Streamlining the Home Search Process through Personalized Accommodation Matching
Okaeri
UX/UI Designer · Responsive website · 120 hours · June 2023
Overview
Okaeri transforms home search. Prioritizing user preferences, it offers a friendly interface, personalized profiles, and thorough surveys for easy home discovery. Early tests garnered praise for reliability, customization, and simplicity.
The Challenge
Okaeri aimed to ease house-hunting stress by addressing pain points: uncertain online listings, transparency lack, and relocation hassle. It provided clear listings, convenience, and personalization through a seamless chat-based system, encompassing a questionnaire and customizable profiles.
The Solution
Okaeri was developed through a meticulous process guided by user-centric design principles. A user persona was created based on methods such as Short Polls, User Interviews, Additional Research, Competitive Analysis, and Affinity Mapping. The platform's branding exudes reliability and friendliness, with a clean and clear design that aligns with user preferences. The user flows and task flows were developed to ensure a seamless journey from account creation to profile customization and room requests.
1
Empathise
Short Poll
User Interviews
Additional Research
Competitive Analysis
2
Define
Affinity map
POVs
HMW
Persona
3
Ideate
Card Sorting
Site mapping
Task Flows
User Flows
Branding
4
Prototype
Lo-Fi Wireframe
Wireframing Prototyping
5
Test
Usability Testing
Prioritization Matrix
Iterating
EMPATHISE
Unveiling Home Seeker Insights: Immersion in the
Empathize Phase
In the empathize stage, we studied home seekers using different methods like surveys and interviews. This revealed their unique challenges, dreams, and motivations in finding the right homes. We also researched the housing market to enhance our creative process.
DEFINE
Navigating Home-Seeker Insights: Defining Okaeri's Path
In the Define stage, we harnessed the power of user interviews to guide our focus. Our mission: distill and synthesize these insights into actionable themes and directions tailored to the Okaeri housing theme.
With affinity mapping, we organized our findings, revealing recurring patterns and themes. This visual representation crystallized user preferences, shaping our design journey.
1
Decent & Affordable Apartments
Navigating the quest for a suitable and budget-friendly apartment can be challenging. We address this by focusing on providing a range of housing options that meet quality standards while remaining within budget constraints.
2
Accurate Online Representations
Pictures often fall short of conveying the true essence of a property. We ensure accurate depictions and descriptions, giving users a reliable representation of the spaces they are considering.
3
Transparency and Competition
The housing market can be shrouded in opacity, leaving users uncertain about property details and competing with other potential tenants. Okaeri prioritizes transparency, empowering users with comprehensive information and fostering a fairer housing-seeking experience.
With the insights from affinity mapping, POV statements, and How Might We statements, we were able to breathe life into our persona. This persona became relatable canvases that guided our ideation process, ensuring that our solutions resonated with real-world experiences.
Julieta
The goal-oriented seeker
Julieta aims to find effortless coliving with ideal flatmates and landlords. Her mission: an affordable, well-maintained flat near university, work, and the city center. She prioritizes minimal maintenance, cost efficiency, and optimized commuting, combating budget constraints, uncertainty, and stress. At 24, she balances Marketing studies with a club job.
IDEATE
Crafting the Blueprint: Defining Sitemaps, User Flows, and Task Flows
We strategically harnessed methodologies like Card Sorting, Site Mapping, Task Flows, User Flows, and Branding to create Okaeri's essential blueprints. A well-structured sitemap ensures seamless navigation, while intuitive user flows guide engagement. Task flows, shaped meticulously, prioritize efficiency.
Our brand journey for Okaeri blended approachability and boldness. The logo, a result of grid-based experimentation, exudes confidence and warmth. The calming blue palette symbolizes trust, paired with playful typography for balance – capturing co-living's essence.
LOGO
COLORS
TYPOGRAPHY
PROTOTYPE
Setting the direction for our El Prado Museum App
We developed Okaeri's housing-focused Lo-Fi Wireframes, serving as the foundation for our detailed wireframing process. Building upon Okaeri's established image, we breathed life into the skeletal lo-fi wireframes, bringing them to vibrant fruition.
TEST
Enhancing Accommodation Discovery: Okaeri's Evolving
User-Centric Features
I shared my work with colleagues and conducted tests with five experienced users in the field of finding new accommodations. Their feedback highlighted the design's reliability and the ease of reading, thanks to icons and emojis. However, they requested an interactive map and more personalization options in the questionnaire.
The Results
Early user testing indicated a positive user experience, with participants praising the platform's reliability, customization options, and ease of use. The integration of an interactive map, expanded personalization choices, and detailed profile customization led to enhanced user satisfaction and engagement. Okaeri's user-centric design approach positioned it as a promising solution to the challenges faced by those searching for a new home, offering a stress-free and transparent way to find the perfect residence.