My team worked to create a roommate matching service to achieve more equitable matching outcomes and experiences for finding a suitable roommate.
MY ROLE
· Conducted desk & secondary research, and users interviews · Synthesized insights and turned them into viable design ideas · Designed journey map, wireframe, UI, and interactive prototyping · Iterated final design by user testing
CLIENT
Ehomie New York Inc.
ADVISOR
Marshall Sitten
Timeline
Nov ~ Dec 2022 (4 weeks)
Tool
Figma, Miro, Photoshop
Introduction
About E-homie
E-homie is an internet-based real estate brokerage company headquartered in New York, and Beijing, China. Currently, they have offices in Boston, Chicago, Austin, and Los Angeles, covering more than 16 cities in the United States. When it comes to their target users, EHomie targets Chinese international students and young professionals.
Current Problem
Roommate Matching
Initial prompt
How might E-homie offer a roommate-matching sub-service for international students to live stress-free with their roommates?
Design Process
Discover
Research
We researched the real-estate industry and roommate matching services. Further secondary research revealed the comprehensive aspects of economics, sociology, and technology regarding the real-estate industry. Also, we analyzed 5 competitors to evaluate the viability of new services.
Oppourtunities
Based on this research, we found new opportunities for E-homie.
User Interview
And we conducted interviews with 6 people. For getting better insight, we did an interview with 1 Ehomie user, 3 non-Ehomie users, and 2 Ehomie staff.
Define
User Journey
Based on what we found in our research, we defined the user journey map including E-homie users and staff to figure out what we mainly design for.
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SYNTHESIS
So to summarize and tackle the issues shared between users and agents, we believe our solution in roommate matching service should be fast, accurate, and trustworthy
Revised prompt
How might we help E-homie improve the efficiency and credibility behind their roommate matching service?
Develop
Initial Solution
We created an initial solution considering both the user and agent sides based on the revised prompt. We thought using CRM, and a dashboard to improve speed and credibility when matching and managing people would be good. And then, we created two alternative solutions.
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Click on the image to enlarge
Co-design workshop
We had a co-design session and narrowed down a service solution with our stakeholders. Through the co-design workshop, we realized that the E-homie already has a client managing tool, but they don't use it because they think it is not practical. But they said they want to mediate when people seek their roommates.
FINALIZED SERVICE DIRECTION
We decided that our finalized service direction is a user-driven roommate matching service considering the agent side.
Information Architecture
Based on the insights, we decided new version of E-homie's whole information architecture. And we wanted to focus on the roommate matching service for our project.
Wireframe & User testing
We created wireframes and conducted user testing with E-homie staff.
Deliver
Key features
Personalized information
Providing specific questions for personalized contents
At the first moment of the service, E-homie collects the user’s data to provide personalized content. It helps the user get involved in the service in the first place.
Accurate matching rate
Recommend roommates with matching algorithm
Based on what the user answered about each question, the potential roommates are suggested with a percentage. And sorting option helps to fulfill the user’s needs.
Common ground
Share common interests information
Users can get not only basic information about potential roommates but to have common ground information that is similar parts they have.
Truth-worthy service
Tracking the contact status and process
In the profile screen, the user can set and edit preferences. Also, they can easily track the contract status and process.
Fast user control and mediation
Communicate with roommate and agent
Automatically generate a chat room with a selected roommate with agents together. E-homie usually manages all the chats with clients while they are involved in the chats. Also, the agent can mediate the conversation based on the topic users want.
Design system
We need promised design guidelines to ensure that multiple contributors create a clear and cohesive way that ensures brand consistency. As stakeholders are considering launching this service internally, it is important that we provide comprehensive style guidelines to ensure a consistent product.
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Summarize
Risk Management
These are four main risks that may happen. So, we came up with plans in managing them.
Feedback from stakeholder
What I learned
Understanding user and stakeholders sides needs are important
Through this project, I realized that empathy for both sides is helpful to craft a better solution. As a designer, I learned that it is essential to make the most feasible decision for both users and stakeholders.
Listening to feedback allowed us to iterate for better design
Diverse feedback from stakeholders allows our team to gain insights we were not expecting and improve the overall design.
Next step
· Add roommate verification such as identity verification or some review/credit system
· Market the new roommate matching service as a unique value proposition for E-homie
· Incorporate the design to E-homie's existing website
