was a three-month product design phase. During this period, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of THG’s existing systems to identify business-critical success factors, uncover operational challenges, and pinpoint areas for improvement. This included addressing specific industry requirements, mapping user journeys, and analyzing the current technology stack to ensure that any proposed solution would both resolve present limitations and support future growth.

Following product design, we moved directly into development, guided by a structured release management plan aligned with THG’s strategic priorities and user behavior.

Eleven months into the project, we have three fully functional reporting modules live in production: Analytics, Global Filter, and Payable Summary. The look and feel of the application have been entirely reimagined, and development continues on schedule to meet the client's objectives.

To help THG advance its vision of becoming the "Microsoft Excel for energy data", we began by working backwards from the desired outcome, clarifying what success would look like, and mapping the steps needed to get there.

The first step was a structured product design phase, which served as a strategic entry point for aligning business needs with user expectations and technical feasibility. This was followed by development, executed by a dedicated end-to-end product team: frontend and backend engineers, a QA specialist, a UI/UX designer, and a project manager.

We adopted a delivery model focused on incremental progress and continuous alignment. Early efforts centered on prioritizing high-value features, understanding interdependencies, and generating accurate effort estimates to guide execution. Our delivery cycles are structured around two-week sprints: we implement the most critical features first, validate progress in close collaboration with THG, and plan upcoming work based on evolving priorities.

Throughout the process, we’ve consistently applied agile principles to remain adaptable, adjusting the scope and sequencing as needed. We apply engineering best practices, including pair programming, rigorous code reviews, peer evaluation of features, and a combination of manual and automated testing, to ensure quality and maintain momentum. This disciplined yet flexible approach is designed to deliver the best possible outcomes within a realistic timeline.

Our delivery approach prioritized clarity, consistency, and adaptability. We set up a structured workflow and clear stakeholder alignment to ensure timely decisions and transparent communication.

By combining strategic planning with agile execution in two-week sprints, we balanced immediate deliverables with long-term goals, enabling frequent validation, focused iteration, and steady progress.

These outputs formed the foundation for a design system that ensured consistency across the application while remaining flexible to support ongoing iteration.

Throughout 20 sprints and more than 650 completed story points, we delivered key functionality, including:

• Redesigned Customer Dashboard with usage and cost insights
• 3 most-used reports rebuilt with advanced UI (line/area charts and data tables)
• Export functionality implemented across all reports
• 1 global filtering system applied consistently across report types
• 1 customizable reporting feature allowing users to save filter settings
• 2 integrated tools: user analytics (Heap) and performance monitoring (Sentry)

While planning the rebuild of its customer-facing app, THG also needed to maintain and enhance its legacy platforms, critical tools supporting real-time insights for enterprise clients. In December 2024, our role expanded to include direct development and support of these systems.

We onboarded two senior developers to assess the setup, identify improvements, and refine the delivery process. Within a month, the team scaled to a full squad: .NET developers, a QA engineer, and a project manager. Taking over from a decade-long incumbent, we ensured a smooth transition through parallel work, structured knowledge transfer, and close coordination with THG stakeholders.

Our team took charge of two key systems:

• EIS (Energy Intelligence Suite): THG’s core reporting and analytics platform
• TUX: The ingestion engine handling utility invoice data from multiple sources

These platforms remain foundational as THG advances toward its goal of becoming the “Microsoft Excel for energy data.” Our focus is on maintaining performance and stability while enabling long-term transformation.

To help THG sustain and evolve its legacy systems, we focused on creating a stable delivery framework and aligning technical execution with two core mandates: platform maintenance and technical evolution, as well as day-to-day operational support. Our goal was to ensure uninterrupted system performance while progressively modernizing the platform's components to prepare for long-term scalability.

We structured our work around a continuous delivery rhythm, emphasizing collaboration with key THG stakeholders and resolving issues proactively. By combining agile practices with deep system understanding, we were able to support both strategic enhancements and immediate operational needs.

This dual focus has allowed us to stabilize core operations while quietly evolving the technical foundation, ensuring THG’s legacy systems remain robust, responsive, and ready for what’s next.

Our delivery approach for the legacy platform has been shaped by consistency, responsiveness, and incremental improvements. We established a precise rhythm of collaboration with THG’s internal teams, aligning day-to-day execution with quarterly strategic objectives.

The team operates in two-week sprints, balancing development tasks with operational support. We hold weekly planning sessions to prioritize the roadmap and ensure alignment with evolving business needs, as well as quarterly planning cycles to set clear goals and track key deliverables over time.

Key Outcomes to Date:

• Improved report load times: from over 1 minute to 5–10 seconds per page
• Continuous delivery: averaging at least two releases per sprint
• Operational responsiveness: ~8 support tickets resolved each month
• Strategic planning cadence: weekly roadmap prioritization and quarterly goal mapping
• Reliable backlog hygiene: over 60% of tasks consistently refined, improving forecasting and delivery accuracy

By combining disciplined planning with agile responsiveness, we've created a delivery engine that supports both short-term operational needs and long-term platform resilience.

Looking ahead, our collaboration with THG continues to evolve, not only through the ongoing optimization of existing systems but also through the potential for new initiatives that align with their broader digital vision. With a strong foundation in place, we’re well-positioned to support future growth and expand our partnership across additional strategic projects.