Values

Selected Works

About

Values

Roomease

Put your mind at ease.

A student housing company wants to better understand the needs of their target market.

A student housing company wants to

better understand the needs of their

target market.

A student housing company wants to better understand the needs of their target market.

University Thesis

Service Designer

2019 - 2020

Myself

/Project

/Role

/Timeline

/Stakeholders

/Tools

/project

University Project

/role

UX Researcher

/timeline

14 Weeks

/stakeholders

Foundation Housing

/tools

Founder Interviews

(01)

Founder Interviews

First, we interview the founders of Foundation Housing and get an idea of what they're hoping to achieve through our research.

We begin by interviewing the founders of Foundation Housing to get an idea of what they're hoping to achieve through our research.

First, we interview the founders of Foundation Housing and get an idea of what they're hoping to achieve through our research.

Laney V.

"We don't think of ourselves as landlords. We see students not getting what they need out of housing. We seek to connect with the desires of the average student. We aren't aiming for the luxury market."

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Greg V.

"As much as things have changed since we've been in college in the early 2000's, they've also stayed the same. Our idea is to build on risky assumptions - and discover

what is true and what is false."

"As much as things have changed since we've been in college in the early 2000's, they've also stayed the same. Our idea is to build on risky assumptions - and discover what is true and what is false."

Ryan D.

"Our real quest is to reimagine the housing market. We want to know what does the off-campus housing market looks like? What do tenants want in housing?"

"Our real quest is to reimagine the housing market. We want to

know what does the

off-campus housing market looks like?

What do tenants want

in housing?"

Laney Vassallo

Greg Vassallo

"As much as things have changed since we've been in college in the early 2000's, they've also stayed the same. Our concept is to build on risky assumptions- and discover what is true and what is false."

Ryan Day

"Our real quest is to reimagine the housing market. We want to know what does the off-campus housing market looks like? What do tenants want in housing?"

Assumptions

Students want an

apartment that is

designed for a

specific purpose.

Students want an apartment that is designed for a specific purpose.

Students want an apartment that is designed for a

specific purpose.

Students want an

apartment that is

designed for a

specific purpose.

Students want more

than just a place to

eat & sleep.

Students want more than just a place to eat & sleep.

Students want more than just

a place to eat

and sleep.

Students want more

than just a place to

eat & sleep.

Students are more

interested in career

forward movement

than in lux features.

Students are more interested in career forward movement than in lux features.

Students are more

interested in career

forward movement

than in lux features.

Wave 1 Research

Wave 1

Wave 1 Research

Adam J.

John M.

Me :)

We break off into groups of three and begin the first wave of research. We do this through hour long interviews about housing experiences.

Matt G.

"Location is really important to me, I really like being close to the nightlife. I don't do work at home really, so when I am home I want to enjoy the space I have, specifically the outdoor space. Moving is a hassle so I try to avoid it, but my landlord is super chill and hands off, so it makes our lives easier. I want my house to have an identity that I can associate with, somewhere like Big Red."

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Claire D.

The cheap finishes of the house really irk me, and I didn't really see them when I first toured. It makes it hard for me to want to spend time in the space, no matter how much I dress it up. I've actually ended up in litigation with my landlord over the house being so out of repair that I've lost belongings. The most I do at home is eat and sleep, I hardly get any work done there. I don't have an outdoor space in this apartment and it really bums me out."

Chris S.

"I hardly ever toured my houses I lived in during undergrad, honestly the quality of it doesn't make much of a difference to me. However, location is important to me. As well as bad roommates that don't have respect for me or what I bring into the space makes things tense at home. My landlord generally leaves me alone, so that's nice. I like having outdoor space because I like having somewhere to play my guitar and relax after a long week."

Based off the information given to us we make two maps to better understand the nature of our users motivations for seeking housing.

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Empathy Map

People, Objects, Environments, Messages, and Services.

