Avenue One, a leading New York-based property management company, had the vision to develop a B2B web app that would help streamline property management operations. This case study highlights the design process from inception to the final property timeline within the product.

My role: Senior Design Lead
Company: Avenue One
Project Timeline: Jun 2023 – Sep 2023 (4 months)
Skills: Design Strategy, UX Research, UX Design, and Design Systems

Challenge

The main challenge was to create a user-friendly platform that would facilitate efficient communication, track tenant requests, and financial management for property managers and regional directors and enhance their ability to manage multiple properties with more transparent communication. The objectives below aim to drive the development of a user-centric property management solution, focusing on usability, functionality, and adaptability while catering to the specific needs of Avenue One’s property management team.

The current experience

I met with the property management and transaction teams to understand the workflow, how it’s set up using the old tools, and get context on the property management experience. I have been asked to present my proposals and findings. Please find them below.

• • Design an intuitive visual representation of the property lifecycle, simplifying complexities without compromising essential information.
  • Create a real-time monitoring system allowing managers to track and oversee multiple properties simultaneously without information lag.
  • Facilitate seamless collaboration between regional and property managers by providing a platform for easy updates, discussions, and notifications.
  • Develop a deadline-centric interface highlighting crucial milestones, aiding managers in efficient planning and timely actions.
  • Integrate diverse data sources into a unified, accessible interface, ensuring data accuracy and reliability for informed decision-making.
  • Craft an intuitive interface that requires minimal training, ensuring quick adoption and ease of use for property managers and regional directors.
  • Create a responsive design suitable for mobile devices, enabling access and updates on the go for property managers.
  • Offer customizable features to cater to different user preferences and needs without compromising the overall usability of the platform.
  • Ensure seamless integration with existing systems and tools used by Avenue One’s property managers, facilitating a smooth transition and workflow enhancement.

Process

The process followed a flexible waterfall approach, with some tasks being done in parallel or repeated as necessary.

The project kicked off with many of the business requirements and strategy still being defined, requiring me to define much of the product requirements and strategy on behalf of the business team. We facilitated communication between the business stakeholders and PM, negotiating with various internal and external stakeholders on product features and understand business rules (e.g. underwriting requirements, legal concepts atc)

Primary Research

We conducted workshops with the property management team to understand the main needs and pain points of property managers at Avenue One.

 

Persona Development

To create a user-centric design, we identified our primary users – Avenue One’s Property Managers and Regional Directors. We conducted interviews and surveys with current users to understand their needs, pain points, and goals.

Persona 1: Property Manager

• • Role: Property Manager
  • Goals: Efficiently manage properties, reduce administrative tasks, improve tenant communication, and optimize property performance.
  • Challenges: Overwhelming paperwork, manual data entry, time-consuming tenant communication, lack of real-time insights.

Persona 2: Regional Director

• • Role: Region Director
  • Goals: Oversee and optimize the performance of multiple properties to enhance tenant satisfaction.
  • Challenges: Inadequate insights into property performance limited tools for regional coordination.

• • Fragmented Communication Channels: Jumping across various systems (Doors, Slack, Monday, Email, Text) creates communication silos among team members and stakeholders.
  • Difficulty in Information Tracking: Multiple systems make it challenging to track down information efficiently, leading to potential data discrepancies.
  • Manual Lease Review Process: The lease review process is highly manual, causing inefficiencies and delays in operations.
  • Communication Breakdowns: Lack of a centralized update system leads to communication breakdowns among involved parties, necessitating individual Slack updates.
  • Inefficient Chat Feature: The current chat feature is inefficient and doesn’t facilitate effective communication.
  • Lack of Unified Task Lists: The absence of comprehensive task lists results in disjointed responsibilities among broker partners, inspection teams, and other involved parties.
  • Data Dispersal Across Systems: Crucial information such as documents, contacts, and property details is scattered across multiple tools, demanding a consolidated solution.
  • System Performance Issues: Sluggish system performance delays tasks like filtering, accessing property details, and navigating through tabs.
  • Fragmented Information Storage: Information storage across multiple systems complicates data accessibility and management.
  • Inefficiency in Task Execution: Manual and cumbersome processes involve excessive clicks for minor tasks, leading to inefficiencies.
  • Mobile View Limitations: Inadequate functionality in the mobile view impedes partners’ ability to engage with the platform on the go effectively.
  • Lack of Comprehensive Information View: The inability to access all necessary information in one place hinders efficient decision-making and task execution.
  • Ineffective Filtering: Filtering and dashboards need improvement to provide a clearer pipeline overview and streamline attention management.
  • Transaction Organization Challenges: Admin-side transaction organization requires enhancement for smoother operations.
  • Activity Log Redundancy: Redundant tracking of the same task multiple times in the activity log leads to confusion and clutter.
  • Communication Restrictions Between Systems: Internal communication limitations between different systems hinder effective collaboration.
  • Underutilization of Document Manager: Limited utilization of the document manager restricts the efficient management of documents and data.
  • System Development and Maintenance Challenges: Delays and lack of maintenance in building and maintaining features (e.g., BOTS) affect system functionality and reliability.
  • Rent Collection & Reporting Focus: Efficient rent collection and accurate reporting emerge as top priorities for property managers, emphasizing the need for streamlined processes in these areas.

