top of page

MANOJ RAJAMANI

Notes & Scribbles

The application will,​

​

  • Efficiently provide search results based on the preferences and choices provided by the user.

  • Provide results based on age, location, budget, gender, and personal choice to give users a holistic idea of the information available.

  • Allows users to compare results before choosing the right one to go with.

  • Lets users preview the information/location and proximity before decision making.

  • Introduce onboarding experience to walk through available features so that the user realizes the effectiveness of the application.

  • Be easy to navigate and filter results.

  • Provide accurate, inclusive, and forgiving search.

  • Offer seamless experience across platforms.

Brand building

​

The purpose of this exercise was to explore user's expectations from the application and get insights to further narrow down the core areas of task accomplishment.

​

Attributes that emerged throughout besides safety were:

​

  • Simple

​

  • Personal

​

  • Acceptance

​

  • Connect

Success criteria

​

The following success criteria will be used throughout the process to inform and validate decisions that help meet the goals.

​

  • Authenticity

​

  • Ease of use

​

  • Minimal learning curve

​

  • Minimal customer support

​

  • Social networking trends

​

  • Cross-platform support

​

  • User management

Discovery​

​

A survey and interview was conducted among 15 potential users based on their requirements and preferences to identify their pain points in finding the right roommate and/or finding the perfect apartment.

​

  • Conduct customer interviews under various criteria, age, gender, education, occupation, preferences etc.,

  • Analyze other applications, websites that try to address the issue of finding the ideal roommate.

User goals

​

The primary goal was to identify user pain points in finding the right roommate or/and the right apartment according to their choice of preferences. Factors influencing these decisions were analyzed by data collected through the survey and the findings were considered in designing the app.

​

  • Users looking to find the right roommate and/or an apartment should be able to easily.

​

  • Compare, analyze and decide their best choices.

Key factors identified

​

  • 60-70% of users prefer their close friend circle and or social networking channels to look for a new roommate or new apartment.

​

  • They are not able to identify the expectations that match the potential roommate and do not find a way to know the person and approach them on mutually agreeable terms.

​

  • More than half of the users (75%) love to see friendship building between the roommates rather than just being 2 souls living in the same space.

​

  • Most users prefer the same gender as their roommates but are open to the LGBT community to be part of their life and be good friends.

​

  • Safety and security play a major role in taking decisions.

​

  • 60% of users prefer roommates of equal or some educational qualification as major criteria.

​

  • Unable to relate lifestyle of a potential roommate is a major hurdle in making quick decisions.

54% of the world’s population live in urban communities, the average marriage age for men is 29 (up from 26 two decades ago) and for women is 27 (up from 23 in the same time period). Given these trends, city dwellers tend to spend most of their twenties living with roommates. Finding and keeping a good roommate, however, gets harder as more people swarm into cities.

​

  • The product should appeal to millennials that makes it safe to find the ideal roommate.

​

  • The experience from the perspective of a person who is looking for a roommate as well as the one who is looking for the apartment.

​

  • Identify opportunities, need and cultural nuances to create a personalized experience.

​

  • Once the ideal roommate is found, what else can this product do to make the roommate experience better?

ROOMIES

FIND YOUR IDEAL ROOMMATE

Users and general tasks​

​

  • Users looking to find the right roommate and/or an apartment should be able to easily compare, analyze and decide their best choices.

  • Users should be able to share, engage and retain their ideal roommate.

A user looking for a rental sharing space/apartment

​

  • Sign up and profile creation

  • Set/modify preferences

  • Search and navigate to find the ideal space/apartment

  • Connect and know more

  • Connect to social networking APIs

A user looking for a roommate

​

  • Sign up and profile creation

  • Set/modify preferences

  • Search and navigate to find the ideal roommate

  • Connect and know more about the potential roommate

  • Connect to social networking APIs

  • Refer and earn redeemable points

  • Owner space

Click here to view pdf

Survey samples

Persona

Research considerations​

​

  • The attitude and behavior towards the application

  • Validation of current platforms trying to solve the same problem

  • Usage and expectations between age groups and locality

  • Availability, budget, living space, and proximity (distance to the office)

  • Reducing dependency on friends, social networking applications, and websites

  • Users emotions at each stage of the progress towards finding the ideal roommate

  • Factors that influence decisions towards using the application, like a personalized experience

  • Needs, aspirations, and emotions

  • Laws and legal technicalities (corporate email verification,  social security number, etc.

CONNECT &ENGAGE

​

‘roomies’ should connect potential roommates in an easy, personalized, and engaging model.

PERSONALIZED AND INCLUSIVE

​

Privacy, safety, acceptance, indulgence, and individual preferences should be considered for the best outcome.

CROSS-PLATFORM

​

The app should be available across iOS and Android platforms.

MANAGE

​

The app should be self-reflective and inclusive for users to manage their preferences and choices.

bottom of page