• Business
• Design
• Product
• Technical

What problem are you hoping to solve?

A rudimentary canvassing session that has revealed that home owners face significant challenges when it comes to doing home renovation work. They often don’t know where to start and find the process to be very complicated.They think there might be a gap in the local market to support home owners to help tackle this problem.

The scope of the project will include the following considerations:

• Develop an online digital solution that automates complexity through digitisation and integrates AI technology.
  
• Solve the problem through UX, UI and System Design.
• Handover the solution to the in-house teams to develop, host and run the product internally.
• Improve the experience of home owners when doing home renovations.
• Determine the feature requirements.
• Determine the resources needed to complete the project.
• Explore and potentially use AI technology.
• Take into consideration the risks of technological limitations and user acceptance.

Next, designers research the problem to understand the challenges home renovators face. During the research phase, UX designers conduct several types of research, including:

• User research: The goal is to develop empathy for the home renovator. We research the thoughts, actions and habits of the user to gain an insight into what core challenges they face and what frustrations they encounter.
  
• Desk research: A general understanding in the field of home renovation is essential and we gather data from various sources to try to gain knowledge and understanding. Research will also extend to learning about anything else that might be relevant to this project, including research into AI and even in the process of doing the UX and UI.
  
• ‍Market research: Analyzes the market to determine market segmentation and product differentiation
  
• Competitive research: A competitive analysis to understand how competitors solve similar problems and identify opportunities
• ‍Product research: Analyzing insights and analytics from an existing product to understand user behavior
  
• Stakeholder analysis: It is vital that we have a full picture of all the stakeholders that are involved in this project, to ensure they are involved and consulted and that their needs are analysed and met.

User research

Once the design team has the project’s goal and scope, we define the problem from a user’s perspective. We conduct user research to learn more about the user. These include:

• User personas: A representation of a customer group with similar demographics
  
• User journey maps: A step-by-step visualization of a user’s problem and how they might use a digital product to solve it
  
• Empathy maps: A methodology for representing a user’s feelings and emotions as they encounter pain points while trying to complete tasks

Please note: To accomodate timescales and in providing this case study as a hypothetical product to illustrate the product/UX/UI design process, some of the data has been sourced via AI.

User personas

Here's an example of a user persona we created.

User persona sample

Affinity mapping

These top themes were encountered by home owners when renovating their home:

• Finding the right contractors and staying within budget
  
• Balancing aesthetic and practical updates
  
• Making compromises to stay within budget
  
• Dealing with unexpected obstacles and structural issues
  
• Time management and communication with contractors
  
• Stress management and finding creative solutions
  
• Prioritizing practical updates and incorporating aesthetic changes
  
• Managing costs and staying within budget
  
• Making a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and compromises
  
• Regular communication and setting realistic expectations
  

Empathy maps

Here's an empathy map we generated based on the interviews.

Desk research summary

We conduct desk research to learn about the property renovation process. Here's a brief summary of what factors are important to consider in doing a home renovation:

• Homeowners looking to redevelop their property should consider the scope of the project, timeline, cost, resources, market, trends, materials, financing, return on investment, environmental considerations, and contractors and subcontractors available.
  
• Create a budget, shop around for the best prices, compare different options, and understand what is included in the contract.
  
• Take into account local zoning regulations, environmental considerations, and qualified contractors.
  

As part of the desk research, I also begin to look into the use of AI-based technologies to improve the home renovation process and in automating systems in general. This leads to an important branch in research that I go deeper into as part of a second phase of research later in the project.

Market research summary

We do some competitor research and discover that when it comes to addressing the challenges of home renovation, there are several online resources available to help homeowners.

HomeAdvisor and Houzz provide easy access to local contractors and cost estimates, while handyman.comoffers a directory of contractors in the area.

HomeWyse provides an online cost calculator to help homeowners estimate their project costs, and Angie's List and Porch offer user reviews and ratings to help homeowners find qualified professionals.

Additionally, there are many books, magazines, and websites available with advice and tips for home renovation projects.

Usability testing

Part of this competitor reseach is to perform usability research on the competing products. Here are some sample insights of the positive & negative aspects garnered for several of the competitors.

Stakeholders analysis

We conduct some stakeholder analysis to discover the main stakeholders involved:

• Homeowners: Homeowners are the primary stakeholders in home renovation projects, as they are the ones who are ultimately responsible for the budget, timeline, and completion of the project. Homeowners need to make sure that they are getting the best value for their money and that they are working with qualified contractors.
  
• Contractors: Contractors provide the labor and materials needed to complete a home renovation project. They need to make sure that they are meeting their deadlines and that the project is completed on time and within budget.
  
• Local Government: Local governments are responsible for enforcing zoning regulations and building codes and ensuring that all environmental considerations are taken into account.
  
• Vendors: Vendors provide the materials and products needed for a home renovation project. They need to make sure that they are offering competitive prices and that their products meet the needs of the project.
  
• Financiers: Financiers provide financing for home renovation projects and need to ensure that they are offering competitive rates and terms.
  

We've gained several insights from the research to begin to analyse the and to be able to define the problem through this statement:

Problem statement

There are many factors that make home renovation complex and costly. Home owners will feel overwhelmed with the options, not being confident of knowing where or how to start. It is often challenging to find the right service providers, to determine the cost and then to manage communications with them effectively, to stick to deadlines and to handle unexpected obsticles that make it difficult to stay within budget and timescales to acheive the desired results.

