Home|Screen
Through interviews, I learned that a lack of information about the unit, building, or landlord made it difficult for tenants to make a quality decision when choosing a new home.
I’d like you to Meet Sara.
Sara is a social worker that lives with her fiancee and their dog.
Last year, she signed a lease on a place that felt really charming when she viewed it. But since then, constant issues with the place have made her unhappy in her own home.
Now, her lease is up and she‘s searching for a new home. This time around, she wants to read reviews about the experiences that previous tenants have had, and if there are any issues that she should know about. This way, she can ensure that her next home is one she’ll be happy in.
I created a flow to satisfy Sara's need for information, where the detective work was already done to find answers to all her questions.
When sketching out possible solutions, my biggest challenge was keeping information as accessible as possible without overwhelming the user.
Home means different things to different people, so every user would be seeking out different information as they would have a unique list of priorities of what makes a space a home.
I then converted these flows to greyscale wireframes and prepared them for user testing.
I put my initial prototype through two sets of user testing, in which I received feedback that the delivery of information was overwhelming. This gave me the opportunity to use progressive disclosure, in the form of categorized drop-down lists, to allow the user to control the delivery of information.
I also incorporated visual hierarchy to help make text more scannable so users could easily seek out relevant information.
I chose the name home screen, as it nods both to the apps purpose of screening homes, and to the devices that would allow you to do so.
I wanted my app to feel comprehensive harmonious graceful reliable and joyous, so I selected brand colours to fit that feeling.
I then created a wordmark that symbolizes a home with its roof being lifted up like a box flap, as we are finally now able to see inside.
Sara can pick a listing from her search results, and view all relevant information about that listing.
She can then take a deeper look by viewing the history of the unit and building, and read reviews of the living space and landlord left by previous tenants.
If mass adoption of Home Screen occurred, a history for all rental units - listed or not - would be available in both active and inactive states. When properties are sold, the history would be transferred with it. Safety issues would be avoided, maintenance issues would be tended to.
Tenants would be satisfied in their homes, and not need to apartment hop as often. Landlords would not have to seek out new tenants as often. Tenants and landlords would have a restored mutual civility once again. The 'Us and Them' mentality would dissolve.
Renter anonymity is key to ensure a safe space to voice opinions and experiences freely. If this were jeopardized via a security breach, trust would be lost, and renters would be hesitant to speak their truths, for fear or retaliation from a past landlord.
Trust also relies on honesty in reviews. If users were able to post reviews without verifying their current or past inhabitance in a specific living space, the value of the reviews would be diminished and trust would be lost in the reliability and accuracy of their content.