How participants think and feel, what they see, hear, say, do, pains they feel , and things they learned from those experiences.

Landscape Map

Clustering data based on commonalities.

We then took that info and reevaluate that data. In this instance, functions of the space, pain points, location, landlord experiences, housing identity, learning curves, selection process,

Data Synthesis

Findings

Location, location, location.

Less Intrusive landlords make for happier tenants.
Mutually respectful roommate relationship makes for a happier house.
Most undergrad students don't get work done at home.
Covered outdoor space is highly coveted, as the weather in Syracuse doesn't lend itself to uncovered spaces.

Location, location, location.

Less Intrusive landlords make for happier tenants.
Mutually respectful roommate relationship makes for a happier house.
Most undergrad students don't get work done at home.
Covered outdoor space is highly coveted, as the weather in Syracuse doesn't lend itself to uncovered spaces.

Location, location, location.

Less Intrusive landlords make for happier tenants.
Mutually respectful roommate relationship makes for a happier house.
Most undergrad students don't get work done at home.
Covered outdoor space is highly coveted, as the weather in Syracuse doesn't lend itself to uncovered spaces.

Wave 2 Research

Wave 2

Wave 2 Research

Sophia H.

Chris T.

Lawr L.

Luke W.

Euphie Z.

Me :)

The class then regrouped and shared findings. We then re-regrouped into groups of 6 for our second wave of interviews based off of our findings.

Group Discussion

As a group we shared our findings on an depth level. We share data and decide upon which research methodologies we could use to better gather data from interview participants.

As a group we shared our findings on an depth level. We share data and decide upon which research methodologies we could use to better gather data from interview participants. We break off into smaller groups to refine our individual research methodology.

Methodologies

We initially break off into groups to refine our individual survey practices. From there, we pair off, in hopes of covering the most ground possible, based on complementary methods of research. My partner Chris and I focused on better understanding what makes or breaks a harmonious relationship with roommates.

From there, we pair off, in hopes of covering the most ground possible, based on complementary methods of research. My partner Chris and I focused on better understanding what makes or breaks a harmonious relationship with roommates.

Data Synthesis

Survey Methods

Data Synthesis

Field Activity

Discover how spoken and unspoken rules can play a part in roommate relationships

Probe

An Interactive worksheet to discover student preferences.

An interactive worksheet designed to discover student preferences.

An Interactive worksheet to discover student preferences.

We broke into pairs, and conducted 3 more interviews. This first began with a tour of student apartments, then, using an activity we had designed ourselves to further gain insights. The activity I created was to have individuals make a list of spoken and unspoken rules that were made during the roommate process.

After breaking into pairs, we conducted our research. This first began with a tour of student apartments, then, using an activity we had designed ourselves to further gain insights.

Yuri & Big Red

A big red house, with 4 roommates on the ground level apartment, a party house, with an infamous among students reputation.

“We have a hard time keeping party goers from upstairs out of our apartment.“

A big red house, with 4 roommates on

the ground level apartment, a party

house, with an infamous among

students reputation.

“We have a hard time keeping party goers from upstairs out of our apartment.”

A big red house, with 4 roommates on the ground level apartment, a party house, with an infamous among students reputation.

"We have a hard time keeping party goers from upstairs out of our apartment."

A big red house, with 4 roommates on the ground level apartment, a party house, with an infamous among students reputation.

"We have a hard time keeping party goers from upstairs out of our apartment."

A typical off Euclid

all-girls apartment

with 3 roommates in interior design.

"Our rooms are so plain and white, our friends would rather congregate in our more colorful spaces."

Imani & Hailey

A typical off Euclid all-girls apartment with 3 roommates in interior design.

"Our rooms are so plain and white, our friends would rather congregate in our more colorful spaces."

A typical off Euclid all-girls apartment with 3 roommates in interior design.

"Our rooms are so plain and white, our friends would rather congregate in our more colorful spaces."

