Overview
RealXState is a comprehensive real estate listing platform that helps users find options for renting, selling, and buying landed properties, as well as connecting with roommates and agents. It offers a range of tools and resources to make it easier for users to find what they need in the real estate market. It allows users to search for properties, agents, and roommates in a specific location, and provides detailed listings and contact information for each.
Additionally, the platform offers features such as messaging tools and user profiles to facilitate connections between users, agents, and properties.
The goal therefore is to provide a useful, effective, and user-friendly resource for all stakeholders that facilitates successful transactions and relationships through a wide range of accurate and up-to-date listings, user-friendly tools and resources, and transparent and secure practices.
The big picture: identifying the painpoints
I analysed a variety of data provided by the RealXState team in the early stages of the project in order to gain insights and inform user-cantered decisions. This data was collected through surveys, interviews, and test runs in Lagos, Osun and Rivers state in Nigeria, including individuals, businesses, drivers, landlords, and tenants as housing was a basic human entity.
After reviewing this data with the RealXState team, we discussed and analysed the insights we had derived in order to reach a consensus on the implications and develop a strategy that was focused on the user's needs and experience.
Due to confidentiality agreements, the research data cannot be disclosed.
Competitor research
In order to understand the real-estate landscape and identify opportunities to differentiate RealXState from other real estate platforms, I conducted a competitor research.
That way I can learn about the strengths and weaknesses of its competitors, as well as identify trends and emerging technologies that may be relevant to its business. In addition to these practical benefits, I deployed SWOT analysis to also help me better understand the needs and expectations of its target audience.
By studying the strategies and approaches of its competitors, RealXState can gain insight into what users are looking for in a real estate platform and how it can best meet those needs.
From the SWOT analysis of the various online real estate marketplaces that I've conducted, some key lessons that I derived include:
01
The importance of convenience and user-friendly features:
All the marketplaces offer convenience and easy-to-use features that allow users to search for properties from the comfort of their homes. These features can be a major draw for potential buyers and sellers.
02
The need for large property listings:
All the marketplaces have large property listings, which makes them useful for buyers looking for a wide variety of properties.
03
The threat of competition:
All the marketplaces face competition from other online platforms, which can make it more difficult for them to attract and retain customers.
04
The importance of trust and security measures:
All the marketplaces have weaknesses in terms of security measures, which can make it difficult for buyers and sellers to trust the platform.
05
Potential for growth through expanding or integrating services:
All the marketplaces have opportunities to expand or integrate services in order to increase their appeal to users and generate more revenue.
06
Limitations in geographical reach:
All the marketplaces analysed operate primarily in one country and have a limited geographical reach.
For this reason, I’ll be putting a lot of focus on the security (verification feature), an easy way delist inactive listings as well as building a good user experience.
User persona
A user persona is important for creating a case study as it helps to define the target audience, identify pain points, create relevant content, improve user experience, validate decisions, and measure effectiveness by providing a tailored solution.
This is why I developed two personas to represent the prospective tenant and the landlord. This will help me put their respective needs into perspective.
Userflow
At this point, all the initial features of the platform were determined and loosely defined. However, due to limitations in resources and time, not all the determined features were able to be implemented immediately.
Since the project was centred on security and ease of use, the verification feature, ability to remove inactive listing, customer support will be my main focus.
Information Architecture
An Information Architecture (IA) diagram helps to organize and structure content in a way that makes it easy for users to find the information they need. It also improves navigation, which can improve user experience and increase engagement.
Additionally, the IA diagram helps to identify areas for scalability and future growth. It also helps to identify gaps in the platform's content or functionality. It improves search functionality and guides testing and validation to enhance the overall user experience.
Establishing a visual style and language that appeals to developers and future designers alike
Creating the building blocks
Developers working on RealXstate will benefit from the design system in a number of ways. First and foremost, the design system will provide a set of guidelines and principles for creating a consistent and cohesive user experience across different screens and devices. This will help ensure that the user interface is intuitive and easy to use, which will be especially important for developers working on complex or large-scale projects.
In addition to promoting consistency, the design system will also help streamline the development process by providing clear guidelines for visual design, interaction design, and content strategy.
This will reduce the need for developers to spend time and effort on design decisions, allowing them to focus on the technical aspects of their work.
Overall, the design system will help developers create user experiences that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, and that meet the needs and expectations of RealXstate's users. It will be an essential tool for developers as they work to build and improve the platform.
For context, the design system was built after several iterations with sketches and low fidelity wireframes.
Constraints
Due to limited resources and the evolving needs of the RealXstate app, the design system was developed with an eye towards scalability and flexibility. It was designed to meet the immediate needs of the software, while also considering the potential for growth and expansion in the future.
This constraint emphasizes the need to balance the current needs of the RealXstate app with the potential for future growth and expansion.
It suggests that the design system should be flexible and adaptable, able to meet the immediate needs of the app while also being scalable enough to accommodate future changes and enhancements. This will be especially important as the app continues to grow and evolve over time.
Making everything come to life with UI design
With the building blocks now established, the UI design for the real estate platform was developed with the goal of providing a seamless and intuitive user experience. The design took into account the user personas and information architecture diagram to ensure that the platform is easy to navigate and that important information is prominently displayed.
The colour scheme used in the design is modern, clean and neutral to ensure that the platform is visually appealing and easy on the eyes. The typography used is also simple and easy to read which makes the platform accessible to users of all ages.
The interface was designed to be responsive and adaptable to different screen sizes and devices, so users can access the platform from any device with a web browser. The platform was designed to be user-friendly, with clear calls to action, intuitive navigation and a search bar that makes it easy for users to find what they are looking for.
The platform also includes a variety of interactive elements, such as image galleries, maps, and sliders, to make the platform more engaging and interactive. These interactive elements are designed to be intuitive and easy to use, which can help to improve user engagement and increase the likelihood of conversions.
Learnings and outcomes
The study highlighted the importance of user-centered design in creating a successful product. By conducting research and creating user personas, I was able to understand the needs and pain points of the target audience, which helped to inform the development of the platform. The information architecture diagram was also an important tool in organizing and structuring the platform's content, improving navigation, and identifying gaps in the platform's functionality.
The UI design of the platform was developed with the user in mind, and the design elements, such as colour scheme and typography, were chosen to create a visually appealing and easy-to-use interface.
The platform was also designed to be responsive and adaptable to different devices and screen sizes, making it accessible to users regardless of their device.
One of the key takeaways from this case study is the importance of user research and understanding the target audience. By conducting research and creating user personas, the team was able to create a platform that meets the needs of its users, which can improve user engagement and increase the likelihood of conversions. Additionally, the use of an information architecture diagram was useful in organizing and structuring the platform's content and improving navigation, making it easier for users to find what they are looking for.
