Introduction
CityScape is a mobile application designed to cater to the needs of young individuals in their pursuit of rental and property sales, as well as property management. The app serves a dual purpose by providing features for both renters/buyers and property agents/managers. This case study will detail the UX design process for CityScape, from research to prototyping, highlighting the key findings and design decisions made to enhance the user experience.
Research Phase
1. Surveys
To kickstart the project, we conducted surveys to understand the specific needs and pain points of our target users: young renters/buyers and property agents/managers. The survey results provided valuable insights, including:
- Young renters/buyers prioritize ease of use, price transparency, and the ability to view a variety of listings.
- Property agents/managers value efficient communication with clients, streamlined property management, and a simple listing process.
2. Competitive Analysis
We conducted a competitive analysis to benchmark our app against existing real estate platforms. This analysis helped us identify industry best practices and gaps that CityScape could fill.
3. User Interviews
In addition to surveys, we conducted in-depth interviews with a cross-section of users. These interviews helped us gain deeper insights into their preferences, pain points, and the user journey in the real estate market.
Key Findings
- Young renters/buyers struggle with information overload and want a simplified, visually appealing interface.
- Property agents/managers face challenges in managing multiple clients and properties efficiently.
Design and Prototyping Phase
1. User Personas
Based on our research findings, we created detailed user personas for CityScape:
- User Persona 1 – Sarah (Renter/Buyer): A tech-savvy young professional looking for a rental apartment with a preference for modern design and proximity to work.
- User Persona 2 – Alex (Property Agent/Manager): A property agent seeking to streamline communication with clients and manage multiple property listings more efficiently.
2. Information Architecture
We revamped the app’s information architecture to ensure that users could easily access and navigate relevant sections. For renters/buyers, this included distinct sections for rentals and property sales, while property agents/managers had a dedicated dashboard.
3. Wireframing
We started with low-fidelity wireframes that visualized the app’s structure. For renters/buyers, wireframes focused on efficient filtering, listing details, and a simplified payment process. For property agents/managers, wireframes highlighted property management tools and client communication features.
4. Prototyping
We revamped the app’s information architecture to ensure that users could easily access and navigate relevant sections. For renters/buyers, this included distinct sections for rentals and property sales, while property agents/managers had a dedicated dashboard.
Key Features
Design
Conclusion
CityScape, the real estate mobile app, successfully caters to the specific needs of young renters/buyers and property agents/managers. Through surveys, user interviews, and iterative prototyping, we created an app that streamlines the real estate experience, making it more user-friendly, efficient, and visually appealing. The final product, validated through testing, fulfills the unique requirements of its target users, ensuring a seamless and satisfying experience for all.
The CityScape mobile app is poised to transform the real estate market, making it more accessible and convenient for young people seeking rental properties, property sales, and efficient property management.