Spaces
01 Project Overview
Role:
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UX Researcher
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UX Design
Timeline:
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Sep, 2023 to Dec, 2023
Team:
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This is a solo Project
Project Type:
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Website for Desktop
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App for iPad
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App for Mobile
Problem:
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Scrolling through endless listings, none with the dishwasher you desperately need.
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Roommate roulette leaving you with questionable strangers (and maybe even questionable hygiene).
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Moving mountains of boxes with aching muscles and zero help in sight.
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Turning your new rental into a home feels like mission impossible.
Goal:
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To makes Spaces the go-to platform for all things related to renting in new cities, offering a seamless and positive experience for both renters and landlords.
Responsibilities
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As a UX/UI designer for Spaces, I've conducted in-depth user interviews and workshops to understand new city renters' pain points and expectations. Through paper and digital wireframing, I crafted intuitive user journeys, translating research into impactful design solutions. With high-fidelity prototypes and usability studies I ensured an accessible and user-friendly app, optimizing conversion rates and reducing user errors. By collaborating closely with stakeholders, I delivered a seamless Spaces experience that delights both renters and landlords.
02 Understanding the User!
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My UX research exposed: My user research identified adults (21-65) seeking rental houses with diverse needs. Key priorities include proximity to specific amenities (hospitals for 20%, subways for 35%) and access to various services like movers (70% mentioned this as a pain point). While preferences in features like house facing vary, all users struggle with acquiring reliable services like packers, cleaners, and internet providers.
Pain Points:
Persona: Meg Adams
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Finding a rental with convenient public transportation access can be challenging for diverse user groups like students, young professionals, and individuals with accessibility needs. Traditional search methods often lack the necessary filters and information, leading to limited options and frustration. Meg who is a data analyst also faces the same problem
User Journey Map:
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Meg's, a busy professional moving to a new city, found searching for rentals, coordinating movers, and securing utilities incredibly time-consuming and overwhelming. Mapping his user journey revealed the urgent need for a one-stop website dedicated to renting homes & related services.
Competitive Audit
Direct competitors:
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Spaces’ direct competitors are Magic Bricks and 99 Acres. These are real estate listing apps that allow users to buy, rent or sell residential and commercial properties.
Indirect competitors:
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Spaces’ indirect competitors are Furlenco (furniture rental) and Urban Cleaners (cleaning services). These apps don’t target renters specifically, but they offer services that can be relevant to people who are moving to a new city and might be looking for furniture rentals or cleaning services.
03. Starting the Design
Crazy 8's:
Conducted a Crazy 8's session with designers! Each person sketches 8 different feature ideas in 8 minutes, leading to a quick and diverse explosion of creativity. These are my crazy 8's
User Flow:
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By mapping out the different steps users take to achieve their goals within my app, I gained a deeper understanding of their needs, pain points, and expectations. This helps me prioritize features and design an experience that effectively meets their needs
Paper Wireframes:
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Sketching mockups on paper is fast and flexible, allowing me to iterate on features, layouts, and user flows without getting bogged down in digital complexities and explore multiple ideas rapidly and see what resonates with potential user
Digital Wireframes:
As the initial design phase continued, I made sure to base screen designs on feedback and findings from user research.
Low-Fidelity Prototype:
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"Key features for musician booking and playlist creation from the digital wireframes were transformed into an interactive prototype using Figma. This clickable mockup connected the main user flow, allowing us to conduct a usability study and assess user experience in selecting musicians and building collaborative playlists."
View spaces Low-fi mobile app here
Vie Spaces Low-fi Ipad Website here
Usability Study Findings:
1. Scrollbar Visibility:Users struggled to navigate the app due to unclear scroll indicators. (Fix: Implement clear scrollbars for a smoother experience.
2. Payment Integration: The in-app rent payment feature was a top request for improved convenience. (Fix: Explore secure payment processing options.)
3. Homepage Interaction: A/B testing is needed to optimize the homepage layout and make finding information effortless
4. Rental-Friendly Decor Resources: Users craved resources for decorating rentals. (Fix: A blog with tips and a curated shop for rental-friendly decor would be valuable additions.)
5. Search Button Placement:​ The search button's placement needs testing to ensure easy access.
Mockup's:
Mock up's were created addressing the user pain points !
High-fidelity prototype:
"From wireframes to high-fidelity, user feedback shaped Spaces into a visually compelling, intuitive prototype."
Click here view high fidelity prototype of the Mobile App
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Click here view high fidelity prototype of the Ipad Website
Click here view high fidelity prototype of the desktop website
Impact:
Turning Chaos into Calm:"I wish Spaces was around when I moved," exclaimed one user, reflecting the common struggle of frantic house hunting. Spaces eliminates that chaos by streamlining the process.
Building Communities, Not Just Walls:"Finding compatible roommates was impossible," said another user. Spaces' alchemizes this challenge with its unique matching algorithm, connecting people and fostering meaningful roommate relationships.​
From Frustration to Fulfillment: No more battling endless listings or struggling with unfamiliar processes. Spaces empowers users to find their perfect fit with confidence.
What I learnt:
User research (empathy maps, interviews, usability studies) helped understand renter pain points (finding roommates, dealing with services). This led to prioritizing those needs and designing an iterative, user-friendly app with clear cues and information architecture.
Tools used: Adobe XD, Figma, Justinmind
New city, no worries! Spaces connects you to your dream home, perfect roommates, and expert move-in help - all in one app.Ditch the hassle, find your haven! Whether you're searching for a vibrant apartment, a cozy house, or shared digs, Spaces makes renting a breeze. Our unique matching algorithm pairs you with compatible roommates, and trusted providers offer stress-free moving, cleaning, and even rental-friendly design assistance. Landlords, showcase your vacancies to qualified tenants and enjoy secure screening. Download Spaces today and experience the smoothest renting journey!