A mobile-first platform for easier home searching, particularly for those transitioning to unfamiliar areas.
Rerooter
Rerooter is a mobile-first home searching platform designed to cater to users relocating outside their familiar city or area. As someone who personally experienced the challenges of moving to a new country, I created Rerooter to address the specific needs of individuals seeking homes in unfamiliar areas. The platform serves as a comprehensive housing resource, providing valuable information to users while fostering a community-driven approach. Beyond offering essential housing details, Rerooter empowers users to share their knowledge and insights about specific areas, creating a collaborative environment that enhances the overall user experience.
Overview
UX Researcher
UX Designer
UI Designer
My role(s)
Zoom/Google Meet
Figma/Figjam
Adobe Photoshop CC
Tool(s)
Sneak Peek: Key Screens & Design Preview
The Start of the Project
Choosing a new place to live isn’t easy, especially if you're new to the area.
This project was initiated from my personal experience and the shared challenge faced by numerous other people I met along the way. The limited source of information was a common hurdle, and it motivated me to find effective ways to help those people.
My initial step was to engage in conversations with individuals currently searching for a new place. These interviews aimed to uncover the specific concerns and challenges users encounter when seeking a new home.
Listening to Users
User Expectations for a home-searching service:
✔ Current photos of the property and the area
✔ A secure environment free from scams
✔ An active and diverse community, encouraging interactions like questions, reviews, and recommendations from both newcomers and locals
I then reviewed the competitors mentioned in user interviews to gain a more comprehensive perspective on industry practices.
Understanding the Market
The findings from the competitive research shows:
✔ Existing home-searching services often feature outdated or incorrect data, posing challenges for users, particularly those new to the area.
✔ These platforms lack a strong community, leaving users without the valuable support of local insights and peer-driven information that could enhance the accuracy and credibility of listings.
➔ The findings from user interviews and competitive research have unveiled a noticeable gap between user expectations and the industry's current offerings.
To find an answer, I synthesized the critical findings from the research into 3 personas, which will not only guide this project but also ensure that we meet the unique needs and expectations of our target users.
Defining the Potential Users
Andrew, a meticulous individual who values thorough fact-checking and seeks to streamline his research process.
Emma, who has been accepted into her dream university and feels a mix of excitement and apprehension about venturing into a new city for her studies.
And finally, there's Madison, an adventurer who loves exploring new cities and is looking for a straightforward home-searching experience.
Building on the research findings and the personas we've identified, I initiated a brainstorming session to develop a vision for a solution that addresses the challenges of individuals relocating to unfamiliar areas.
Navigating Toward a Solution
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Proposed Solution
An informative home-searching service dedicated to supporting users with localized insights.
In response to user expectations and insights from competitive research, I have decided to design an informative home-searching service dedicated to supporting users with localized insights. This approach emphasizes fostering an interactive community and providing valuable details that help individuals in relocating to unfamiliar areas. Many existing services fall short in these aspects, and I am dedicated to bridging this gap.
Building a Structure
With the core concept in place, I moved forward to design the system architecture for the new platform. The primary aim is to establish an intuitive navigation system that adheres to industry norms and caters to user preferences.
Navigation Menu
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Then, I constructed task flows that would define the structural pathways within the platform. These task flows were designed to ensure seamless user interactions and effective navigation throughout the platform.
Task Flow
With the navigation structure taking shape, I moved on to the branding phase. This involved curating inspirational images, selecting a color palette, crafting a unique logo, and choosing fonts that would resonate with our platform's identity.
Designing the Brand Experience
Inspirational Images
Welcoming · Supporting · Reliable & trustworthy · Relaxing · Positive & happy
Color Palette
Primary color: GREEN
Based on the mood board, the primary color I chose is a soft green, symbolizing serenity and new growth. This aligns well with the theme I've selected, often used in marketing for a relaxed atmosphere.
Secondary color: BLUE
Complementing the primary green, I selected light blue as the secondary color. Blue is associated with security and trust, making it an ideal choice for a brand focused on providing reliable housing rental information.
Name & Logo
“Rerooter”
Reroot: To root again in a new place, in a better way.
Logo: Clean · Upbeat · Smooth
Reminds users of 'signing a contract' - using cursive, flowy fonts to give users the feeling of a smooth, issue-free leasing experience.
Font
Considering the logo's artistic cursive style, I aimed for a more refined and legible appearance in the header and body text. Since we have a lot of information to cover as a home-searching platform, my emphasis was on the font's readability and clarity.
Icons
For icons, I wanted to create something that matched the aesthetic of the logo - clean, cursive, and smooth.
With the 'Iconly' icon pack as a foundation, I created additional icons I needed for the project that seamlessly blended with the original icon pack's aesthetic.
With all the design assets, I created the initial version of high-fidelity wireframes. Below are a few key details I included in the design for the suggested goal.
Visualizing: High-fidelity Wireframes
1. Star Ratings
2. A Rental Cost Indicator
3. Community
I conducted usability tests using the initial wireframes. The feedback was highly positive, requiring no revisions to the designs and flows. However, I did make some adjustments to specific wording based on the feedback.
Polishing the Design
Iteration #1
Listing Detail page - “Amenities”
Users found the crossed-out icons alongside the words 'Dogs' and 'Cats' unclear.
To enhance clarity, I replaced these icons with explicit wording, 'No dogs allowed' and 'No cats allowed."
Iteration #2
Review page - “Rate this city” button
In response to usability test feedback, I've changed the wording of the 'Rate this city' button to 'Leave a review.'
This adjustment streamlines user interaction by offering a more straightforward label.
Final Prototype
Complete designing the Entire App: Continue to design and create wireframes for the remaining sections of the platform.
User Engagement Strategies: Plan how I'll encourage users to participate in the community - ex) through incentives, gamification, etc
Additional Usability Testing: Conduct more usability tests to identify usability issues, gather user feedback, and make necessary improvements.
Next steps
“Wording matters”
Through usability tests and valuable feedback, I've realized that even the slightest change in language can significantly impact users' journey. I learned that it is very important to choose the right words to create an environment where every interaction is clear and intuitive. UX design isn't just about visuals – it's about how you talk to users, too.