Mobibo app
The project goal was to develop a digital concept solution – an application, to solve problems arising for users who search for apartments and rooms rentals throughout Denmark. Furthermore, consider a system that would provide the possibility to avoid direct communication between landlords and potential tenants. Due to the client’s requirements, project research excludes the landlords’ part.
Client
Webs&Apps
Location
Denmark
Work done
Mobile app UI/UX design
Problem
Research shows that the number of international students who come to Denmark to study increases every year. At the same time, local Danes are leaving their parents' homes to start their studies. For this reason, many new students are looking for a room or apartment to rent. Such a situation brings a problem for international students who don't speak the local language making their accommodation search much harder. Furthermore, landlords would like to avoid direct communication with potential tenants via phone to save time and instead show apartments by scheduling different time slots for open-door meetings. How to facilitate a housing problem while attracting the target group and creating a digital solution based on indirect communication with landlords and instant information for app users?
Market research
Research fields: environment, competitors and target group I used market research to identify priority focus areas that would help to develop a suitable solution and enter the market successfully. We agreed that the main focus is Danish and international students in Denmark. To raise awareness and interest, users had to be engaged in accordance with their behaviour online and personal interests. So to prepare suitable marketing and communication strategy was a must. Also, competitors were taken into consideration to offer unique selling points, understand their strengths and weakness in order to distinguish the digital solution from the competition.
Interviews
I conducted six open-ended user interviews to explore student challenges while searching for an apartment in Denmark. I used qualitative interviews to broaden my understanding of the problem and gather complex information. Also, I implemented the ‘Five whys’ technique for questionnaires.
Interview – understanding the problem
By conducting the first interview, I tried to grasp the experiences and possibilities for International and Danish students in Denmark. I sought to know the difficulties students encounter while looking for a place to stay. In addition, I wanted to find out about channels, methods, and information databases they use to search for accommodation.
After conducting interviews, I defined the problem, user goals, and needs by analysing and organising gathered information.
Building empathy – user goals
Based on research and interviews, two personas were created to better empathise with main user groups and prioritize goals according to their needs. Building scenarios along with personas helped me understand user expectations, preferences, and how they would discover the application. Evaluation of user motivations to use the service as well as analysis of user goals helped to speculate and assume how users would interact with and experience the application.
Customer experience map
The customer journey map helped understand users by representing different touch-points that characterise their interaction with the service. Also, it includes product goal, which is strategically divided and included in service touch-points. Lastly, personas in different scenarios are added to represent this journey and help understand it clearly.
Service blueprint
A service blueprint was composed to illustrate the full app service. It includes users' journeys, different touch-points, and behind the scenes providing a clear structure for service delivery after the idea formulation stage has been completed. This method was chosen in order to understand elements within the service, identify the most important key areas and areas of overlap, and consider new solutions to ensure that users receive a coherent experience while using the system.
Information architecture
Proper information architecture enabled to layout material throughout the product interface design. After defining user needs and goals, a sitemap was developed, since at any given point, when a user interacts with an application he is asking questions, and the system, in this case – mobile application, is required to provide answers to his questions. Also, users often find information in a state of partial satisfaction or outright frustration; in addition to that, they may learn new information that changes what they’re looking for.
Prototyping and testing
Prototyping is an iterative process that allowed to present and test the system of the concept quickly and visually. It also helped to see the system flaws, misunderstandings and gave a way for users to experience the application system in a visual way which acted as a test for function acceptance.
Sketching
Sketching was used in order to mock up the product quickly and test the ideas as early as possible before making digital wireframes.
Low fidelity wireframes
Wireframes focus explicitly on space allocation and prioritisation of content, available functionalities, and intended behaviours. It allowed me to determine the information hierarchy, plan out the content and user experience.
Interview – feedback about developed features The second interview was dedicated to the development and testing stages of app features, judging that provided system in wireframes fulfils users' goals and expectations. This interview was used along with prototypes to present the concept idea and understand if the system would solve emerging leasing problems for users.
UI design implementation
To present the application features and information clearly, I went for a clean and minimal design choice incorporating visually bright elements. The combination of red, blue, and white colours represents Scandinavia as well as resembles Denmark's national flag. Furthermore, this colour combination helps users distinguish, navigate and find relevant information.It was important to let users easily read and scan the app. Thus, modern yet approachable and simple-looking fonts played well in making layouts visually attractive and contrasting.
