TwoByTwo
TwoByTwo
Helping students find their home.
Helping students find their home.
OVERVIEW
For Advanced Interface Prototyping (INFO30005), my team and I designed a housing service for the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) to enhance university students' housing experiences.
Given three personas with specific accessibility requirements, we developed a service supported by a chatbot, ensuring inclusivity while integrating both in-person and digital touchpoints.
For Advanced Interface Prototyping (INFO30005), my team and I designed a housing service for the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) to enhance university students' housing experiences.
Given three personas with specific accessibility requirements, we developed a service supported by a chatbot, ensuring inclusivity while integrating both in-person and digital touch-points.
ROLE
Service Designer
Conversation Designer
Service Designer
Conversation Designer
DURATION
Mar - June 2024, 14 Weeks
Mar - June 2024, 14 Weeks
TEAM
Janine Namerian + 4 members
Janine Namerian + 4 members
🚩 The Problem
🚩 The Problem
Finding the right home can be tough when moving to a new place for university.
Finding the right home can be tough when moving to a new place for university.
Many students struggle to feel a sense of community, making the transition even more challenging.
Many students struggle to feel a sense of community, making the transition even more challenging.
💡 Our Solution
💡 Our Solution
A service that connects like-minded students looking for roommates through social events and online communities.
A service that connects like-minded students looking for roommates through social events and online communities.
Helping students find both a home and a sense of belonging.
Helping students find both a home and a sense of belonging.
🔎 Desk Research
🔎 Desk Research
To better understand our users, we explored online forums to identify common challenges students face when looking for housing.
We were also provided with three personas: Ashwin, Leila, and Mei, each with different perspectives on their housing experiences, highlighting unique challenges to address.
We also considered their accessibility requirements, including hearing and mobility disabilities, ensuring our future solutions would be inclusive.
To better understand our users, we explored online forums to identify common challenges students face when looking for housing.
We were also provided with three personas: Ashwin, Leila, and Mei, each with different perspectives on their housing experiences, highlighting unique challenges to address.
We also considered their accessibility requirements, including hearing and mobility disabilities, ensuring our future solutions would be inclusive.
💭 Quick Thought!
While we didn’t reference any specific scientific studies for this project, they could be a useful resource in the future if needed.
💭 Quick Thought!
While we didn’t reference any specific scientific studies for this project, they could be a useful resource in the future if needed.
🔎 Survey
🔎 Survey
To ensure we were on the right track and gather diverse feedback, we conducted a survey with 25 university students.
To ensure we were on the right track and gather diverse feedback, we conducted a survey with 25 university students.
Q1
Which service ideas would you consider using?
Q1
Which service ideas would you consider using?
Q2
What are some struggles you encounter while looking for accommodation?
Q2
What are some struggles you encounter while looking for accommodation?
Q3
What is your current living situation?
Q3
What is your current living situation?
💭 Quick Thought!
While our team was able to triangulate research, I would allocate more time in the future to recruit more survey participants. This would help deepen our understanding, especially since students' experiences can vary based on many factors.
💭 Quick Thought!
While our team was able to triangulate research, I would allocate more time in the future to recruit more survey participants. This would help deepen our understanding, especially since students' experiences can vary based on many factors.
🔎 Desktop Walkthrough + Focus Groups
🔎 Desktop Walkthrough + Focus Groups
We used cardboard, stick notes, lego and other props to set up 3 example physical touch-points for our service.
We used cardboard, stick notes, lego and other props to set up 3 example physical touch-points for our service.
The touch-points included a social event to meet roommates, attending a housing options exhibition, and attending a group house inspection outing.
We asked other students in our class to walk lego people through interacting with these physical touch points, while talking their thoughts aloud.
The touch-points included a social event to meet roommates, attending a housing options exhibition, and attending a group house inspection outing.
We asked other students in our class to walk lego people through interacting with these physical touch points, while talking their thoughts aloud.
We also conducted feedback sessions as we developed our ideas, making sure to utilise our class time so that our classmates (prospective users) could be tested at multiple stages of our process.
We also conducted feedback sessions as we developed our ideas, making sure to utilise our class time so that our classmates (prospective users) could be tested at multiple stages of our process.
Desktop walkthrough of three physical touch-points for our housing service.
Desktop walkthrough of three physical touch-points for our housing service.
🔎 Research Findings
🔎 Research Findings
These research methods helped us define four key findings, which we then used to shape and define our problem.
These research methods helped us define four key findings, which we then used to shape and define our problem.
🌃
Students who are new to the city lack information about accommodation options.
🌃
Students who are new to the city lack information about accommodation options.
♿
Housing services for various disabilities are generally inaccessible.
