Calcuu
Calcuu is a smart app for painters that makes quoting fast and easy.
Use Case
Painters App
How our AI-augmented quote experience helped Calcuu reduce friction and activate users faster
About Calcuu
Calcuu is a mobile quoting tool built for independent painters who want to spend less time behind a desk and more time on the job.
It replaces outdated workflows, like pen and paper, spreadsheets, or mental math, with a fast, structured way to calculate and send quotes directly from the job site. With Calcuu, painters can build professional quotes in minutes, using just their phone.
Problem
Why Calcuu set out to simplify quoting for painters
But the team noticed a pattern:
While many painters signed up, a large number never sent their first quote.
That cold start was a critical drop-off, hurting both user success and business growth. It wasn’t just a UX issue. It was a momentum problem. Painters were hitting friction before they could get value.
To fix this, Calcuu needed more than UI improvements.
They needed to activate users faster, and get them to their first quote while the job details were still fresh.
That’s when they turned to us, to explore whether AI could unlock a better, faster quoting experience.
They weren’t looking for generic AI features. They needed a strategic partner to help them define:
Where AI could genuinely reduce friction
What would actually get painters to send that first quote
And how to do it all without adding complexity to the product
Together, we defined a clear goal to guide the work:
Increase the number of first-time users who complete and send a quote in their first session.
From there, we broke that into measurable milestones across user behavior:
Improve first-quote completion within 15 minutes of sign-up
Cut average quoting time by 50% on mobile
Lift daily quote volume per active user
We also mapped key constraints: Calcuu is mobile-first, used in the field, and serves users who aren’t tech-savvy. Any AI needed to be voice-friendly, lightweight, and human-centered by default.
A voice-powered Smart Quote Generator that helps painters create quotes on the spot
To solve the cold start problem, we needed to meet the painter exactly where they were: on the job, with all the details still fresh in their mind.
So instead of having them start from scratch, designing each room step by step, we flipped the flow entirely.
The idea: let the painter speak their quote.
We designed a Smart Quote Generator, powered by voice and built directly into Calcuu’s quoting flow. When starting a job, the painter simply describes the dimensions and scope — “Two bedrooms, 25m2, standard walls, primer plus two coats, matte finish” — and the assistant instantly turns it into a structured draft quote they can edit or send.
The AI pulls in known materials, calculates labor based on defaults or past jobs, and fills out the full quote automatically.
The reason this solution is so powerful:
Frictionless input — instead of starting blank, the user just explains what they see
Contextual intelligence — adapts to preferences, history, and local defaults
Always editable — the user stays in control with full transparency
Instant results — speeds up quoting from 15 minutes to 2
This became our core bet to activate new users and drive repeat use.
Solution
Process
Our process towards a high-impact AI solution for Calcuu
For Calcuu, we ran the full 8-step AI SaaS Accelerator, our structured, fast-track approach to design AI-powered user experiences. Each step helped us cut through the noise, find the right investment opportunity, and build something that actually solves a user problem.
Here’s how we did it:
1. Strategy
We aligned the project around a single business goal: increase the number of first-time users who send a quote. That became our north star, tied directly to product activation, stickiness, and growth. With this goal in place, we were ready to explore how AI could deliver real, usable value without adding complexity.
2. User Blueprint
We took a broad view and mapped all user types inside Calcuu. Then we focused on the one closest to the quoting bottleneck and most likely to delay sending quotes: the solo independent painter. Together with the Calcuu team, we mapped this persona in detail — using our Use Case Canvas and a tailored User Journey interview method to uncover their core behaviors, struggles, and motivations. This became the foundation for everything that followed.
3. Intent & Behavior
To design an AI feature that solves a real problem, we first needed to understand what painters are trying to achieve when they open Calcuu, and what gets in their way.
We ran an in-depth Intent & Behavior mapping exercise to uncover their goals and trace the steps they take to complete a quote. This helped us pinpoint key friction moments, the spots where painters lose momentum or abandon the task altogether.
The result was a clear, structured picture of where the process breaks down, and where AI could step in to make the biggest difference.
4. AI Alignment
With the key friction points mapped out, we ran creative workshops to explore AI solutions that were both high-impact and low-friction.
One concept quickly stood out: a voice-driven Smart Quote Generator, built directly into the quoting flow. Painters simply speak the job details — the type of room, materials, dimensions — and the assistant instantly creates a draft quote.
By combining voice input with contextual intelligence (like past quotes, pricing defaults, and materials), we saw an opportunity to transform quoting from a time-consuming task into a fast, 2-minute workflow.