Information Architecture

A thorough analysis of the existing system’s structure was conducted to create a more intuitive information architecture. The redesign included the following key components:

• • Dashboard: A customizable dashboard displaying key property metrics.
  • Property Timeline: A property timeline that displays property status and allows for easy filtering and access to detailed information.
  • Communication Hub: A central space for property managers to communicate with A1 users and maintenance teams.
  • Maintenance Requests: An integrated system for submitting and tracking maintenance requests.
  • Document Management: Streamlined tenant profiles, lease management and property-related documents management.

Property Timeline (Different Flow, Different​ Look)

Considerations

• • Single Access Point: Design the timeline to serve as a unified portal, aggregating data from disparate systems (Doors, Monday, etc.), ensuring comprehensive access to property-related information.
  • Real-time Updates: Incorporate features for centralized updates visible to all involved parties within the timeline, minimizing the need for individual communications.
  • Holistic Information Representation: Design the timeline interface to present a comprehensive view, consolidating all relevant property information in one place for efficient decision-making.
  • Enhanced Data Visualization: Refine filtering options and dashboard functionalities within the timeline to offer a clearer pipeline overview and attention management.

Approach

• • Iterative Development: Implement an iterative approach to continuously refine the timeline interface based on user feedback and evolving needs.
  • Prototyping & Testing: Develop prototypes and conduct usability testing to validate the effectiveness of the proposed design solutions.

Communication through robust chat system

Considerations

• • Integration of Communication Channels: Consolidate messaging systems like Slack, Email, and in-app chat within the timeline UI for seamless and centralized communication.
  • Seamless System Communication: Enable smoother internal communication between different systems through improved integration.
  • Multi-user Chat: Facilitate group chats or channels for property-specific discussions, fostering collaboration among property managers, regional directors, and stakeholders.

Approach

I designed an event-based chat system where, upon a particular property event, individuals tagged for involvement receive instant notifications and can collaborate within a dedicated chat space. This allows real-time discussions and task assignments directly tied to the event, facilitating swift issue resolution and effective planning. I ensured this feature seamlessly integrates into the property timeline UI to reference past discussions easily. Additionally, I prioritized mobile notifications and a user-friendly interface for accessibility and efficient engagement while on the go.

Maintenance Requests

Considerations

• • Request Lists: Integrate task management tools into the timeline to facilitate request assignment and tracking for broker partners, inspection teams, etc.

Approach

I designed the request list page to offer users a comprehensive view of all property-related requests in one place. This page displays the status, categories, and most importantly, the cost amount associated with each request. It provides users with a quick and detailed overview, allowing for easy monitoring of request statuses and their financial implications

Document Management

Considerations

• • Document & Data Integration: Offer a centralized document manager within the timeline UI, consolidating documents, saerch, and property details for easy access.
  • Maximize Document Utility: Enhance the document manager to optimize document and data management, facilitating easier access and utilization.

Approach

• • Visual Hierarchy: Organize documents into distinct categories (e.g., Processing, Pre-closing, Post-closing, Operational) with clear visual indicators or tabs for easy identification.
  • Version Tracking: Implement a version control system within each category, displaying document versions and allowing users to track changes easily.
  • Folder Structure: Create separate folders within each category for further organization, enabling property managers to navigate to specific documents efficiently.

Mobile-Friendly Interface:

Considerations

• • Responsive Design: Prioritize mobile responsiveness to enable effective partner engagement via mobile devices.

Approach

Improved property management efficiency with confidence checks for property transactions.

This showcase demonstrates an interface that seamlessly moves property listings between stages using a confidence level assessment. By employing advanced algorithms and user input, this modal empowers users to swiftly update property statuses, fostering a seamless and assured workflow within the real estate domain.

Prototyping and Usability Testing

A high-fidelity interactive prototype was created to simulate the redesigned system. Usability testing with property managers validated the design and identified minor tweaks.

Results

The redesigned Avenue One Property Management System was met with positive feedback from users. Key outcomes included:

• • A 30% reduction in administrative tasks for property managers.
  • Improved tenant communication and satisfaction.
  • 20% increase in data-driven decision-making.
  • A more user-centric design culture within the organization.

Business Impact

The Avenue One Property Management System redesign project successfully improved user satisfaction, streamlined property management processes, and enhanced communication. The focus on user-centric design principles and usability testing played a pivotal role in achieving these outcomes.

This case study demonstrates my Senior UI/UX Design Lead expertise in creating user-centred solutions that positively impact businesses and end-users.