The Team
Jalen Battle
Sam Biggs (Me)
David Cranfill
Ryan Martin
This app first helps you find and select your roommates based on, Hobbies, Schedules, Interest, and Cleanliness. The second part the app does is helps manage your room by calculating your rent, Chores, Schedules, and providing checklists.RoomEase brings back control in having a roommate. it's "Your Room, Your Rules" after all. Our app was created in a group of five using the methodology Goal-Directed Design (GDD) which emphasizes meeting the needs of users.
To create an app that emphasize user needs back up by user research
Research is an imperative part of the GDD to understand the users’ goals and competitor’s technology.
When we initially started our project with the though of only designing a roommate matching app and not a roommate managing app aswell.
Problem Statement
The current state of roommate matching has focused primarily on urgent roommate matching (immediate need). What existing products/services fail to address is control: personality, interests matching. Our product/service will address this gap by including user profiles with personality traits, likes/dislikes, etc. and allow users to specifically choose their preferred roommates.
Assumption Statements
Who is the user? adults who want/need roommate(s).
When and how is our product used? if you move somewhere new, start college, or are in need of a cheaper place (splitting rent).
What problems does our product solve? Mismatching roommates with opposing personalities and preferences
They can also get these additional benefits: making friends, finding places to live, solving roommate conflict.
We will acquire the majority of our customers through: college campuses
We will make money from: Selling ad space, specifically to apartments.
We will know we are successful when we see the following changes in customer behavior: happy housing situations, active engagement
Key Points:
How to Deal With Roommate Problems
Communication, compromise, and setting boundaries are key to solving common roommate problems
Common items to discuss include cleaning schedule, visitors, phone policy, and lights out time
Seek outside help if necessary, such as a resident advisor or friends Avoid talking about your roommate behind their back to prevent making the situation worse
list of attributes that make a positive roommate by collegebasics.com
A good roommate is willing to help out with chores and follow a chore schedule
Respect and understanding towards each other is important, even during difficult times
Find someone you can trust to not intrude on your privacy or make you uncomfortable
Compatibility is important, both in interests and personality
Room with someone responsible enough to watch the house while you're away
SpareRoom:
SpareRoom has two modes: Basic and Advanced. Basic mode allows users to look for rooms in a fixed area. Advanced mode allows users to use additional tools while searching including age range, rent price, and room size.
Roommates by Roomster:
Allows users to search for an ideal roommate or room by sorting for common interests. However, it doesn’t allows you to message users without upgrading to premium, a feature we thought was vital to the housing process.
iROOMit:
Used a map feature like Zillow to help users find a house. It also required a Photo ID to verify your account.
Key Take aways:
Roommate matching is an important factor across multiple interviews
Users want a photo ID verification
Developing personal connections based on interests
Boundaries in regards to living spaces and use of kitchen or communal items
Implementation of schedules to facilitate better connections and responsibility
Most interviewees preferred a fewer amount of roommates
Filters for pets, hobbies, scheduling, cleanliness, location, etc.
The Modeling Phase is when we start to create our personas and start to understand what users actually want to see from our app.
We created two personas for our app. Stephen who is just looking for someone to fill an empty room. Danielle who just graduated college and wants to find a roommate that will be her next best friend.
The Requirement Phase is where we look at our personas and data and plan out what is really important for our app to succeed.
The current state of roommate matching has focused primarily on matching with a roommate, not establishing a foundation with your roommate and promoting ongoing communication. What existing products/services fail to address is an ongoing facilitation of communication that maintains a healthy and safe living environment. Our product/service will address this gap by matching users to a catalog of available roommates in their area based on personality traits, hobbies, lifestyles and schedule, while also providing a platform to establish communication and trust.
Step 1: Account creation: Are you looking to room or looking for a roommate? Photo, Name, Age, Location (Both current and future), Sex, Optional (Sexuality, Relationship status, Religious preference)
Step 2: Bio creation: Location, Cleanliness, Hobbies, Interest, Schedule, Pets,
Step 3: Photo id verification,
Step 4: Landing page: Map, Section 1 ( 1. Add a roommate, 2.Matched roommates 3.Current roommate)
My Roommates: Saved Roommates, Write roommate agreement, management, Roommate Help, Tools to facilitate trust
Discover: Map and list of roommates or rooms available and they match with.
Messages: a basic messaging feature to message potential roommates and current roommates.
Profile: The users profile with their bio and public information.
The Framework Phase is when we start our wireframe and low-fi Prototype.
The Refinement Phase is when we refine our low-fi by conducting usability test and iron out any usability issues with our app.
This is the last phase of our app where we completely iron out our app and ensure every part is working and ready for presentation.
This project provided valuable skills in leadership, research report writing, and Figma prototyping.
While excited for the next project, there's a desire to be better prepared with interview questions, data documentation, and Figma proficiency.
Intensify interview preparation, improve data documentation skills, and delve deeper into Figma to create more interactive prototypes.