5. Responsible AI
It’s essential that AI is built to be fair, safe, and easy to understand, so users can trust it and benefit from it. That’s why we always work closely with product teams to align on how to design AI experiences that build the right level of trust from the start.
In Calcuu’s case, every voice transcription is processed securely, either on-device or through GDPR-compliant services, and never stored unless the user chooses to save it. To reduce bias, we fine-tuned the voice model to recognize Dutch accents and painting-specific terminology, avoiding generic assumptions or pricing.
Every quote is fully editable, with a clear breakdown of how it was generated. That way, users stay in control, with the option to review, adjust, or retry at any time.
6. Engagement
To drive real adoption, we had to carefully design the engagement experience, making sure the Smart Quote Generator felt like a natural extension of the painter’s workflow, not a redundant extra step they’d ignore.
From the very first use, the experience is built to deliver a quick win. The draft quote appears in seconds, fully editable and personalized with the painter’s own materials and pricing. That immediate value helps build trust and confidence.
To encourage continued use, we added subtle re-engagement cues, such as smart prompts and in-flow reminders, that guide users back to the assistant at the right moments, without disrupting their routine. Making the tool a natural step users would use consistently.
7. Activation
To ensure painters actually tried the AI tool, we focused on a fast, frictionless first experience, one that clearly showed the value.
From the moment they opened the app, users were guided straight to the Smart Quote Generator. We showed what it could do with real examples, then walked them through a quick demo to trigger that first “aha” moment.
By shortening the path to value and removing setup complexity, we turned first-time use into a clear, confident win, helping more painters complete their first quote quickly and increasing the likelihood they’d return.
8. Human-Centered UX/UI Design
Once the voice assistant concept was validated, we brought it to life through rapid prototyping and visual design — making sure it felt seamless and intuitive from the start. We preserved Calcuu’s mobile-first simplicity and built the assistant using existing UI components to ensure visual and functional consistency.
Throughout, we applied human-centered design principles to maintain user trust and control at every step.
The result: a native, mobile-first voice experience that feels fully naturally integrated into the app.
Explore how AI can reduce friction and define the highest-impact solution
The launch of the Smart Quote Generator marks a meaningful shift in how first-time users engage with Calcuu.
Previously, many painters opened the app but never finished a quote, unsure where to begin or putting it off for later. Now, the voice assistant removes that hesitation. As soon as the job ends, the quote begins.
While the voice experience will continue to evolve, we’re already seeing clear results:
Quote completion time is dropping significantly.
This progress didn’t come from adding more features, it came from removing friction around the task that matters most: helping painters quote with speed and confidence, right when it counts.
Result
Conclusion
Calcuu came to us with a clear challenge:
How can we help painters send more quotes, faster, without adding friction?
Through our structured AI accelerator process, we identified a high-impact moment of need, designed a voice-powered assistant tailored to the painter’s workflow, and brought it to life with a human-first product experience.
The result isn’t just a new feature, we’ve designed an AI experience that feels native and built for how painters already work. Removing the core blockers that used to slow them down.
Let's talk!
Feeling inspired?
If you’re exploring how AI can improve your product experience, let’s get our heads together and see where we can help!
Calcuu
Calcuu is a smart app for painters that makes quoting fast and easy.
Use Case
Painters App
How our AI-augmented quote experience helped Calcuu reduce friction and activate users faster
About Calcuu
Calcuu is a mobile quoting tool built for independent painters who want to spend less time behind a desk and more time on the job.
It replaces outdated workflows, like pen and paper, spreadsheets, or mental math, with a fast, structured way to calculate and send quotes directly from the job site. With Calcuu, painters can build professional quotes in minutes, using just their phone.
Problem
Why Calcuu set out to simplify quoting for painters
But the team noticed a pattern:
While many painters signed up, a large number never sent their first quote.
That cold start was a critical drop-off, hurting both user success and business growth. It wasn’t just a UX issue. It was a momentum problem. Painters were hitting friction before they could get value.
To fix this, Calcuu needed more than UI improvements.
They needed to activate users faster, and get them to their first quote while the job details were still fresh.
That’s when they turned to us, to explore whether AI could unlock a better, faster quoting experience.
They weren’t looking for generic AI features. They needed a strategic partner to help them define:
Where AI could genuinely reduce friction
What would actually get painters to send that first quote
And how to do it all without adding complexity to the product
Together, we defined a clear goal to guide the work:
Increase the number of first-time users who complete and send a quote in their first session.
From there, we broke that into measurable milestones across user behavior:
Improve first-quote completion within 15 minutes of sign-up
Cut average quoting time by 50% on mobile
Lift daily quote volume per active user
We also mapped key constraints: Calcuu is mobile-first, used in the field, and serves users who aren’t tech-savvy. Any AI needed to be voice-friendly, lightweight, and human-centered by default.
