Prototype

Reflection

wecasa

Researching and developing an end to end product to help people find their next shared space based on compatibly

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PROJECT TYPE

Independent

TIME

~80 hours

ROLES

UX Researcher
UX Designer
Branding Designer

TOOLS USED

01 BACKGROUND

context

Living alone? In this economy?

For the past 6 years, I have lived with roommates and have had the good fortune of having easy-to-live-with roomies. However, I recognize that this is not always the case. According to recent statistics, 14 million adults in the United States live in shared housing with at least one non-family member. This makes the process of finding a suitable and compatible living situation a common one.

The traditional ways of finding roommates, such as relying on one's social network or joining Facebook groups, can be risky and time-consuming. The process of finding a place to live is just the first step, and once a suitable space is found, ensuring that the people living in it align with one's living style is an additional hurdle. This highlights the need for a more efficient and trustworthy solution for finding compatible roommates.

probLEm & TASK

Breaking it down

The Problem

Finding roommates can be time-consuming due to a lack of trust and understanding of various methods (ie Facebook, Craigslist).

The Task

We have LinkedIn for professional networking, Bumble for finding love, and Spotify for finding your next favorite song.

Why not have something to find your next roommate?

02 RESEARCH & design

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research plan and outcome overview

Because this idea came from a personal frustration, I started my research by conducting a preliminary survey to validate whether there was a need for a service like this. Results confirmed there was a need, and that this was an underserved market. The top method of finding roommates was word of mouth.

I also studied other well-known products in parallel markets such as Zillow & Facebook. Because a top frustration for users was based around trust, I also looked at apps like Bumble, known for its compatibly matching algorithm.

The core of the research was inspired by one-on-one interviews with people who have roommates in the past or present. My goal for the interviews was to elaborate more on how people found their roommates (ie what step-by-step actions did they take and how did each make them feel?) Most of the interviews focused on Facebook groups.

From there, I was able to glean a user journey map and 5 findings that informed my task flows.

prelimary survey

top insights from survey

user persona and journey map

stepping into the shoes of phil, the NYC transplant

research finding 1

Decluttering search terms to reduce cognitive load

Since Facebook is not built for filtering, a common user frustration was being forced to sift through large swaths of information to find listings that matched what the user was looking for.

“I think that one of the problems with like Facebook groups is that you're getting a lot of information about people who are interested in like, another arrangement. And that's irrelevant in this sort of noise or people who want a different price range or different location.” -User interview

design insights

Incorporate AI recommendations based on preferences

Allows users to see recommended listings based on profile preferences as well as indicated listings the user likes

Include the choice of using a filter

Allows user to further filter preferences for more control in the search

research finding 2

Keep onboarding short to reel user interest in content-driven apps

Since this product is contingent on personal recommendations, the onboarding must include preferences questions. However, the onboarding flow should not be too lengthy as it may impact retention.

“If MyFitnessPal asked users to fill out a lengthy form with their height, weight, goals, and habits upon entering the app, they'd probably see lower retention and compliance than they do with this interactive onboarding process. By personalizing the data collection process and emphasizing the benefits the app can provide, they incentivize participation in a meaningful way.” - Meryl Kremer, Content Marketing Strategist

design insights

Split profile building into 2 processes

Allows users to quickly enter the app answering questions they do not have to think too hard on, allowing them to complete the 2nd half of the profile at another time.

Use contextual onboarding

Allows users to be walked through the app progressively. Contextual onboarding is typically in the form of a deck-of-cards tutorial or interactive walkthrough.

research finding 3

People don’t want to leave a ton of messages just to be unanswered

In order to signal you are interested in a listing, most tech methods have user directly message the content author. However, users note that the author either 1) ghosts or 2) forgets to update that the listing has been filled

“I messaged a girl but she never replied. I saw later that she found a roommate already, but knowing that would have saved me time because I already looked through her FB profile and took the time to message her” - User interview

design insight

communicate profiles/listings that indicate interest in you

Inspired by Bumble’s swiping interaction, I thought the notion of being matched with profiles that swiped right on the user would help the unanswered messages frustrations. Both the user and the lister indicate that they were interested instead of just the user.

research finding 4

People value community

When asked why people preferred recommendations from friends over using tech, like Facebook marketplace, a user noted “I trust that my mutual friends also have good mutual friends.” Interestingly while I dug deeper, I found that that people did not mind rooming with strangers when they knew they were from the same community (ie the same university)

“It’s difficult to pick out like social cues or like nuances through just messaging so I think if I had a video call with them, I would feel more comfortable” - User interview

design insights

Seeing tags associated with space details

Allows users to quickly see aspects of a listing and about who lives there

Being able to see all roommates in the space

Allows users to glance at who else will be living in the space

research finding 5

People value community

The final step in most people’s roommate search was being able to see the place and talk to the other tenants. However, in situations like Phil’s from the persona, visiting in-person may not be a viable option.

“If I plan to live at the place more than 3 months, I definitely will need to tour the place. This was hard because I did not move to the new city though, so I chose to rent an apartment by myself.” - User interview

design insights

Enabling a video chat feature

Allows users to conversate with potential roommates and tour the space remotely.

