Hello Dorm

Hello Dorm

Hello Dorm

Personal Project

Personal Project

Personal Project

Role

Role

Role

UX/UI Design

Team

Team

Team

4 Person Team

Timeline

Timeline

Timeline

4 Months (May 2023 - Aug 2023)

Brief

Brief

Brief

The Hello Dorm application was a personal project that I worked on with three other peers during the summer of 2023. I wanted to work on this project that would focus on solving real-world problems that I could relate to. As a university student who is always looking for housing before every school year, this project aligned perfectly with that mission, as it aimed to tackle challenges like finding safe and affordable housing. I was excited to use my UX/UI skills to deeply understand the target users, develop innovative solutions, and design intuitive interfaces that would empower people and drive meaningful impact. As a co-designer on this project, I conducted user interviews, created prototypes, and made changes to our design based on the results from usability testing.

Problem

Problem

Problem

Many students face a significant problem in securing suitable, affordable, and trustworthy housing during their post-secondary education. This issue stems from limited off-campus housing options and accessible accommodation information. Hello Dorm was created to address this problem.

Goal

Goal

Goal

The main goal of the Hello Dorm project was to develop a mobile app that addresses the challenges students face in finding suitable housing during their studies. By providing a comprehensive housing solution for students. It allows them to efficiently search for specific options using filters and view available postings.

Ideation Process

Ideation Process

Ideation Process

During the brainstorming sessions, I actively generated and explored ideas, solutions, and insights that could be valuable during the development process of the Hello Dorm application. Within the team's discussions, we shared and evaluated the priorities of the mobile application based on their significance, feasibility, and potential impacts. This process enabled us to experiment with each of our ideas and determine the most suitable approaches for the project.

Our team brainstormed potential ideas that we could include in the mobile application and categorized them into four groups

Our team brainstormed potential ideas that we could include in the mobile application and categorized them into four groups

Research Process

Research Process

Research Process

The Hello Dorm application is designed to provide a comprehensive solution for students seeking housing accommodations, allowing them to efficiently search for specific housing using the filter function and view postings. The project's primary goal was to develop a mobile application that addresses the challenges students face in finding suitable housing during their studies.

User Pain Points

User Pain Points

User Pain Points

  1. Time Consuming

  1. Time Consuming

  1. Time Consuming

"I found the efficiency of finding a place was not the greatest. It seems to be a hassle trying to look for available rooms and the pricing for them."

  1. Lack of Efficiency and Effectiveness

  1. Lack of Efficiency and Effectiveness

  1. Lack of Efficiency and Effectiveness

"I found it difficult to look for housing within my budget and that follows my preferences. I found it troubling that many of the accommodations had a blend of things I wanted and did not want."

  1. Untrustworthy Platform

  1. Untrustworthy Platform

  1. Untrustworthy Platform

"When posting a sublet, I’m concerned about finding someone who will pay rent on time, if at all, and who will pay the total cost of rent. When finding a room, I’m concerned about the landlord since scams are quite prevalent, especially with Facebook."

Prototyping and Testing

Prototyping and Testing

Prototyping and Testing

During the brainstorming sessions, I actively generated and explored ideas, solutions, and insights that could be valuable during the development process of the Hello Dorm application. Within the team's discussions, we shared and evaluated the priorities of the mobile application based on their significance, feasibility, and potential impacts. This process enabled us to experiment with each of our ideas and determine the most suitable approaches for the project.

Low-fidelity Screens

Low-fidelity Screens

Low-fidelity Screens

Final Version

Final Version

Final Version

The end result was a high-fidelity prototype from our low-fidelity wireframes. Our goal was to create an aesthetically pleasing and highly functional user interface. Through extensive user testing, we continuously refined the prototype, seeking opportunities for improvement. The result was a seamless user flow experience that captivates the senses and delivers efficient interaction.

New users sign up

New users sign up

Look for housing using

the filter function

Look for housing using

the filter function

View listings

and reviews

View listings

and reviews

View possible roommates

and message them

View possible roommates

and message them

Learnings and Takeaways

Learnings and Takeaways

Learnings and Takeaways

Through the Hello Dorm project, I gained valuable insights into the importance of user-centric design. As a student who has faced the challenges of finding suitable housing accommodations, I was highly motivated to approach this project from the user's perspective. This experience taught me to consciously empathize with the target audience, rather than solely focusing on my own design preferences.


Additionally, I recognized the need to continuously optimize the user experience for efficiency and ease of use. While the initial design may have seemed intuitive to me, I realized there was room for improvement in terms of task completion speed and overall usability. This realization highlighted the delicate balance between creating visually appealing designs and prioritizing the users' needs. Moving forward, I will apply these lessons to develop more user-centered solutions that effectively address the pain points of the target audience.

Let's Connect!

Best viewed on desktop :)

© 2024 Vincent Yu