Engage

Keeping you connected to opportunity

Role: Lead Product Designer/Engineer

Year: 2018 - 2021

Introduction

Overview

Engage was the first social media platform built specifically for the construction industry. Designed for members of The Blue Book Network, it created a B2B community where subcontractors, general contractors, and suppliers could connect, communicate, and collaborate within their regions.

Built as a Progressive Web App (PWA), Engage delivered a seamless experience across web and mobile, combining the familiarity of social networking with the practicality of industry-specific collaboration.

The Blue Book Network

The Blue Book Building and Construction Network is the largest and most established commercial construction network in the United States, connecting industry professionals since 1913. Its mission is to simplify the construction process through information, relationships, and innovation.

In 2021, The Blue Book merged with Dodge Data & Analytics to form the Dodge Construction Network, a unified ecosystem driving progress across the industry.

The Problem

Digitizing the Heart of the Network

The Blue Book’s business relied heavily on in-person relationships managed by 36 regional franchise owners. While the company digitized its directory and project tools, the core network experience remained offline. The challenge was to translate that trusted, relationship-driven ecosystem into a digital platform without losing its human touch.

Building a Unified Ecosystem

Before Engage, The Blue Book’s six flagship tools—Advertising, Plan Rooms, Projects, Search & Discovery, Profiles, and Suppliers—worked in silos. The goal was to unify these tools into one connected experience, with Engage acting as the central hub for collaboration, networking, and communication.
Avatars

Research & Discovery

Approach

With direct access to franchise owners and long-time Blue Book customers, I led user testing and interviews throughout development. Feedback from sales conferences and in-house testing shaped the MVP.

Post-launch, we shifted focus to analytics and behavioral data, using insights to identify UX pain points and guide feature improvements.

Key Goals

  • User-Centric Design: Create a simple, intuitive interface for construction professionals, many of whom were not tech-savvy.
  • Relevant Feed Algorithm: Deliver a tailored feed with content meaningful to users’ trade, region, and projects.
  • Unified Web and Mobile Experience: Ensure accessibility across devices and varying tech experience levels.
  • Industry Integration: Highlight industry content such as safety updates, project showcases, and event news.

Competitive Analysis

Social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter set user expectations for interaction and engagement. My research focused on extracting the best of each.

Insight

Construction professionals needed a social network built for their world, visual, credible, and regional, without the noise of mainstream platforms.

Implementation Challenges

The Challenge

Engage’s regional design mirrored The Blue Book’s 30 plus sales regions, each managed by franchise owners acting as local administrators. However, adoption lagged due to inconsistent participation and reluctance among some owners to embrace digital tools.

The Solution

To spark engagement and encourage adoption, we introduced strategies and tools focused on content visibility, recognition, and ease of use.

1. Regionally Curated Weekly Digest
Launched a newsletter using an automated algorithm to surface top regional posts, helping franchise owners and users stay connected with local activity.

2. Engagement Insight Alerts
Inspired by LinkedIn, owners received personalized engagement reports highlighting likes, comments, and views on their posts, encouraging continued participation.

3. Empowered Admin Tools
Redesigned internal admin tools for broader posting capabilities, allowing franchise owners to share content directly and reach users without back-office limitations.

4. Headlines: Regional Content Curation
Built an in-house RSS content tool after LinkedIn Elevate was discontinued. “Headlines” delivered region-specific construction news, event updates, and Blue Book media archives to franchise owners for easy sharing.
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5. My Franchise Feed
Introduced a dedicated feed featuring curated local content and newsletter highlights. This feature became the go-to hub for regional engagement and performance analytics.

Conclusion

Outcome

  • Successfully onboarded 38,000 users region by region
  • Reached 1,600 daily active users within the first year
  • Generated 4,300 user posts and 900 post interactions in the first 12 months
  • Established a scalable digital foundation for the future Dodge Construction Network
Engage was not built for overnight success but for lasting transformation. It became the cornerstone of The Blue Book’s digital evolution, creating the framework for how the construction industry connects and collaborates online.

Summary

Engage turned a century-old relationship model into a modern digital experience. By merging social design principles with construction industry needs, it built the foundation for a connected, data-driven network that continues to evolve today.

Engage Screens

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