A typical off Euclid all-girls apartment with 3 roommates in interior design.

"Our rooms are so plain and white, our friends would rather congregate in our more colorful spaces."

IID House

An 6 roommate house consisting of solely industrial design majors. Half men half women. This house has everything.

"We shift our furniture around based on our needs and the headcount in the house at any given time."

An 6 roommate house consisting of solely industrial design majors. Half men half women. This house has everything.

"We shift our furniture around based on our needs and the headcount in the house at any given time."

An 6 roommate house consisting of solely industrial design majors. Half men half women. This house has everything.

"We shift our furniture around based on our needs and the headcount in the house at any given time."

An 6 roommate house consisting of solely industrial design majors. Half men half women. This house has everything.

"We shift our furniture around based on our needs and the headcount in the house at any given time."

Insights

Outdoor space is

a necessity.

Outdoor space is

a necessity.

Outdoor space is

a necessity.

The cheaper the

rent the better.

The cheaper the

rent the better.

The cheaper the

rent the better.

Students don't

like ugly housing.

Students don't

like ugly housing.

Students don't

like ugly housing.

Personas Scale

We sorted through our interview data and created attribute scales that each house had in common. Then we used that data to build personas.

Personas

Jackie, 20, Animation Major

Jackie, 20, Animation Major

Jackie, 20, Animation Major

Jackie, 20, Animation Major

Arturo, 21, Psychology Major

Arturo, 21, Psychology Major

Arturo, 21, Psychology Major

Arturo, 21, Psychology Major

Laura, 21, Engineering Major

Laura, 21, Engineering Major

Laura, 21, Engineering Major

Laura, 21, Engineering Major

Sam, 22, Marketing Major

Sam, 22, Marketing Major

Sam, 22, Marketing Major

Sam, 22, Marketing Major

Insights & Opportunities

Insights

& Opportunities

Insights & Opportunities

Insights

Pain Point: Lack of property maintenance leads to tensions between landlord and renters.

Pain Point: Laundry was expensive, annoying to lug around , contributes to most clutter in private spaces, as well as feelings of overpaying.

Insight: Students add objects and systems to compensate for the houses problems.

Pain Point:

Lack of property maintenance leads to tensions between landlord and renters.

Pain Point:

Laundry was expensive, annoying to lug around , contributes to most clutter in private spaces, as well as feelings of overpaying.

Insight:

Students add objects and systems to compensate for the houses problems.

Pain Point: Lack of property maintenance leads to tensions between landlord and renters.

Pain Point: Laundry was expensive, annoying to lug around, contributes to most clutter in private spaces, as well as feelings of overpaying.

Insight: Students add objects and systems to compensate for the houses problems

Pain Point: Lack of property maintenance leads to tensions between landlord and renters.

Pain Point: Laundry was expensive, annoying to lug around, contributes to most clutter in private spaces, as well as feelings of overpaying.

Insight: Students add objects and systems to compensate for the houses problems.

Opportunities

Keep lines of communication open between landlord and tenant regarding maintenance. Honesty and transparency leads to pride in their home. The desire to put time into improving the space therefore increases.
Educate students on how to facilitate conversations regarding boundaries with roommates.
Offer space to be customized for ideal use of amenities to supplement aspects of what the house can't provide.

Keep lines of communication open between landlord and tenant regarding maintenance. Honesty and transparency leads to pride in their home. The desire to put time into improving the space therefore increases.
Educate students on how to facilitate conversations regarding boundaries with roommates.
Offer space to be customized for ideal use of amenities to supplement aspects of what the house can't provide.

Keep lines of communication open between landlord and tenant regarding maintenance. Honesty and transparency leads to pride in their home. The desire to put time into improving the space therefore increases.

Educate students on how to facilitate conversations regarding boundaries with roommates.
Reduced time and effort spent on chores and housework.
Offer space to be customized for ideal use of amenities to supplement aspects of what the house can't provide.