Smartz IoT App
Creating distinct modules for the tenants app
DESIGN FOR MOBILE APP · UI DESIGN · RESEARCH · USER TESTING
INTRODUCTION
Smartz Eaze is a mobile platform crafted to elevate the tenant's journey by offering essential features for streamlined living. Moreover, it provides a intelligent home experience, enabling users to automate and monitor their homes round the clock.
MY ROLE
Responsible for Research, Conceptualization, Design, User testing and delivery of key modules and feature areas
THE TEAM
2 Designers, 1 Product Managers and 10+ Engineers
TIMELINE
Jun 2023 - On going
OVERVIEW OF TENANT APP MODULES
PAYMENT MODULE
COMMUNICATION MODULE
SMART DEVICE MODULE
MAINTENANCE MODULE
Payment Module: An effortless method for tenants to link their bank account, establish rent payments, and easily make transactions
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Tenants encounter various challenges when attempting to make online rent payments, including but not limited to payment processing delays, unclear transaction records, and difficulties in linking bank accounts.
BREAK DOWN OF THE PROBLEM
Payment Latency Issues
Users face inefficiencies and complications in the payment process due to a cluttered interface and a complex workflow, resulting in a poor payment experience.
Obscure Payment Histories
Users face inefficiencies and complications in the payment process due to a cumbersome interface and workflow, resulting in a subpar payment experience.
Difficulties in Linking Bank Accounts
Users face payment inefficiencies due to a cluttered interface and overly complex workflow, resulting in a poor experience.
Conducting research to comprehend user issues and analyze competitors
52% of American renters live in an apartment, followed by 29% living in a single-family detached house. 60% of U.S. renters pay their rent online, but 69% would prefer to pay their rent online
Source: Forbes Renting Statistics 2023
In a comprehensive study encompassing diverse regions and demographics, it was found that 76% of tenants now express a preference for making rent payments online. This marks a significant increase of 26 percentage points since 2021.
Limited customization for rent payment plans.
Feature-rich interface may be overwhelming for simpler needs.
Inadequate financial reporting and accounting functionalities.
USER INTERVIEWS AND RESPONSE OBTAINED
During the research, we remotely conducted 14 video call interviews that lasted approximately 10-12 minutes each. All of the participants I interviewed rented their houses. Based on these interviews, here are the key findings I discovered
Requests for additional payment methods or options for increased flexibility.
Users offer feedback on the responsiveness of customer support, indicating the importance of timely and effective assistance in addressing any issues or queries they may have.
Suggestions for improving the notification system for upcoming rent payments.
Input on the need for a seamless and intuitive account linking process.
Feedback on the clarity and transparency of transaction records.
IDEATION AND BRAINSTORMING
During initial ideation, none of the proposed solutions were promising. Revisiting user insights revealed the need to uncover and address problems users might not be aware of.
Through ongoing team brainstorming and focusing on our personas, I decided to develop a platform that simplifies home maintenance for renters, starting with an MVP that streamlines payments.
Brainstorming Sessions
Ideation
LOW FIDELITY MOCKUPS
DESIGN TESTING : PAYMENT MODULE
The primary objective of testing the payment module is to ensure that tenants can easily and securely manage their payments through the app. The testing scenarios are designed to validate the user experience, functionality, and security of the payment features.
Test Scenarios and Tasks
COMBINED FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS
Participants gave positive feedback, praising the payment module for its intuitive and efficient design. Suggestions included simplifying recurring payment setup and improving the clarity of confirmation messages.
CONCLUSION
Testing showed high usability and functionality in the payment module, with all tasks successfully completed. Feedback will guide minor improvements, and further testing will validate these updates.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PROTOTYPES
Linking Payment Card
Improved the payment card linking process by introducing a streamlined and intuitive onboarding flow.
Clear instructions, visual cues, and proactive error handling were integrated, enhancing user understanding and minimizing disruptions.
Payment Histories
Improved the tenants' app payment history by introducing a clearer and more organized display.
With simplified categorization and enhanced visual design, users can easily interpret and navigate payment records, ensuring a more user-friendly experience.
