Virtual Home Visiting App
As the team’s UX Designer, I established our process and used it to lead VR 4Home's new generation of virtual visiting home Products through its major redesign. This laid the groundwork for multiple subsequent iterations that would bring new user growth. This was the start of something big.
My Role
LEAD OF UX / UI DESIGN
I led the UX design for this project and was supported by a team, comprised of a Researcher, a Content Creator, a Developer, and a Product Manager. I personally created the deliverables that you will see in this case study. I saw the project through from the kickoff meeting, to the launch, and through multiple rounds of iteration afterward.
CHAPTER ONE
Overview
Background
"Inconvenient travel, limited viewing," "travel 2 hours, viewing 5 minutes", almost all users looking for a room will face these problems. However, in looking for a house, the most time-consuming part is viewing housing.
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the housing business. But it also brings an opportunity for VR-view housing. That means users can view properties online anytime and anywhere. Then, screen out the satisfied houses and book an actual housing visit with agents.
Computer Vision & Deep Learning Techniques
+
High-Precision VR Scanning & Data Acquisition Equipment
+
Lightweight collection APP
Opportunity
VR4Home is an industry-leading VR house viewing service provider. After years of hard work, it has independently developed a VR software and hardware collaboration solution that makes VR4Home ahead in the field of VR House Viewing.
Design the VR Houses Viewing App Suitable for User’s Habits
The Problem
While COVID-19 has brought opportunities to VR4Home, it has also brought great challenges.
Existing VR-Viewing houses products cannot meet users' needs
The Goals
How Do We Responsibly Improve VR 4Home’s Experience & Business？
>100%
Average Daily Views of Listings
>30%
Users Retention Rate
>15%
Opportunity Conversion rate
>30%
Growth of
Revenue
CHAPTER TWO
Think
Research
How Do We Explore？
Although 4 significant problems have been discovered, we know very little about each issue's root cause and severity.
Therefore, Quantitative and Qualitative research is needed to define the root cause of the problem. I found our researcher and researched the research direction and plan with her.
I also conducted usability tests to audit the existing product and identify user friction and pain points.
What Do Users Understand About VR Visiting Housing Today?
VR Viewing Requires VR Equipment
Users are conscious that VR viewing requires professional VR equipment, so it is not very convenient to use.
The Visual Effects of VR Viewing is not Ideal
Users feel that although VR equipment can provide an immersive experience, it does not feel very accustomed to it because of the special visual style.
Lonely VR Viewing Experience
In the existing VR environment, users can only browse by themselves at will, and cannot get detailed information through real-time explanation.
VR Viewing is not a Substitute for In-Person Viewing
In the existing VR environment, users can only browse by themselves at will, and cannot get detailed information through real-time explanation.
Competitor Analysis
I conducted competitor analysis to understand the industry's best practices, get inspiration, and identify missing gaps in unique values.
Therefore, Quantitative and Qualitative research is needed to define the root cause of the problem.
Efficient onboarding and guidance,
Simple using process,
Easy VR experience.
VR 4 HOME
Proposed Solution
Reshape the Strategy of VR Viewing & Build 3 Main Product Functions
After the critical areas of user friction were defined, I worked with the product owners to define the scope and design requirements of the project. We decided this product 100% focuses on the house viewing process and doesn't relate to the sales process.
VR-Viewing
Reshaping the Display Way
Reshape VR viewing strategy and improve the display method. Users can view homes through their mobile phones, and experience space roaming as if they were there.
AI Explanation Real-Time Voice Explanation
The VR Guide view allows users to view the homes without leaving home. Users can get more housing information by clicking on the pre-recorded agent's real-time voice explanation.
VR Guide Viewing
Realizes Real Interaction
In the same VR scene, the agent leads the client to see the house in real time and communicates in real time. This helps the conversion of business opportunities.
Principles
Focus on VR
Make VR a core feature of your product. This is different from other competitors, just use it as an auxiliary tool.
Keep Things Simple
According to the user's actual wishes, the complex usage process is optimized for easy understanding. Do not blindly follow market competitors.
