Voolu
Artificial Residential Companion for House Intelligent Exploration.
About the Project
Voolu is a pioneering company in the vertical SaaS space, focused on enhancing the property market experience. Their flagship product, Archie (Artificial Residential Companion for House Intelligent Exploration), is designed to revolutionize how individuals navigate the property market. With the significant life change that moving home entails, Voolu is committed to supporting users through this transition, whether they are looking for a new residence, changing neighborhoods, investing in property, or exploring new locales.
The Challange
Research reveals that 50% of property buyers regret their purchase decision due to inadequate information about properties. This regret is often exacerbated by the prolonged and challenging search process. According to Zillow, the average buyer spends 12 weeks searching for a property, with 51% finding this process to be the most difficult part of their home-buying journey. Doug Monro, former COO of Zoopla, highlights a critical gap in the market: "It’s a mature market but there’s still room for much better tools with a focus on the buyer."
Results
Trough our process, we successfully made:
- UX Research
- User Flows and Architecture
- Wireframe Design
- App Prototype Design
- Marketing Website
- Marketing Promo Video
Context
As a UX designer, I collaborated closely with Voolu’s team to craft a user experience that would address the core challenges faced by their users. My involvement spanned from initial discovery and research through wireframing, UI design, and final implementation, ensuring that the product met both user needs and brand objectives.
The Process
Research and Analysis: I began with a thorough market and competitor analysis, studying existing property platforms and user behavior on forums like Reddit. This research, combined with Voolu’s existing user interview data, revealed key issues such as insufficient property information and a cumbersome search process. The insights underscored the need for personalized recommendations and a more streamlined search experience.
Structuring: I used Affinity Maps to organize research data, identifying key pain points and agreeing with the Voolu team on essential features like comprehensive property insights and enhanced search functions. I then developed a user flow to outline the app’s structure and user journey, setting the stage for the app’s development.
Wireframing: Low-fidelity wireframes were created to establish the app's basic layout and navigation. These wireframes were reviewed by stakeholders and users, leading to iterative refinements to better meet user needs and project goals.
UI Design: With wireframes finalized, I designed the UI to align with Voolu’s brand identity, creating several style options and selecting a final design. High-fidelity mockups were developed, featuring detailed interactive components and ensuring visual consistency throughout the app.
Research and analysis
The research phase for designing Archie involved a multifaceted approach to uncovering user needs and market trends. I began by conducting an extensive analysis of existing property platforms to identify industry strengths and weaknesses. This was complemented by reviewing discussions and pain points shared on forums like Reddit to gain a deeper understanding of user frustrations and expectations.
Leveraging Voolu’s pre-existing data from user interviews further crystallized the core issues faced by potential users.
This comprehensive research effort provided a solid foundation for developing a user-centric design, ensuring that Archie would effectively address the key challenges in the property search process and align with current market demands.
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Structuring
During the structuring phase, I meticulously organized the research findings using Affinity Maps to visualize and categorize the data. This approach allowed me to systematically group related insights, pain points, and user needs, making it easier to identify patterns and prioritize key issues.
Collaborating closely with the Voolu team, we distilled these findings into a clear set of initial features that would address the identified problems. I then developed a detailed user flow, which served as the blueprint for the app’s design, outlining the user journey and ensuring a logical and intuitive navigation experience. This structured approach laid the groundwork for creating wireframes and designing a user experience that was both functional and aligned with user expectations.
Wireframing
In the wireframing phase, I focused on creating low-fidelity wireframes to establish the foundational structure and layout of Archie. These wireframes served as a visual guide to map out the app’s core functionalities and user interactions. By concentrating on the basic layout and navigational elements, I aimed to provide a clear, simplified view of the app’s design before diving into detailed visual design.
Product Design
In this phase, I focused on transforming wireframes into a final, high-fidelity design, seamlessly integrating the brand's visual identity to create a cohesive and appealing user interface. Prioritizing usability, I designed an intuitive and interactive composition that guided users effortlessly.
Through multiple iterations and continuous feedback, I refined the design to align with project goals and user expectations. The result was a comprehensive marketing website featuring responsive design, engaging interactive elements, strategic call-to-actions, and a clear visual hierarchy, ultimately providing an exceptional user experience.
Conclusions
Through a meticulous, user-centered design process, I successfully transformed Voolu’s vision into a high-fidelity product that enhances the property search experience. By integrating thorough research, structured planning, and iterative design, I crafted a cohesive and visually appealing user interface for Archie, Voolu’s Artificial Residential Companion.
The resulting marketing website and app design are not only visually engaging but also prioritize usability, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user journey. This project underscores my commitment to blending brand identity with practical functionality, ultimately delivering a product that meets user needs and exceeds client expectations. Let’s connect and explore how we can elevate your brand experience together.
