Building Property Management App from Scratch

Property Management App

Status: Closed Beta Testing

Background

Maskan Manager

Property management mobile app that simplifies rentals, tenancies, and maintenance workflows.

Problem

How can we address the lack of integrated solutions in the rental market for landlords and tenants, resulting in disjointed property management, inadequate communication tools, manual lease handling, and platform fragmentation?

Outcome

Designed a mobile app for efficient rental property management with real-time features, tenant screening, lease control, instant communication, and maintenance management, enhancing tenant satisfaction and business performance.

Info

My Role

Research, Sketching, Wireframing, UI Design, User Testing & Prototyping

Project Length

12 Months

Team Members

1 Product Manager, 1 Designer, 2 Developer

Tools

Figma, Jira, Whimsical

Achievements

80%

users reported satisfaction following iteration enhancements.

1.5x

confidence boost with the app for property and tenancy management

40%

increase in user perception of app ease-of-use post iteration

Research Outcome

1. Development of an Integrated Property Management Platform.

2. Streamlined Communication and Workflow Management

3. Optimization of Property Owner Operations and Efficiency

What do I like about this project?

This project challenged me as the sole designer, requiring me to take on the role of a senior designer, making crucial decisions. I gained invaluable lessons about design and the importance of senior leadership guidance through this experience.

Contents

User Interviews

Affinity Mapping

Competitive Analysis

Personas

User Flow

Lo-Fidelity

Hi-Fidelity

User Testing

Iteration

Feedback & Analysis

Hi-Fidelity v2

Strategy

Beginning with thorough research, we understood business objectives, market dynamics, and user needs through methods like market research, user interviews, and affinity mapping. We generated ideas, identified core functionalities, and established information architecture and user flow.
We used an agile approach with weekly sprints for flexibility and progress. We made rough designs in the Design phase, adjusting them based on feedback. Then, we tested them refining based on user feedback. Finally, we finalized designs and prototypes for production, making further improvements based on user interactions.

Research

Market Research Analysis

A commissioned market research report gathered insights on challenges for renters and property owners via online surveys, focus groups, and interviews, yielding substantial data on rental market issues.

Manage properties
efficiently

Integrate utility
billing

Handle tenants,
documentation

Streamline rent
payments

Simplify service
requests

Manage deposits
effectively

List homes
comprehensively

Rate tenants
confidently

Key findings from the research elucidate crucial pain points and needs shared by renters and property owners alike, shedding light on overarching challenges within the rental market. This extensive analysis unveils common obstacles faced by stakeholders, underscoring the necessity for holistic solutions to streamline processes and enhance user experiences.

User Interviews & Affinity Mapping

After conducting in-depth user interviews and analyzing the data, we have synthesized our findings into an affinity map to categorize the needs, pain points, and preferences of different stakeholders involved in property management.

Affinity Mapping Exercise

Action Points

  1. Create an integrated property management solution for landlords

  1. Develop a user-friendly platform for tenants

  1. Improve communication and scheduling for service providers

The affinity mapping process revealed a clear need for a multifaceted property management solution that addresses the specific pain points and preferences of landlords, tenants, and service providers, including streamlining communication, automating tasks, and providing a centralized platform for managing all aspects of property management

Competitive Analysis

We surveyed the market to find existing tools for property management and tenant communication.
Existing property management apps are limited in scope, lacking comprehensive solutions for property owners and tenants. There's a need for a unified tool to address the diverse needs of all stakeholders efficiently.

Design

Brainstorming

Following our research, I led a brainstorming session to generate potential solutions, emphasizing idea generation without feasibility constraints initially. We identified a promising solution: a single account with multiple profiles for different user types. While focusing on property owners and tenants for the initial launch to mitigate delays.
We identified a set of core functionalities that we believed were crucial for the success of the app:

Multiple user
profiles

Complete property management

3-way communication
system

Tenancy management
system

3-way communication
system

Tenancy management
system

Online marketplace
for properties

Property maintenance
solutions

Online marketplace
for properties

Property maintenance
solutions

User Flow

To demonstrate the essential features, we've crafted a simple flowchart outlining key user tasks. The diagram below illustrates a process specifically tailored for landlords.

Low-fidelity Wireframes

I quickly started creating low-fidelity wireframes of the main flow & functionalities.

Challenges

Users found the app easy to use overall, but struggled with adding properties and units, which is crucial. This confusion led to cluttered screens and too many options, making property management difficult. To fix this, we're simplifying how users add properties and units to make the app easier for everyone.

Optimized Design Goals and User Flow

Enhance landlord confidence by streamlining property and unit management through improved organization and accessibility, including separate tabs and linked listing functionalities.

Hi-Fidelity Design Iteration 1

Initially, I aimed to assess if the design supports landlords and tenants in property management, boosting confidence. A basic prototype for usability testing and improvement before full implementation.

Evaluation

User Testing & Measuring Feedback

Feedback sessions were conducted with three experienced landlords and two new tenants to assess the app's usability. Data was then collected through a questionnaire to measure design success quantitatively.

Results

To assess design success quantitatively, goals were broken down into measurable objectives. A questionnaire was used to collect data. All five users expressed confidence in using the app for daily property management tasks, with four reporting complete satisfaction with its features.

Feedback Analysis

Feedback sessions were conducted with three experienced landlords and two new tenants to assess the app's usability. Data was then collected through a questionnaire to measure design success quantitatively.

Insights Collection

Action Points

  1. Simplifying User Flow: Integrating listing function directly into units reduces confusion

  1. UI Decluttering: Grouping options under higher-level category based on user feedback.

  1. Maintaining Usability: Creating dedicated tenant screen and relocating options for user clarity.

Iteration

Final Version

Users suggested integrating the listing function directly into added units for clarity. Based on this feedback, we simplified the UI by grouping options under higher-level categories. To maintain usability, we created a dedicated tenant screen and relocated relevant options.

In total of 600+ screens were designed addressing
all parts of the application and user flow.

5

Iterations

2

Evaluations

600+

Hi-Fidelity Designs

2

Prototypes

Say hi!

Get in touch with me for opportunities, freelance projects, design advice, or simply to say hello on zaidxdesign@gmail.com

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