Roomiva Mobile Application
The right place to find the best environment that makes you feel like home.
Overview of the project
I was given a task to design a platform for people to find a co-living space best suited for people to their interests, where they could feel like home. I designed the pages for the application- Roomiva, for clients to find not just a room to live in but also their choice of roommates who are best suited for them.
Problem
The task was to design a co-living space for people in the age-group mostly between 18-45 years of age, keeping in mind that some of them are students while others are working professionals. The objective was to design a platform for people to choose both their rooms and their roommates.
To create a mobile application that is friendly to all users, it is important to better understand their needs. Users can interact with others who share their hobbies and lifestyle in order to select their ideal housemates. They can achieve a sense of home in a co-living environment while maintaining their budget.
Tools
Figma
Miro
Team
My Role
UX Design & Research
UI Design
Timeline
Overall: 6+ weeks
Discovery and Research: 2+ weeks
Design and Testing: 4 weeks
Design Process
User-Centric Inquiry: UX Research Compilation
User Survey
Research objectives and approach was established following a team meeting. Our top aim was to comprehend the difficulties faced by the target audience. The first thing we did was create an online survey having multiple-choice questions and distributed it to various relevant communities. We received 18 entries in only a few days. We then moved on to the following phase after identifying five prevalent pain locations based on these.
People were concerned about who they would be living with
Would they find an apartment near their university/work place
Ambiance and environment they would live in
Affordability for the living accommodation
House/room amenities
User Insights after the survey
User Persona
Aiming to get a deeper understanding of the objectives, requirements, experiences, and behaviors of our users, personas were generated. They were based on user interviews and surveys, and were constantly updated as additional information were added during the project.
Storyboarding Experiences: User Journey Mapping
With the business objective in mind, it is ensured that all of the users get to the checkout screen with ease. So, we created a map of the current user journey in order to identify places that may be improved. By removing some unnecessary stages from the new design, the checkout process was drastically shortened and conversion rates were enhanced.
The map was tested and validated by designing a prototype and tested among different potential users
The journey mapping reveals various interests among the user dynamic
Providing a platform for users to make a personalized profile and getting in touch with their roommates and choosing who they want to live with before moving in helped users pick roommates that are best suited for them
Users can enter as much or as little personal information depending on their comfort level
The user journey mapping helped improve the design by adding in various filters to choose the place the user is looking forward to reside in.
Blueprinting Experiences: UI Sketch
In order to get through the design process more rapidly, low-fidelity drawings were utilized as the basis for the first draft. My illustrations were based on the user interviews, the business goal, and the user path mapping. Each of them made a point of highlighting how the excessive number of interruptions hampered the flow. We frequently looked back to the drawings to make sure we didn't lose sight of our primary goals and concepts over the whole design process.
The low-fidelity sketches were used to make the wireframes so that they can be tested out.
I made multiple versions for niece age groups then tried to combine the important steps so it can be used universally for the audience group.
I started off with room and roommate flow with various filters like location, budget, number of people they are willing to share the room with, etc.
Then, I worked on designing pages for landlords to post an ad.
Empowering User Journeys: Interaction Design and Prototyping
UI Design
I transformed my initial sketches into low-fidelity wireframes using Figma, and then improved them further by incorporating relevant images and textual content. These wireframes reached a sufficient level of completion for initial user testing. Following final screening through the clients, some refinements were implemented, leading to the transition to high-fidelity prototypes.
Once usability challenges were addressed, I proceeded to craft final interface designs within Figma. My primary goal was to establish a visual identity that accurately conveyed the brand's fundamental values and its key positioning statement: "Home is where the best memories are made." This creative direction drew inspiration from both industry competitors and a vast collection of reference materials I had curated over time.
Learnings
Evolution of Product Strategy: Working in a cross-functional team underscored the dynamic evolution of product strategy, accommodating diverse perspectives.
Balancing Founders' Roles: Balancing the multifaceted roles of founder-developers proved crucial, with discussions often oscillating between design strategy and decisions.
Rapid Ideation and Testing: Swift ideation and "dirty" testing emerged as vital for designing an MVP within stipulated timelines.
Design Sprints and Lean UX: The value of design sprints and Lean UX became evident. Multiple participant tests could have bolstered decisions during iterations and discussions with stakeholders.
In conclusion, this venture not only augmented my expertise but also deepened my comprehension. By melding my evolving proficiency with collaborative insights, I honed a nuanced appreciation of the symbiotic interplay between design and functionality.