Transforming the US real estate landscape
CHALLENGE: develop a user-friendly Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for Viewing Time.
GOAL: automate the solo apartment viewing process, making it efficient for both real estate agents and potential tenants.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: due to tight time constraints, the MVP must be designed and developed rapidly without compromising on user experience and core functionality.
Frustrated by the complexities and inefficiencies marring their industry, two real estate experts from US founded Viewing Time—a startup aiming to streamline real estate transactions through digital solutions. To kickstart their vision, they needed a compelling MVP (Minimum Viable Product) focused on solo apartment viewings, a pain point I also identified and validated during my preliminary research.
They knew that one of the most time-consuming aspects of real estate transactions was the viewing process. Founders believed that automating this process was the key to unlocking efficiencies across the board. This was also corroborated by my own research into what agents and potential tenants found most taxing. The challenge was clear: create an MVP that made solo apartment viewings seamless.
SPEED AND UNITY
1. Develop a highly focused and effective MVP for securing investor funding.
2. Validate the concept through user-centered research.
As the inaugural and sole designer for this initiative, I had the challenging but exciting task of building the visual and interactive aspects of the MVP. My toolkit? FigJam for brainstorming sessions and Figma for the actual design work.
RESEARCH
Before diving into the design, I conducted interviews with various stakeholders: agents, homeowners, and tenants. My findings validated Emily and Jack's initial assumptions and provided real-world insights that shaped our strategic approach to the MVP.
The insights gained from research were transformed into a streamlined design that focused on user needs and business objectives. Given our tight time constraints, I designed a high-fidelity MVP in Figma that aimed to resolve the pain points of solo apartment viewings as effectively as possible.
PROTOTYPING
The prototyping phase was critical in turning our ideas into actionable solutions. Our first step was to scope out the essential screens during the wireframing process. We didn't stop there; we immediately validated our decisions by developing a click dummy, which was handed over to agents for user testing. Their feedback was invaluable in confirming the effectiveness of our wireframed solutions.
With the architecture validated, I shifted my focus to crafting a visually appealing user interface. Here, close collaboration with the development team was crucial. By employing the best practices of vertical slicing, we planned my design work to align perfectly with the development process. This ensured that not only was the UI aesthetically pleasing, but it also adhered to technical requirements and constraints, facilitating a seamless development cycle.
PROMISING START
While it's early days for Viewing Time, the MVP has already made significant waves, demonstrating strong user engagement metrics. Most crucially, it served as the cornerstone for a successful fundraising campaign, attracting a seed investment that will fuel future growth.
FUNDRAISING AND STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION
Beyond my design responsibilities, I was also actively involved in the crucial stage of fundraising for the project. Drawing from the insights gained through research and prototyping, I contributed to the creation of compelling concepts, ideas, and materials tailored for investor presentations. These not only highlighted the potential and viability of our MVP but also demonstrated a clear path to scalability and market impact.