A voice-powered Smart Quote Generator that helps painters create quotes on the spot
To solve the cold start problem, we needed to meet the painter exactly where they were: on the job, with all the details still fresh in their mind.
So instead of having them start from scratch, designing each room step by step, we flipped the flow entirely.
The idea: let the painter speak their quote.
We designed a Smart Quote Generator, powered by voice and built directly into Calcuu’s quoting flow. When starting a job, the painter simply describes the dimensions and scope — “Two bedrooms, 25m2, standard walls, primer plus two coats, matte finish” — and the assistant instantly turns it into a structured draft quote they can edit or send.
The AI pulls in known materials, calculates labor based on defaults or past jobs, and fills out the full quote automatically.
The reason this solution is so powerful:
Frictionless input — instead of starting blank, the user just explains what they see
Contextual intelligence — adapts to preferences, history, and local defaults
Always editable — the user stays in control with full transparency
Instant results — speeds up quoting from 15 minutes to 2
This became our core bet to activate new users and drive repeat use.
Solution
Process
Our process towards a high-impact AI solution for Calcuu
For Calcuu, we ran the full 8-step AI SaaS Accelerator, our structured, fast-track approach to design AI-powered user experiences. Each step helped us cut through the noise, find the right investment opportunity, and build something that actually solves a user problem.
Here’s how we did it:
1. Strategy
We aligned the project around a single business goal: increase the number of first-time users who send a quote. That became our north star, tied directly to product activation, stickiness, and growth. With this goal in place, we were ready to explore how AI could deliver real, usable value without adding complexity.
2. User Blueprint
We took a broad view and mapped all user types inside Calcuu. Then we focused on the one closest to the quoting bottleneck and most likely to delay sending quotes: the solo independent painter. Together with the Calcuu team, we mapped this persona in detail — using our Use Case Canvas and a tailored User Journey interview method to uncover their core behaviors, struggles, and motivations. This became the foundation for everything that followed.
3. Intent & Behavior
To design an AI feature that solves a real problem, we first needed to understand what painters are trying to achieve when they open Calcuu, and what gets in their way.
We ran an in-depth Intent & Behavior mapping exercise to uncover their goals and trace the steps they take to complete a quote. This helped us pinpoint key friction moments, the spots where painters lose momentum or abandon the task altogether.
The result was a clear, structured picture of where the process breaks down, and where AI could step in to make the biggest difference.
4. AI Alignment
With the key friction points mapped out, we ran creative workshops to explore AI solutions that were both high-impact and low-friction.
One concept quickly stood out: a voice-driven Smart Quote Generator, built directly into the quoting flow. Painters simply speak the job details — the type of room, materials, dimensions — and the assistant instantly creates a draft quote.
By combining voice input with contextual intelligence (like past quotes, pricing defaults, and materials), we saw an opportunity to transform quoting from a time-consuming task into a fast, 2-minute workflow.
5. Responsible AI
It’s essential that AI is built to be fair, safe, and easy to understand, so users can trust it and benefit from it. That’s why we always work closely with product teams to align on how to design AI experiences that build the right level of trust from the start.
In Calcuu’s case, every voice transcription is processed securely, either on-device or through GDPR-compliant services, and never stored unless the user chooses to save it. To reduce bias, we fine-tuned the voice model to recognize Dutch accents and painting-specific terminology, avoiding generic assumptions or pricing.
Every quote is fully editable, with a clear breakdown of how it was generated. That way, users stay in control, with the option to review, adjust, or retry at any time.
6. Engagement
To drive real adoption, we had to carefully design the engagement experience, making sure the Smart Quote Generator felt like a natural extension of the painter’s workflow, not a redundant extra step they’d ignore.
From the very first use, the experience is built to deliver a quick win. The draft quote appears in seconds, fully editable and personalized with the painter’s own materials and pricing. That immediate value helps build trust and confidence.
To encourage continued use, we added subtle re-engagement cues, such as smart prompts and in-flow reminders, that guide users back to the assistant at the right moments, without disrupting their routine. Making the tool a natural step users would use consistently.
7. Activation
To ensure painters actually tried the AI tool, we focused on a fast, frictionless first experience, one that clearly showed the value.
From the moment they opened the app, users were guided straight to the Smart Quote Generator. We showed what it could do with real examples, then walked them through a quick demo to trigger that first “aha” moment.
By shortening the path to value and removing setup complexity, we turned first-time use into a clear, confident win, helping more painters complete their first quote quickly and increasing the likelihood they’d return.