Task Flow + MidFi

Overview of task flows

03 VISUAL design

establishing wecasa's brand

color and typography

By following the 60-30-10 rule for applying color, I carefully selected colors that not only looked good together, but also conveyed the right emotions. The blue imbued trust and reliability, while the orange gradient added a fresh and energetic touch. The primary colors, white and an off-black, served as neutral background tones that allowed the standout colors to pop.

In addition to color, typography plays a crucial role in the overall design aesthetic. I chose Cereal, Airbnb’s font, as it provides a clean and modern look that complements the design style I was going for. This font choice not only enhances the visual appeal, but also makes the text easy to read, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable user experience.

COLOR PALLETE

typography

establishing wecasa's brand

logo generation

To generate a few initial ideas, I used an AI engine which provided me with a variety of logos to choose from. However, to determine the best option, I conducted a survey with a focus group to gather their opinions and preferences. Based on the results of the survey, I selected one logo that was the clear favorite among the participants. From there, I iterated to make it more visually appealing.

I wanted to ensure that the logo and the word "wecasa" were paired effectively to increase brand recognition. However, after evaluating the selected font, Cereal, I realized that it did not effectively capture the friendly and approachable nature of the app. To address this, I conducted further research and found an alternate font, "FS Me," that had smooth and rounded corners, which added a subtle hint of friendliness to the overall aesthetic.

In addition to selecting a new font, I also decided to adjust the kerning of the letters in "wecasa" to create an even and balanced spacing between each character. These small tweaks helped to elevate the overall look and feel of the logo, ensuring that it effectively represents the brand and its values.

LOGO ITERATION

LOGO TYPOGRAPHY SELECTION

WORDMARK KERNING

LOGO VARIATIONS

03 testing & revisions

MID-FI USABILITY TESTING

Interactive Prototype Testing of Mid-Fi

I completed the first round of usability testing on my mid-fi’s. The goal of this usability test was to explore how users understand the general UX. Below are common user problems identified in the mid-fi flow and solutions in hi-fi.

USER PROBLEM 1

confusion over choices

Research from interviews showed that there were 3 types of searches, however I found it difficult to succinctly describe each of them. Most users during testing also felt confused on which choice they should select based on the UX language.

SOLUTION

Less choices & simple UX language

I decided to take out the extra screen of further differentiation as users could simply use a filter to sift through options. I also added an emoji pictorial to describe further what each choice means for more clarity.

USER PROBLEM 2

confusion how to search for listings

When asked to find a listing in Dumbo, NY, users gravitated toward the filter button instead of the map, as I intended. A user explained that they would rather directly type a location, then use the map to see listings in that location.

SOLUTION

include a prominent search bar

On the default screen, I added a prominent search bar so users could quickly get an idea of where the listings are from.

USER PROBLEM 3

Hesitation on video chatting

My main intention with the video chat was so users could see the space in its “natural” state. Even though there was a 100% completion rate and 0 misclicks on this task, people noted that the concept of video chatting with strangers felt odd.

SOLUTION

Emphasizing sending videos

I looked at indirect competitor apps, and liked Hinge’s video chat concept. I thought sending videos of the space to potential roommates may lessen the social anxiety of talking to stranger while still being able to see the space - now on their own time!

HI-FI USABILITY TESTING

Interactive Prototype Testing of Hi-Fi

I recruited another group of testers for hi-fi. On testing the hi-fi, there were not a lot of challenges completing the tasks compared to mid-fis. The most significant design change was needed on the expanded listing profile itself. Users felt that swiping felt too unnatural at first, as they were still used to the convention “like” or “save” options akin to apps like Zillow.

user problem 1

People were unsure how to "like"

Even after completing the tutorial, people were still unsure how to like a listing. Some noted that perhaps after used to the app, they would remember, while others said they’ve never used swiping as an interaction before.

SOLUTION

an anchored bar with “Like” &“Pass”

Similar to the early days of Tinder, I incorporated an anchored bar with “Like” or “Pass” stamps. When clicked on, it would trigger a swipe animation. Users could still opt to swipe left or right as an alternate way to indicate their choice.

04 Prototype

prototype

wecasa interactive prototype

05 reflections

reflection

Rome was not built in a day

The most valuable insight I gained from this project was the power of focusing on solving one task at a time. I realized that while it may be tempting to design all the flows for an app, it can become overwhelming and unrealistic as a single designer with limited time. Through this experience, I discovered the importance of evaluating each task and asking myself if it truly contributes to the overall user flow. By learning to prioritize and let go of non-essential elements, I was able to maintain a more manageable and focused workflow. This lesson has been a crucial part of my growth as a designer and I am grateful for the opportunity to apply it in practice.

reflection

Embrace the AI Generation Era

With the advent of innovative tools like Dall-E and ChatGPT, I initially had mixed feelings about their impact on the creative industry. However, as I delved deeper and explored their capabilities, I discovered a world of possibilities. Through my personal experience in this case study, I learned that incorporating AI generation into my workflow (specifically in logo ideation!) not only saved time and freed up my creativity, but also allowed me to focus on my passions, such as interaction design and research. Thus, I have embraced this new era of AI generation with excitement and optimism, confident in the potential it holds to enhance and augment human creativity.