Convert Between Multiple Modes
Make VR a core feature of your product. This is different from other competitors, just use it as an auxiliary tool.
Assist With Rich Information
Display various info to the greatest extent: 3D structure, scale, apartment type, real estate VR scene, with images, models, videos, audio, motion effects and other information.
CHAPTER THREE
Make
User Journey
Key Solution Elements
Information Architecture
Reshape the information architecture to make it easier for home buyers and sellers or agents.
Core Functions
Highlight VR-focused functional layouts for quick user adoption.
Interaction Mode
Define and simplify how users interact with housing agents and between various functions.
Size Measurement
A dimension tool can be displayed anytime that allows the user to quickly get the actual dimensions of various parts of the house.
Interface & Layout
Design a clear and reasonable interface and related function locations based on the user's usage habits.
Voice Function
Design a self-definable voice explanation function.
Information Architecture
I work closely with product managers to redefine the entire product's user task flows, that helping deeply understand the whole product's interaction.
Design Exploration
Sketch, Wireframes & Ideation
Once I had a solid direction for the design, I led to brainstorm for producing multiple different wireframes variations.
Making mistakes early was key, hundreds of iterations of how the app might work were developed. The focus was on the high-level framework and interaction ideas.
Approach One
Step-by-Step User Task Flow
Create a step-by-step user task flow based on the usual usage flow of similar apps.
Approach Two
Re-Configure To Simplify User Task Flow
Optimized new design through reconfiguration process. Allows users to quickly and easily navigate to VR.
Design Exploration
Find User’s Paint Points through Testing
VR Viewing Requires VR Equipment
Users are conscious that VR viewing requires professional VR equipment, so it is not very convenient to use.
The Visual Effects of VR Viewing is not Ideal
Lonely VR Viewing Experience
Users feel that although VR equipment can provide an immersive experience, it does not feel very accustomed to it because of the special visual style.
In the existing VR environment, users can only browse by themselves at will, and cannot get detailed information through real-time explanation.
VR Viewing is not a Substitute for In-Person Viewing
In the existing VR environment, users can only browse by themselves at will, and cannot get detailed information through real-time explanation.
Design Exploration
Choosing Re-Configuration User Task Design Direction
Design Iteration
Design Iteration 1
Problem:
"It's nice to search for properties directly from the landing page, and it can be more focused on the property search. But I hope you can add some options to search more in line with my habits."
Solution:
I added a function to the lower side of the search bar, and it is not like regular filters. Instead, it will lead the user to search by their preferences step by step.
Accessibility
There are over 10% disabled among VR 4Home's users, so Accessibility and device compatibility were crucial. Using an array of accessibility-focused tools, I tested the design for multiple forms of color blindness (poor eyesight) and compatibility with different devices.
Final Design
Interaction Design
Final Mockups
Design System
Led to Work on Design System
Final Results
Business Impact
After the release of the mobile application, the product quickly expanded to as many as 40 cities, which brought a substantial increase in home sales and various business metrics for our customers.
>150%
Average Daily Views of Listings
The optimized experience attracted many new user registrations, and the registration conversion rate reached 150% of the commercial target.
>40%
Opportunity Conversion rate
The business opportunity conversion rate significantly increased high than 42% of the business target at the beginning of the year.
40%
Growth of Revenue
Calculated by the end of the year, WU's annual revenue exceeded expectations by 8%.
Next Step
Although the app has had some success, there are still many areas where there is a lot of room for improvement. Therefore, if conditions permit, I will carry out further design in the following two aspects:
Increase the labeling of the house size: none of the house inspection websites or apps on the market mark the house size in the VR environment. As a result, the experience is significantly reduced. On the other hand, suppose the actual size of the house can be displayed synchronously in the VR house. In that case, the user can truly experience the size of the house, which will significantly improve the user experience.
Increase voice interaction. 3D viewing is a static viewing of houses. Unable to interact with the agent all the time. If the introduction of the house can be recorded in the form of voice, the user can view the home in VR, click on where to go, and the agent will explain it accordingly. This interactive method will increase the user's dwell time, enhance the user's point of interest, and directly help to increase the conversion rate.