Pella Innovation Leader Explores What’s “Tangibly Next” for New Home Construction and Design

At the 2026 New Home Trends Summit in Austin, Texas, Jenn Tuetken of Pella Corporation joined industry leaders and innovators for the Tangibly Next panel, hosted by the New Home Trends Institute by John Burns Research and Consulting. The conversation brought together perspectives from across residential new construction, design, manufacturing, and technology sectors to examine how emerging ideas are influencing the future of the industry.

Finding Opportunity Across the Customer Journey

Jenn shared how understanding the customer journey helps Pella identify unmet needs, uncover friction points and anticipate what’s needed next. That work involves looking beyond the product itself to understand how people experience it at every stage from discovery and selection to installation and everyday use. Mapping those experiences can reveal opportunities for new products, services and solutions that address needs customers may not always articulate directly.

Designing for the Unseen User

Jenn also highlighted the importance of designing for the “unseen user” — the people who may not be the end customer, but whose experience directly affects a product’s performance. One example is Pella Steady Set® Interior Installation System, an installation innovation by Pella that launched in 2024. The product was developed through years of field research, including observing installers and speaking directly with them about the challenges they face during the installation process. Those insights helped Pella rethink window installation and develop a solution around the installer’s experience. The approach also benefits homeowners, since proper installation plays an important role in window performance, comfort and efficiency over time.

Connecting Manufacturing to the Homeowner Experience

When technology helps identify potential challenges and improve processes earlier, manufacturers can create more consistent products before they reach the jobsite or a customer’s home. Jenn shared how Pella is using computer vision technology to support quality and consistency in its manufacturing operations. She also discussed why manufacturers should view quality as more than a checkpoint at the end of the production process.

For Pella, this means considering quality across the entire product journey. Products must be designed to perform, made with consistency and installed effectively so they can deliver the experience homeowners expect over time.

From Insight to Innovation

Pella’s approach to innovation starts with understanding how it can make life better for homeowners, installers, industry partners and team members. That means listening to customers, studying how products are experienced in the real world and paying attention to the trends shaping the future of homebuilding. Conversations like Tangibly Next help Pella learn from others across the industry and inform how the company designs, makes and improves its products.

From identifying unmet needs to designing for the unseen user and improving the manufacturing process, Pella continues to explore new ways to solve problems and create better experiences for its customers.