On the Block
Background
Moving into an apartment can be a significant life event, usually associated with freedom, independence, and privacy. It’s an opportunity for personal growth and acquiring various life skills.
However, finding the right apartment can be challenging and stressful. The multitude of options and choices can overwhelm anyone. But what if there was a way to make this experience more streamlined and enjoyable?
Role
UX/UI designer
Timeline
14 weeks
Project type
Create a responsive web design
Problem
Thousands of people relocate every single day, entailing a fresh start. The process of searching for a place to move into can be overwhelming for many people with constant stressors like lack of communication, limited photos, and no transparency. Not only does this hinder the excitement of moving, but it also prevents users from finding their new home away from home.
DISCOVER
Objectives & Goals
Determine what’s missing or can be improved from current rental search engines
Understand what renters find overwhelming or stressful while searching
Explore ways to provide additional resources and guidance for renters
Learn the step by step process that renters go through when searching
This capstone aims to create a new and improved apartment rental service that allows users to find their perfect home with ease. Its' main goal is to provide a friendly, stress free, and effortless process with resources and support.
Our Process
Discover
Define
Ideate
Design
Competitive Analysis
Comparing 4 of the most commonly used rental platforms in the East Coast, I focused on identifying any gaps in the rental market to understand areas that needed improvement. All of these platforms were aimed towards different audiences but had common weaknesses such as a lack of updates and limited search features.
User Interviews
Key Findings
All participants use various rental websites which they found unhelpful and overwhelming. Some mentioned that UI was also confusing.
Lack of transparency, communication, and updates makes it difficult for renters to browse properly.
Depending on their choices, this dictates whether their search will be easier.
DEFINE
User Personas
This user persona represents a new renter, eager to move out and start her city life. Unfamiliar with renting an apartment, she hopes that the rental search engines will provide enough information and results to help her get started.
Unfortunately, she’s met with disappointment as she has difficulty navigating through the sites. She finds the lack of updates interrupting her search process and hopes to find a platform that provides more in depth filters.
Storyboard
By creating storyboards, my goal was to imagine the different ways that users could improve their apartment search process. I narrowed it down to an improved rental website or an organizational planner. The website addresses concerns of information and resources while the planner targets the hecticness of moving.
Although both are valuable, a rental website provides a broader range of properties and real time information which suits the user’s needs more.
Feature Set
Included already existing features from other popular rental websites
Profile/account creation
Map location
Search filters
Introduced neighborhood guides from interview feedback
Placed notifications in the “must have” category because lack of communication is one of the major pain points
IDEATE
Task Flows & User Flows
These task flows helped visualize the potential steps in the search process which include searching with filters and creating an account. I also focused on the new feature of writing an apartment review to make sure its intuitive and efficient.
These user flows aim to provide a seamless experience for users looking to rent an apartment. We can use these flows to ensure that we align the website’s features with the user’s goals and needs.
DESIGN
Sketches
Following the standard layout of most apartment rental websites, I created several sketches for the home page, search page, and property listing page on both desktop and mobile. There was a lot of emphasis on the visual elements to provide users with the most descriptive depiction of the apartments.
Branding
I wanted to represent the website with a sense of neighborhood warmth and the excitement of moving to somewhere new. I finalized on the name “On the Block” to encompass everything that comes with the “block” that you live on, including community and activities.
I also utilized brown and green in my design, both exuding reliability, relaxation, and dependibility.
The logo was inspired by what the typical "block" in a neighborhood looks like. The skyline of the high rise buildings in a bustling city paints a picture of adventure and new beginnings. With On the Block, users can look forward to finding their perfect home to move into.
TEST
Usability Testing
After creating a prototype version, I shared my design with 5 participants through a moderated usability test on Discord. The participants include other Design Lab colleagues and personal friends.
Main tasks:
Create an account and fill out the introductory questionnaire
Search for an apartment using filters
Book a tour for that apartment
Key Findings
100% user satisfaction and 100% completion rate
Most confusion came from unclear phrasing, wording, or order
Hierarchy of content was misleading
Participants would like to see more choices and personalization
Prioritization Matrix
I sorted the feedback into four different categories to analyze what was effective, what was not, and where improvements or iterations were necessary. Majority of participants expressed satisfaction with usability and navigation while others wanted to see a more personalized experience.
Iterations
Redid the sign up questions
Questionnaire can be skipped
Progress is tracked on the top right corner
Drop down menu for filters
Added a “sort by” filtering option
More amenities to choose from
Photo carousel for each listing
Added more content on the listing information page
Added method of preferred contact
Changed booking to calendar format
PRODUCT
Final Design
SUMMARY
Conclusion
Results & Impact:
Participants rated the website a 5 out of 5 on the Likert scale, stating that they found everything they needed seamlessly
With this step by step design process, I was able to create a service that has enhanced transparency, streamlined communication, and community building.
Overall, the impact of On the Block can improve the experience of apartment hunting and help renters find their perfect home.
Reflections
"On the Block" was my first case study- my official initation to UX in practice. I was able to learn what happens behind the scenes of product design and honed numerous skills such as problem solving, attention to detail, research, and prototyping. This case study is a representation of my understanding of UX. It's resourceful, empathetic, and creative.
Became more familiar with Figma.
Thank you for reading!
Check out my other case studies here!
ZARA Redesign
Responsive Web Design
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YouTube Socials
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Queue Up
End to End Mobile App
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