8. Human-Centered UX/UI Design
Once the voice assistant concept was validated, we brought it to life through rapid prototyping and visual design — making sure it felt seamless and intuitive from the start. We preserved Calcuu’s mobile-first simplicity and built the assistant using existing UI components to ensure visual and functional consistency.
Throughout, we applied human-centered design principles to maintain user trust and control at every step.
The result: a native, mobile-first voice experience that feels fully naturally integrated into the app.
Explore how AI can reduce friction and define the highest-impact solution
The launch of the Smart Quote Generator marks a meaningful shift in how first-time users engage with Calcuu.
Previously, many painters opened the app but never finished a quote, unsure where to begin or putting it off for later. Now, the voice assistant removes that hesitation. As soon as the job ends, the quote begins.
While the voice experience will continue to evolve, we’re already seeing clear results:
Quote completion time is dropping significantly.
This progress didn’t come from adding more features, it came from removing friction around the task that matters most: helping painters quote with speed and confidence, right when it counts.
Result
Conclusion
Calcuu came to us with a clear challenge:
How can we help painters send more quotes, faster, without adding friction?
Through our structured AI accelerator process, we identified a high-impact moment of need, designed a voice-powered assistant tailored to the painter’s workflow, and brought it to life with a human-first product experience.
The result isn’t just a new feature, we’ve designed an AI experience that feels native and built for how painters already work. Removing the core blockers that used to slow them down.
Let's talk!
Feeling inspired?
If you’re exploring how AI can improve your product experience, let’s get our heads together and see where we can help!
Calcuu
Calcuu is a smart app for painters that makes quoting fast and easy.
Use Case
Painters App
How our AI-augmented quote experience helped Calcuu reduce friction and activate users faster
About Calcuu
Calcuu is a mobile quoting tool built for independent painters who want to spend less time behind a desk and more time on the job.
It replaces outdated workflows, like pen and paper, spreadsheets, or mental math, with a fast, structured way to calculate and send quotes directly from the job site. With Calcuu, painters can build professional quotes in minutes, using just their phone.
Problem
Why Calcuu set out to simplify quoting for painters
But the team noticed a pattern:
While many painters signed up, a large number never sent their first quote.
That cold start was a critical drop-off, hurting both user success and business growth. It wasn’t just a UX issue. It was a momentum problem. Painters were hitting friction before they could get value.
To fix this, Calcuu needed more than UI improvements.
They needed to activate users faster, and get them to their first quote while the job details were still fresh.
That’s when they turned to us, to explore whether AI could unlock a better, faster quoting experience.
They weren’t looking for generic AI features. They needed a strategic partner to help them define:
Where AI could genuinely reduce friction
What would actually get painters to send that first quote
And how to do it all without adding complexity to the product
Together, we defined a clear goal to guide the work:
Increase the number of first-time users who complete and send a quote in their first session.
From there, we broke that into measurable milestones across user behavior:
Improve first-quote completion within 15 minutes of sign-up
Cut average quoting time by 50% on mobile
Lift daily quote volume per active user
We also mapped key constraints: Calcuu is mobile-first, used in the field, and serves users who aren’t tech-savvy. Any AI needed to be voice-friendly, lightweight, and human-centered by default.
A voice-powered Smart Quote Generator that helps painters create quotes on the spot
To solve the cold start problem, we needed to meet the painter exactly where they were: on the job, with all the details still fresh in their mind.
So instead of having them start from scratch, designing each room step by step, we flipped the flow entirely.
The idea: let the painter speak their quote.
We designed a Smart Quote Generator, powered by voice and built directly into Calcuu’s quoting flow. When starting a job, the painter simply describes the dimensions and scope — “Two bedrooms, 25m2, standard walls, primer plus two coats, matte finish” — and the assistant instantly turns it into a structured draft quote they can edit or send.
The AI pulls in known materials, calculates labor based on defaults or past jobs, and fills out the full quote automatically.
The reason this solution is so powerful:
Frictionless input — instead of starting blank, the user just explains what they see
Contextual intelligence — adapts to preferences, history, and local defaults
Always editable — the user stays in control with full transparency
Instant results — speeds up quoting from 15 minutes to 2
This became our core bet to activate new users and drive repeat use.
Solution
Process
Our process towards a high-impact AI solution for Calcuu
For Calcuu, we ran the full 8-step AI SaaS Accelerator, our structured, fast-track approach to design AI-powered user experiences. Each step helped us cut through the noise, find the right investment opportunity, and build something that actually solves a user problem.
