UX/UI Designer & Collaborator
Project Management, User Research, Market Research, Problem Solving, Information Architecture, Visual Design, UX Writing, Prototyping and Testing
Optimise Rently's existing website and enhance its content by effectively communicating its unique selling proposition (USP), Rently Care, along with its comprehensive range of offerings.
We were informed by our client that there was a significant drop-off in the onboarding flow among users.
Although specific analytics or data pinpointing the cause of this drop-off were lacking, this underscored the need to discover user needs, identify pain points, and understand behaviors. Through these efforts, we aimed to align with Rently's goal of providing a "stress-free" experience for tenants.
We navigated this project through 3 phases; Understand, Explore, and Validate.
The business and product,
Rently and RentlyCare
Our team met with Rently to understand their vision and product. Rently strives to lead as a tenant-focused platform, providing comprehensive rental solutions. Their unique offering, Rently Care, manages deposits, resolves disputes, and streamlines rental processes for a monthly fee. However, the current website inadequately communicates these benefits. Our focus is to strategically address this issue, emphasizing tenant experience.
.png)
We began our project by conducting preliminary research on the rental landscape in Singapore. While we identified our target audience as tenants in Singapore, we realised the importance of delving deeper into understanding their characteristics, behaviours, and journeys within the rental market. Additionally, we sought to uncover common trends specific to renting in Singapore. Here's a summary of our findings:
During this research, we also discovered two primary terms commonly used to describe non-local tenants: "expats" and "foreigners." Recognizing that these terms carry specific connotations related to class, education, and income, we deemed it crucial to distinguish between them. This distinction enables us to tailor our design approach effectively, addressing the unique needs and objectives of each group.
Expanding our research into Competitive and Comparative Analysis, we aimed to evaluate Rently's performance relative to its competitors. Our goal was to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for differentiation within the rental market landscape.
Following our analysis, we proceeded to conduct a usability test on the existing product. This test aimed to identify areas for improvement and observe users' interactions and responses to the information presented.
From our testing we found...
To uncover deeper traits and user behaviours, we executed 13 user interviews, with tenants & ex-tenants in Singapore. The breakdown of these users was: 4 expats, 5 foreigners, and 4 locals.
The core theme that emerged from our interviews was a sense of powerlessness among tenants. They expressed frustration with the challenges posed by landlords, agents, and the rental market, feeling they lacked control over their rental journeys.
Experienced renters navigated the renting process by learning "through the process," gaining an understanding of the ins and outs. In contrast, they recalled feeling unfamiliar when they first started, realizing in hindsight the value of guidance at the beginning.
Tenants who had negative experiences expressed caution and skepticism. They feared being taken advantage of again and aimed to avoid similar experiences in the future.
Tony needs to understand the ins & outs of renting so that he can make informed decisions & approach renting with confidence.
James needs to be assured he will receive fair treatment during his renting journey so that he does not feel powerless and taken advantage of by landlords and agents.
Ideas and solutions,
Design Studio
Onto the fun part of our process, we ran a design studio to help our team foster better collaboration and to brainstorm solutions to our users’ problems collectively. After converging on our ideas, it led to the creation of our sketches which incorporated our proposed solutions.
Tony needs to understand the ins & outs of renting so that he can make informed decisions & approach renting with confidence.
Solution | Education
Providing guidance and explanations to inexperienced tenants about the rental process to help them understand what to expect.
James needs to be assured he will receive fair treatment during his renting journey so that he does not feel powerless and taken advantage of by landlords and agents.
Solution | Fairness
Rently Care acts as a neutral third party to address this issue, but lacks clear presentation of its offerings. We aim to optimize for improved user engagement and understanding.
Tenants need assurance and transparency throughout their renting journey so that they can minimise unfavourable outcomes.
Building trust with users throughout the website.
To validate the effectiveness of our solutions, we established success metrics centered on users' ability to accurately comprehend how Rently Care functions and cultivate positive sentiments toward renting with Rently.
How can we maintain a sustainable platform that prioritizes tenants while also recognising the needs of all stakeholders involved?
Real-life integration of our features & solutions
Team Rently, this project has been a journey of understanding, innovation, and collaboration.
The team and I are grateful for the opportunity to learn and collaborate with Rently. Through this experience, we've not only gained insight into our users but also developed a deeper understanding of our client, Rently. We've come to realize that good UX is a balance between both aspects.
"Rachel demonstrated exceptional initiative in collaborating with Rently to understand our business objectives. Through extensive user research, she pinpointed our users' needs, guiding her design choices. Her exemplary communication skills and engaging presentations kept us well informed at every stage. Rachel's insights were immediately actionable, and we've started incorporating her suggestions."