♿
Housing services for various disabilities are generally inaccessible.
🛋️
There are many logistics during the moving process, such as furniture and new accommodations
🛋️
There are many logistics during the moving process, such as furniture and new accommodations
😤
Students find it difficult to find a compatible roommate and resolve conflicts in a living situation.
😤
Students find it difficult to find a compatible roommate and resolve conflicts in a living situation.
🖊️ Sketches
🖊️ Sketches
We sketched out 10 potential housing service ideas to address the needs of our user group.
At this stage, we prioritised quantity over quality, brainstorming and exploring any potential ideas that addressed the problem we identified through our research.
We sketched out 10 potential housing service ideas to address the needs of our user group.
At this stage, we prioritised quantity over quality, brainstorming and exploring any potential ideas that addressed the problem we identified through our research.
Idea 1
A themed, personality-test based profiling service to identify common interests to find similar roommates.
Idea 2
Virtual Accessible Tour Guides, with lipreading and caption capability.
Idea 3
Shared social platform with transparent accommodation info, to see what new places your current roommates are applying for.
Idea 4
House swapping, allowing users to replace themselves and switch roommates, either for a short period or indefinitely.
Idea 5
Service for university students with mobility restrictions to find share houses that cater to their accessibility needs.
Idea 6
Speed-dating-like app for flatmates with specific needs and wants in their profiles.
Idea 7
Accessible moving service that connects you with moving companies according to your accessibility needs and budget.
Idea 8
A travelling university exhibition service, where different accommodation solutions can pitch themselves, then connect with students through a centralised app to apply.
Idea 9
A start-to-finish support service for university students to meet other students, connect profiles online, go to group outings for house inspections, and be supported in the application process.
Idea 10
An Uber-style moving service where uni students, or other students, with physical ability and large vehicles can create a profile and connect with uni students with accessibility limitations, or who do not have a car and need help moving.
Ten concept sketches exploring different solutions to address the problem.
Ten concept sketches exploring different solutions to address the problem.
Based on feedback from our focus group sessions, we decided to move forward with Idea 9.
Based on feedback from our focus group sessions, we decided to move forward with Idea 9.
💭 Quick Thought!
Our decision was based solely on feedback from focus groups. To reduce bias in the future, conducting interviews with our user group would provide a more well-rounded perspective before finalising decisions.
💭 Quick Thought!
Our decision was based solely on feedback from focus groups. To reduce bias in the future, conducting interviews with our user group would provide a more well-rounded perspective before finalising decisions.
🖊️ Customer Journey Map
🖊️ Customer Journey Map
We created a future-state customer journey map, outlining the various physical and digital touch-points a user would experience in our service.
We used the user persona of Mei, previously provided to us, to develop this journey map.
We created a future-state customer journey map, outlining the various physical and digital touch-points a user would experience in our service.
We used the user persona of Mei, previously provided to us, to develop this journey map.
Future-state customer journey map for persona Mei.
Future-state customer journey map for persona Mei.
🎨 Wireframes
🎨 Wireframes
We designed four key screens showcasing the core functionality of our service's digital component.
These were annotated with the Figma A11y annotation kit, ensuring accessibility before hand-off to developers in the future. View the finalised, annotated wireframes in the Figma file.
We designed four key screens showcasing the core functionality of our service's digital component.
These were annotated with the Figma A11y annotation kit, ensuring accessibility before hand-off to developers in the future. View the finalised, annotated wireframes in the Figma file.
Wireframes showcasing the core functionality of the TwoByTwo digital touchpoint app.
Wireframes showcasing the core functionality of the TwoByTwo digital touchpoint app.
💭 Quick Thought!
In the future, the digital touchpoint would need to be fully developed, along with a brand guideline, before moving forward. These screens are only intended to represent the core functionality of the service.
💭 Quick Thought!
In the future, the digital touchpoint would need to be fully developed, along with a brand guideline, before moving forward. These screens are only intended to represent the core functionality of the service.
🎨 Chatbot
🎨 Chatbot
We designed a chatbot to support users in the two main areas of our housing service:
We designed a chatbot to support users in the two main areas of our housing service:
Finding a roommate
Finding a roommate
Finding a house
Finding a house
We created a friendly but helpful and direct conversation between the users and the chatbot, funnelling them to make a choice about which of the two options they are interested in.
We created a friendly but helpful and direct conversation between the users and the chatbot, funnelling them to make a choice about which of the two options they are interested in.
Video walkthrough showcasing both user pathways in the chatbot.
Video walkthrough showcasing both user pathways in the chatbot.
💭 Quick Thought!