Welcome / Login
Home / Profile
Search / Property description
Chats / Open doors
View other use cases
Mobibo app
Client
Webs&Apps
Location
Denmark
Work done
Mobile app UI/UX design
The project goal was to develop a digital concept solution – an application, to solve problems arising for users who search for apartments and rooms rentals throughout Denmark. Furthermore, consider a system that would provide the possibility to avoid direct communication between landlords and potential tenants. Due to the client’s requirements, project research excludes the landlords’ part.
Problem
Research shows that the number of international students who come to Denmark to study increases every year. At the same time, local Danes are leaving their parents' homes to start their studies. For this reason, many new students are looking for a room or apartment to rent. Such a situation brings a problem for international students who don't speak the local language making their accommodation search much harder. Furthermore, landlords would like to avoid direct communication with potential tenants via phone to save time and instead show apartments by scheduling different time slots for open-door meetings. How to facilitate a housing problem while attracting the target group and creating a digital solution based on indirect communication with landlords and instant information for app users?
Market research
Research fields: environment, competitors and target group I used market research to identify priority focus areas that would help to develop a suitable solution and enter the market successfully. We agreed that the main focus is Danish and international students in Denmark. To raise awareness and interest, users had to be engaged in accordance with their behaviour online and personal interests. So to prepare suitable marketing and communication strategy was a must. Also, competitors were taken into consideration to offer unique selling points, understand their strengths and weakness in order to distinguish the digital solution from the competition.
Interviews
I conducted six open-ended user interviews to explore student challenges while searching for an apartment in Denmark. I used qualitative interviews to broaden my understanding of the problem and gather complex information. Also, I implemented the ‘Five whys’ technique for questionnaires.
Interview – understanding the problem
By conducting the first interview, I tried to grasp the experiences and possibilities for International and Danish students in Denmark. I sought to know the difficulties students encounter while looking for a place to stay. In addition, I wanted to find out about channels, methods, and information databases they use to search for accommodation.
After conducting interviews, I defined the problem, user goals, and needs by analysing and organising gathered information.
Building empathy – user goals
Based on research and interviews, two personas were created to better empathise with main user groups and prioritize goals according to their needs. Building scenarios along with personas helped me understand user expectations, preferences, and how they would discover the application. Evaluation of user motivations to use the service as well as analysis of user goals helped to speculate and assume how users would interact with and experience the application.
Customer experience map
The customer journey map helped understand users by representing different touch-points that characterise their interaction with the service. Also, it includes product goal, which is strategically divided and included in service touch-points. Lastly, personas in different scenarios are added to represent this journey and help understand it clearly.
Service blueprint
A service blueprint was composed to illustrate the full app service. It includes users' journeys, different touch-points, and behind the scenes providing a clear structure for service delivery after the idea formulation stage has been completed. This method was chosen in order to understand elements within the service, identify the most important key areas and areas of overlap, and consider new solutions to ensure that users receive a coherent experience while using the system.
Information architecture
Proper information architecture enabled to layout material throughout the product interface design. After defining user needs and goals, a sitemap was developed, since at any given point, when a user interacts with an application he is asking questions, and the system, in this case – mobile application, is required to provide answers to his questions. Also, users often find information in a state of partial satisfaction or outright frustration; in addition to that, they may learn new information that changes what they’re looking for.
Prototyping and testing
Prototyping is an iterative process that allowed to present and test the system of the concept quickly and visually. It also helped to see the system flaws, misunderstandings and gave a way for users to experience the application system in a visual way which acted as a test for function acceptance.
Sketching
Sketching was used in order to mock up the product quickly and test the ideas as early as possible before making digital wireframes.
Low fidelity wireframes
Wireframes focus explicitly on space allocation and prioritisation of content, available functionalities, and intended behaviours. It allowed me to determine the information hierarchy, plan out the content and user experience.
Interview – feedback about developed features The second interview was dedicated to the development and testing stages of app features, judging that provided system in wireframes fulfils users' goals and expectations. This interview was used along with prototypes to present the concept idea and understand if the system would solve emerging leasing problems for users.
UI design implementation
To present the application features and information clearly, I went for a clean and minimal design choice incorporating visually bright elements. The combination of red, blue, and white colours represents Scandinavia as well as resembles Denmark's national flag. Furthermore, this colour combination helps users distinguish, navigate and find relevant information.It was important to let users easily read and scan the app. Thus, modern yet approachable and simple-looking fonts played well in making layouts visually attractive and contrasting.
Welcome / Login
Home / Profile
Search / Property description
Chats / Open doors
View other use cases