Type
Case Study
Year
2024
Service
APP
role
UI/UX & INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
OVERVIEW
— Home: an optimized real-estate experience
This case study explores a real estate platform that would cater to the needs of younger individuals from the ground up to streamline property searches, prioritizing ease of use, practical design, and clear navigation.
This project focused on creating a user-friendly real estate platform tailored to a family moving to New York City. Using a housing dataset and lecture material, I developed a platform based on a detailed persona spectrum that addressed the family's specific needs. Emphasizing clear information architecture and seamless navigation, the platform provided easy access to real estate listings and relevant area details.
— PROBLEM STATEMENT
How might I design a platform that simplifies the home search process while offering comprehensive, personalized information to meet the needs of families?
— goals
The goal of this project is to design a real estate platform that simplifies the home search experience for families that avoids the same issues that plague competitors.
— design solutions
Customized recommendations based on user preferences, and filtering tools to refine searches by prioritizing user needs, wants and usability.
The initial phase of research involved identifying popular real estate platforms through online exploration, with Zillow and Kijiji emerging as dominant players. To gain deeper user insights, I turned to Reddit, where real users shared their experiences with these apps. Inaccurate information, overloaded pages, and a lack of contextual neighborhood details were recurring issues.
— Design Process
I used the Double Diamond Design Process to develop a user-centric solution by balancing research and design exploration. In the Discover phase, I identified issues like navigation inefficiencies and a lack of contextual details. The Define phase revealed users’ need for intuitive navigation, advanced filters, and tailored suggestions. In the Develop and Deliver phases, I created and tested prototypes, simplifying workflows and improving usability.
— Persona Spectrum
The persona spectrum focuses on a young, relatively affluent couple looking to move to New York City. The couple has different but complementary priorities that influenced the platform's design. By creating this persona spectrum, I was able to understand the couple's varying priorities, and begin designing a platform that would be able to help them find properties that are well suited to their needs.
— Persona Spectrum
Through my research, Zillow and Kijiji stood out as the main competitors in the real estate platform space. However, both platforms presented significant usability issues that hinder user satisfaction. Both platforms fail to offer a seamless, criteria-driven search experience. These observations highlighted the opportunity to create a solution with streamlined navigation, comprehensive filters, and rich contextual details that cater to users' specific priorities.
— User Research
To better understand user frustrations and needs, I conducted usability testing with a group of 10 participants. They were tasked with completing basic navigation exercises and property searches on Zillow and Kijiji. Following this, I conducted a survey to gather detailed feedback about their experiences. Users struggled with navigation, redundant filters, and information overload.
— SITE MAP & USER FLOW
I Users can explore neighborhoods intuitively through an interactive map showcasing key details like amenities and noise levels while also using robust filters to refine their search based on property-specific and area-specific criteria. To further enhance the user experience, I incorporated algorithm-driven suggestions that tailor specific property recommendations to a user’s previous searches, ensuring efficiency and relevance.
— User Testing
User testing was a key step in validating the platform's design and refining its features. I used A/B testing to compare variations in filter placement and navigation flows, ensuring the design addressed user expectations. Additionally, I applied the five whys method to analyze the root causes of any frustrations raised during testing. Surveys provided participants with an opportunity to share feedback, pinpoint usability challenges, and suggest improvements.
— Final Product
The final design successfully addresses the core issues identified in competitor platforms, such as clunky navigation and ineffective filters. By prioritizing intuitive navigation and advanced filtering options, the platform ensures that users can seamlessly search for properties that meet both property-specific and neighborhood-specific criteria. Contextual features like noise levels, amenities, and transport access add value, helping users make informed decisions.
— final product
CONCLUSION
— what did i LEARN?
I learned how crucial information architecture is to crafting successful digital experiences. Initially, I struggled with simplifying information, but through research and studying other platforms, I refined my approach. This project highlighted the importance of clear communication and user needs, making me more mindful of how information is presented.