ROLE
UI/UX Designer
TEAM
1 product manager
10 developers
1 designer
DURATION
9 weeks
bunkmate
Browse Listings
Post Listings
Connect with peers
ui/ux design
2024
PROBLEM
Difficult and Disjointed Housing Search
Finding off-campus housing can be a confusing process, making it tough to find reliable listings or connect with roommates & subletters.
GOAL
Simplify Housing Search and Communication
Make housing searches simple by creating a centralized platform for browsing, filtering, and connecting with others!
PROJECTED IMPACT
Faster, More Efficient Housing Searches
Reduce time spent searching for housing and improve student success in finding suitable living arrangements by offering clear, accessible listings and easy communication.
USER RESEARCH
What do students need in a housing-search platform?
Conducted a user survey with 118 participants to understand what the target audience (Rice University undergraduate students) needs in an off-campus housing-search platform, and how they intend to use it.
Who is going to use the platform?
How are users going to use the platform?
What do users value in a housing-search platform?
Top priorities:
Price, Pictures, and Distance from Campus
Preferred mode of communication
(89 votes)
phone
(81 votes)
To browse listings . . .
74%
want a grid view
88%
want a map view
Housing searches peak in the Spring Semester
(Jan-May)
60%
prefer desktop interfaces
69.5%
need off-campus housing after being removed from campus housing
Students currently use GroupMe, Facebook, Zillow, or word of mouth due to convenience or lack of options
PAIN POINTS
Users value affordability, proximity, and trustworthy listings but struggle with availability, high prices, and reliable resources.
Conducted a user survey with 118 participants to understand what the target audience (Rice University undergraduate students) needs in an off-campus housing-search platform, and how they intend to use it.
“[I] want [listings] to come from people I know/trust”
“I have no other way to know/learn about housing options”
“I use all the platforms because each platform has different listings”
“I’ve had a lot of housing issues with my house that I could have prevented if I had been in contact with/seen reviews from previous tenants!”
USER FLOW MAP
Helps us keep our housing platform simple and user-focused by breaking down key steps and priorities.
Informed by user research, this tool visualizes how users may interact with our product, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience.
DESIGN ITERATIONS
Low-fidelity Wireframes
Home / Listings
Listing Cards:
What listing information is most important to convey?
Simple layout that doesn't overload users with info and minimizes scrolling
Further simplification of highlighted information (price, duration, distance from campus)
‘Rice-affiliation’ badge
Poster Card:
How can we tell that this is a trust worthy listing from a reliable source?
Home
Expanded Listing (V.1)
Expanded Listing (V.2)
Listing Editor
Title & Description
Side Navigation Bar (many, many iterations)
Pricing
Photos
Location
Contact
min/max character limits so it fits within the dimensions of home page listing cards
Note to self:
Ensure the interface makes it easy to reorder, delete, or preview images
Affiliation options for a badge indicating a reliable listing
How can we make clearer the purpose of the text areas?
Is "monthly" is the best label? Or is more flexibility necessary?
How can we account for user error? (in case they don’t put the minimum # of photos?)
Example + descriptive text as a guide for users
Previews of each section— allows users to see their responses at a glance
How can we reduce the amount of ‘clutter’ and make it simpler for the user?
Simplified UI, no previews
Introduced progress tracking through visual, color-coded cues
Status indication yay! highlighted active section yay!
Profile
All personal account information in one, centralized page
Will be intentionally placed in two locations for easy access - under the user’s profile & in nav bar
Card design identical to listing cards on home page for consistency!
Automatically updates the ‘Contact’ field in the listing editor and vice versa
How do we make all personal information as easily accessible to the user as possible?
VISUAL IDENTITY
Design System
Color
Heading 1
H1 32/42px
Heading 2
H2 24/31px
Heading 3
H3 20/26px
Paragraph
P 16/21px
Caption
C 14/18px
DM Sans
Typography
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
High-fidelity Design
Home / Listings
Easily browse and filter through a grid of available listings, with a seamless transition to detailed, expanded pages for each selection.
Listing Editor
Effortlessly connect with potential roommates or fill an open spot by posting a listing, sharing space details, and quickly finding the perfect match—all through an intuitive and easy-to-use platform.
Listing Post Preview
Lets users preview their listing before it goes live, ensuring everything appears as intended. It's only accessible once all fields are completed and users must verify the preview before they can publish their post. If needed, they can return to the editor to make changes!
Profile & Profile Editor
A personalized hub where users can easily access all their essential information, including account details, created listings, and favorited listings.
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Prototype
browse listings
create listings
favorite (save) listings
access personal profile
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What did I learn from this experience?
→ Worked with a cross-functional team from start to finish—starting with early concept designs, moving through prototyping, and refining everything up to the MVP and final presentation.
→ Balanced both quantitative and qualitative research to guide design decisions, making sure the product meets user needs while staying within technical limits.
NEXT STEPS
Release MVP, User Test!