Here’s how we did it:
1. Strategy
We aligned the project around a single business goal: increase the number of first-time users who send a quote. That became our north star, tied directly to product activation, stickiness, and growth. With this goal in place, we were ready to explore how AI could deliver real, usable value without adding complexity.
2. User Blueprint
We took a broad view and mapped all user types inside Calcuu. Then we focused on the one closest to the quoting bottleneck and most likely to delay sending quotes: the solo independent painter. Together with the Calcuu team, we mapped this persona in detail — using our Use Case Canvas and a tailored User Journey interview method to uncover their core behaviors, struggles, and motivations. This became the foundation for everything that followed.
3. Intent & Behavior
To design an AI feature that solves a real problem, we first needed to understand what painters are trying to achieve when they open Calcuu, and what gets in their way.
We ran an in-depth Intent & Behavior mapping exercise to uncover their goals and trace the steps they take to complete a quote. This helped us pinpoint key friction moments, the spots where painters lose momentum or abandon the task altogether.
The result was a clear, structured picture of where the process breaks down, and where AI could step in to make the biggest difference.
4. AI Alignment
With the key friction points mapped out, we ran creative workshops to explore AI solutions that were both high-impact and low-friction.
One concept quickly stood out: a voice-driven Smart Quote Generator, built directly into the quoting flow. Painters simply speak the job details — the type of room, materials, dimensions — and the assistant instantly creates a draft quote.
By combining voice input with contextual intelligence (like past quotes, pricing defaults, and materials), we saw an opportunity to transform quoting from a time-consuming task into a fast, 2-minute workflow.
5. Responsible AI
It’s essential that AI is built to be fair, safe, and easy to understand, so users can trust it and benefit from it. That’s why we always work closely with product teams to align on how to design AI experiences that build the right level of trust from the start.
In Calcuu’s case, every voice transcription is processed securely, either on-device or through GDPR-compliant services, and never stored unless the user chooses to save it. To reduce bias, we fine-tuned the voice model to recognize Dutch accents and painting-specific terminology, avoiding generic assumptions or pricing.
Every quote is fully editable, with a clear breakdown of how it was generated. That way, users stay in control, with the option to review, adjust, or retry at any time.
6. Engagement
To drive real adoption, we had to carefully design the engagement experience, making sure the Smart Quote Generator felt like a natural extension of the painter’s workflow, not a redundant extra step they’d ignore.
From the very first use, the experience is built to deliver a quick win. The draft quote appears in seconds, fully editable and personalized with the painter’s own materials and pricing. That immediate value helps build trust and confidence.
To encourage continued use, we added subtle re-engagement cues, such as smart prompts and in-flow reminders, that guide users back to the assistant at the right moments, without disrupting their routine. Making the tool a natural step users would use consistently.
7. Activation
To ensure painters actually tried the AI tool, we focused on a fast, frictionless first experience, one that clearly showed the value.
From the moment they opened the app, users were guided straight to the Smart Quote Generator. We showed what it could do with real examples, then walked them through a quick demo to trigger that first “aha” moment.
By shortening the path to value and removing setup complexity, we turned first-time use into a clear, confident win, helping more painters complete their first quote quickly and increasing the likelihood they’d return.
8. Human-Centered UX/UI Design
Once the voice assistant concept was validated, we brought it to life through rapid prototyping and visual design — making sure it felt seamless and intuitive from the start. We preserved Calcuu’s mobile-first simplicity and built the assistant using existing UI components to ensure visual and functional consistency.
Throughout, we applied human-centered design principles to maintain user trust and control at every step.
The result: a native, mobile-first voice experience that feels fully naturally integrated into the app.
Explore how AI can reduce friction and define the highest-impact solution
The launch of the Smart Quote Generator marks a meaningful shift in how first-time users engage with Calcuu.
Previously, many painters opened the app but never finished a quote, unsure where to begin or putting it off for later. Now, the voice assistant removes that hesitation. As soon as the job ends, the quote begins.
While the voice experience will continue to evolve, we’re already seeing clear results:
Quote completion time is dropping significantly.
This progress didn’t come from adding more features, it came from removing friction around the task that matters most: helping painters quote with speed and confidence, right when it counts.
Result
Conclusion
Calcuu came to us with a clear challenge:
How can we help painters send more quotes, faster, without adding friction?
Through our structured AI accelerator process, we identified a high-impact moment of need, designed a voice-powered assistant tailored to the painter’s workflow, and brought it to life with a human-first product experience.
The result isn’t just a new feature, we’ve designed an AI experience that feels native and built for how painters already work. Removing the core blockers that used to slow them down.
Let's talk!
Feeling inspired?
If you’re exploring how AI can improve your product experience, let’s get our heads together and see where we can help!