Designing the conversational design for the chatbot was an interesting challenge in balancing automation while adding a human touch. In the future, refining its flow and expanding accessibility features would help enhance the user experience.
💭 Quick Thought!
Designing the conversational design for the chatbot was an interesting challenge in balancing automation while adding a human touch. In the future, refining its flow and expanding accessibility features would help enhance the user experience.
Research
Research
We primarily used Wizard of Oz testing and user interviews to refine our chatbot's functionality.
We decided to give our chatbot a persona of a university graduate Noah (named after Noah’s Ark who parted animals to their home). This would help create a sense of familiarity and trust for our users.
We primarily used Wizard of Oz testing and user interviews to refine our chatbot's functionality.
We decided to give our chatbot a persona of a university graduate Noah (named after Noah’s Ark who parted animals to their home). This would help create a sense of familiarity and trust for our users.
Error Handling
Error Handling
The chatbot is designed to handle off-topic or unclear responses professionally.
It uses natural, human-like replies to gently guide users to retry or explore other options. Examples of these replies include:
The chatbot is designed to handle off-topic or unclear responses professionally.
It uses natural, human-like replies to gently guide users to retry or explore other options. Examples of these replies include:
👾: Oh, that wasn’t what you had in mind?
👾: Oh, that wasn’t what you had in mind?
👾: Hmm, it appears we don’t have any matches for your
interests right now. Sorry about that!
👾: Hmm, it appears we don’t have any matches for your
interests right now. Sorry about that!
Accessibility
Accessibility
The chatbot features questions to capture users' accessibility needs for events like roommate meet-ups or house inspections.
Users can specify their requirements or confirm if they have none, with this information being shared with service staff.
To enhance clarity, the chatbot provides real-time feedback with responses, creating a more inclusive experience, especially for users with cognitive challenges. For additional support, users can also connect with a live operator.
The chatbot features questions to capture users' accessibility needs for events like roommate meet-ups or house inspections.
Users can specify their requirements or confirm if they have none, with this information being shared with service staff.
To enhance clarity, the chatbot provides real-time feedback with responses, creating a more inclusive experience, especially for users with cognitive challenges. For additional support, users can also connect with a live operator.
Conversational UX Principles
Conversational UX Principles
We incorporated conversational UX principles into the chatbot to create a natural and engaging interaction.
We incorporated conversational UX principles into the chatbot to create a natural and engaging interaction.
🥳
Use of emojis and casual language
🥳
Use of emojis and casual language
⚡
Clear, simple structure and language in all conversations
⚡
Clear, simple structure and language in all conversations
🛋️
Easy, intuitive navigation through three possible paths
🛋️
Easy, intuitive navigation through three possible paths
🙋
Personalised suggestions
🙋
Personalised suggestions
🤔 Key Takeaways
🤔 Key Takeaways
This was my first experience designing not only for a product, but for a service.
It was interesting to note the differences that came with this change in scale and method:
This was my first experience designing not only for a product, but for a service.
It was interesting to note the differences that came with this change in scale and method:
Focusing on research
Focusing on research
We ensured to put a lot of time and focus into research, both for the service as a whole and the chatbot. We conducted surveys with university students to solidify our understanding of the problem we wanted to address, and potential service we were going to design.
We ensured to put a lot of time and focus into research, both for the service as a whole and the chatbot. We conducted surveys with university students to solidify our understanding of the problem we wanted to address, and potential service we were going to design.
Emphasising less on visuals
Emphasising less on visuals
There was less focus on the UI for the digital touch point of our service, centring more on representing the core functionality and user experience of the app.
There was less focus on the UI for the digital touch point of our service, centring more on representing the core functionality and user experience of the app.
Understanding conversational design
Understanding conversational design
We were also introduced to conversational design and its principles, which gave me a much deeper understanding into chatbots and how they are designed right from the get-go.
We were also introduced to conversational design and its principles, which gave me a much deeper understanding into chatbots and how they are designed right from the get-go.
🤔 What's Next?
The restricted scope and short time frame led us to create this first iteration of our housing service design.
It was interesting to note the differences that came with this change in scale and method:
The restricted scope and short time frame led us to create this first iteration of our housing service design.
It was interesting to note the differences that came with this change in scale and method:
While we did validate it on a small scale, we realised that more extensive user testing is essential, especially for the wireframes and the chatbot design.
The current wireframes are non-functional, and just represent the core functionality. In the future, we would definitely like to create a fully-functional prototype of the app, along with a solidified and memorable branding and UI.
The way our service is structured supports essentially infinite iterations, offering us immense potential to hopefully one day revolutionise the way how students find roommates and accommodation.
Thank you!
Thank you!