Overview
Moving to Vancouver, I faced a problem that is all too common - finding a place to live. This problem is only compounded when you add the variable of a roommate into the equation. And while that may not have been something I dealt with, it still stuck with and became the basis for this project.
Problem Statement
“Finding a trustworthy & compatible roommate is a hard & tedious process.”
The Process
My process began with understanding the problem. So after establishing a hypothesis I went to conduct interviews to collect data from potential users to validate it.
Thus, my research encompassed:
- Understanding the users needs & goals
- Finding the pain points
- And designing a solution to address that need
Gathering Data
I conducted five user interviews, two of which are shown below, that I gathered my data from.
Interviewee 1 of 5
Interviewee 2 of 5
Using the data I created the following models:
And so from my research I was able to gather the following key insights:
- A robust search mechanism that finds & matches compatible roommates based on their user profile, the idea being that it does the "vetting" for the user, and thus save time.
- A high level of security
Sketching & Wireframing the Solution
"Sketching allowed me to get feedback quickly & eliminate a high-friction point...... the onboarding process."
Lease Type Modal
Budget Modal
Search & Results
Place Details (with introductory section of owner)
User Details
Initial Concept for FIlters
Finalized Design
Starting Page
Initial Question Modal
Initial Question Modal Contin.
Place Details
User Details
Filters
Challenges & Future Steps
- Figuring out the Information Architecture was a real challenge and what helped me actually studying the architecture of e-commerce websites, like Amazon, and how they tackle huge chunks of data.
- Scope was another challenge, and I had to reduce it to tackle one type of user. The next step would be to tackle the process of listing a property, which would entail creating an entire dashboard. It be both fun & challenging.
Takeaway
The goal of the project was two-fold:
- creating an actual solution that addresses a real need
- a medium for me to not only learn but also showcase my ability when it comes to UX Design & Information Architecture