AutoPay Setup
Autopay feature has been revamped to deliver a user-friendly and efficient experience. The interface is now more intuitive, with steps seamlessly integrated for easy navigation.
Enhanced flexibility allows tenants to customize payment frequency, catering to various preferences.
VALIDATING AND SHIPPING THE NEW PAYMENT MODULE
Upon completion of the new payment module, we engaged our user base in flash feedback sessions.
Tasked with trying out the newly implemented feature, all users exhibited an impressive ability to intuitively initiate and complete assigned tasks, encountering minimal disruptions throughout the process.
Some verbatim feedback:
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"Clean and Modern"
"no hindrance to make payments"
"I'm able to find what I need"
"Workflow is even paced and smooth”
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Designing for the road bumps: Error handling framework for mobile
Inline infobars alert users to unsaved changes during typing or editing, ensuring their content is preserved and accessible after resolving errors.
Full-screen errors appear when a page fails to load, with a clear 'Retry' CTA to refresh. The design features lighthearted illustrations and copy to reduce user frustration.
To ensure smooth performance, we load extensive lists in segments. Users might experience delays or failures when scrolling quickly, so we've added a skeleton UI for loading and a CTA to refresh in case of errors.
Communication Module: A seamless integration for tenants to connect their smart devices, incorporate home automation features, and effortlessly manage smart functionalities within the app.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Integrating smart devices in the app poses challenges, affecting seamless connections, automation, and efficient management, which impacts user experience and the benefits of smart device features.
BREAK DOWN OF THE PROBLEM
Hindrance to Seamless Connection
Communication module faces challenges in smoothly transmitting crucial announcements, queries, and updates. These issues may disrupt the efficient flow of information, potentially causing delays and hindering effective communication.
Complexities in Automation Setup
Communication module deficiencies risk user misunderstandings, affecting clarity and shared understanding. Improvements are essential for enhanced user experience.
Inefficient Management of Smart Functionalities
Users may face delays in accessing crucial information due to limitations in the communication module. Enhancements are necessary for a more timely and effective communication experience.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PROTOTYPES
Announcements and Updates
Clear and concise messaging, coupled with personalized notification preferences, improved user engagement.
Real-time updates and a user-friendly design were implemented, ensuring tenants receive information promptly and can navigate announcements effortlessly.
Intelligent Chat Bot
By implementing a revamped interface with clear messaging and improved notification systems, the updates fostered a shared understanding among users.
These enhancements contributed to an elevated user experience by ensuring seamless and effective communication within the app.
IoT Module: An effortless method for tenants to link their bank account, establish rent payments, and easily make transactions
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Challenges arise in the integration of smart devices within the tenants' app, hindering the seamless connection, automation setup, and efficient management of smart functionalities. The current system faces obstacles that impact user experience and the full realization of the potential benefits associated with smart device integration.
BREAK DOWN OF THE PROBLEM
Lack of Seamless Conveyance
Users encounter challenges in establishing a seamless connection between their smart devices and the tenants' app, impacting the ease of integration.
Potential for Misunderstandings
The current system introduces complexities in setting up home automation features, hindering users from easily incorporating and customizing smart functionalities.
Delays in Information Sharing
Users face difficulties in efficiently managing the various smart functionalities within the app, affecting the overall user experience and limiting the realization of potential benefits associated with smart device integration.
PREVIEW IMAGES
Access Control: One Time Code
Integrating smart devices in the app is challenging, impacting connections, automation, and management, and affecting user experience and feature benefits.
Smart Light Interface
The intuitive interface lets tenants easily change colors and themes with a tap, offering various options to match different moods. Additionally, a scheduling feature automates lighting for convenience and energy efficiency.
NEXT STEPS
We’re developing a plan to group devices by location and display them on a 3D floor plan for easier interaction. We're also exploring simpler ways to help users set up their smart devices.​
🚀 That's a wrap for now! 🌟 Stay tuned for the exciting developments ahead. Can't wait to share the final masterpiece with everyone. Cheers to progress and anticipation!