HMW question

How might we help make home renovation simpler with predictable & accurate cost & timescales?

Based on these challenges, we're able to define some clear goals and objectives to steer the product, whilst also factoring the real-world marketability of the product.

Goals and objectives

• Connect home owners with the right service providers and vendors (MVP - Minimum viable product)
  
• That ensures good communications between them through a good user experience (MSP/MLP - Minimum sellable/loveable product)
  
• That the project is managed well to ensure that the project cost and timescales is predictable, accurated and controlled. (Top-tier)
  
• That might leverage the power of AI (Game-changer)
  

Inflextion point

Through the desk research, I decide that there’s a step change that needs to happen with the direction and scope of the project. I gain this significant insight:

AI could streamline the process of home renovation by providing more efficient and automated processes to an extent that has not been possible before, it's a step-change in capability delivering more reliable feedback and human-friendly interactivity.

Based on this, I decide that the project should focus on leveraging AI, as a key point of differentiation from what’s currently available on the market and to deliver innovation in the field of home renovation.

Adjustments to the project scope

‍The goal of designing an MVP or even an MLP might not be a strong enough proposition to differentiate and compete against the market leaders. So I decide to shift focus towards conceptualising a truly game-changing experience that makes AI, and leveraging it’s power as the starting point for the project.

• ‍Considerations: The change in scope means that proof of concept is not a deliverable, it might purely be a wizard of oz concept.
  
• ‍Risks: The concept might not be technically feasable or achievable without full understanding of how to implement the technology and it’s limitations.
  
• ‍Delivery: UI design concept of the AI assisted house renovation platform.
  

New HMW Question

How might we help make home renovation simpler with predictable & accurate cost & timescales, that leverages the power of AI?

• ‍Simpler - by removing the complexity from the renovation process, by automating the process of how to perform the house renovation and guiding the user through all the various steps being as brief or verbose with the project details as the user requires.
  
• ‍Predictable & accurate cost - by finding the right contractors and vendors that meets the users needs and that provide the best value, whilst being upfront with the full cost and any potential changes to the costs.
  
• ‍Predictable and accurate timescales - by providing good project management that develops an accurate timeline, communicates well with the homeowner and contractors and vendors, and being upfront about any potential delays by predicting potential obsticles that might affect the timeline.
  
• Leverages AI - That makes use of AI technology to speed up and automate the process.
  

Phase 2 Research

Following on from those conclusions and in the new HMW question, it's necessary to conduct another phase of research, this time to focus on learning more about AI. ‍

Deep dive into AI

• Research on AI
  
• Research on how AI can be used in home renovation
  
• Ethical considerations in implementing AI
  
• Improving the home renovation process with AI
  
• AI assisted apps currently ‘available’ on the market
  
• Research on how AI can be used in home renovation
  

Here's a summary from the research conducted on AI

The Positive Aspects of Using AI for Home Renovation

1. AI could streamline the process of home renovation by providing more efficient and automated processes.
   
2. AI could make it easier to find the right contractors and vendors that meet the users needs and provide the best value.
   
3. AI could make it easier to accurately predict and manage costs and timescales associated with home renovation projects.
   
4. AI could help make the entire process of home renovation simpler by providing guidance and assistance throughout the process.
   

Negative Aspects of Using AI for Home Renovation

1. AI could lead to increased risks of data breaches, privacy violations, and manipulation of public opinion.
   
2. AI could lead to an increase in bias and discrimination in the selection of contractors and vendors.
   
3. AI could lead to a decrease in human creativity and job opportunities.
   
4. AI could help make the entire process of home renovation simpler by providing guidance and assistance throughout the process.
   

Overall, although there are potential negative aspects to using AI for home renovation, the benefits of using AI for home renovation potentially outweigh the risks, provided that these negative points can be mitigated. AI could make the entire process of home renovation simpler, more accurate and efficient, and provide the right guidance and assistance throughout the process.

How can we mitigate some of the negative aspects of using AI for home renovation?

It is also explored the ramifications of using AI and how to mitigate and address the potential drawbacks. I've summarised here what level of importance there is in managing the use of AI and what actions we can take to ensure AI is used responsibly:

1. Establish a clear ethical policy for the use of AI in home renovation, outlining the acceptable use and misuse of AI. [Primary concern]
   
2. Ensure that the data used for the AI-driven process is secure and that any data breaches or privacy violations are addressed quickly and effectively. [Primary concern]
   
3. Establish strong regulations and oversight for the use of AI in home renovation to ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner. This might need to be action to be taken at a state level. [Primary concern]
   
4. Ensure that contractors and vendors are selected based on merit and that bias and discrimination do not play a role in the selection process. [How?]
   
5. Ensure that the use of AI does not lead to a decrease in human creativity and job opportunities. [Abstact and difficult to determine to solve for]
   
6. Establish a clear ethical policy for the use of AI in home renovation, outlining the acceptable use and misuse of AI. [Primary concern]
   
7. Ensure that the use of AI does not lead to economic inequality. [Abstact and difficult to determine to solve for]
   
8. Establish strong regulations and oversight for the use of AI in home renovation to ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner. This might need to be action to be taken at a state level. [Primary concern]
   
9. Educate the public on the proper use of AI in home renovation and the potential risks associated with its misuse. [Abstact and difficult to determine to solve for]
   

Additional other research

As well as this, additional research is conducted surrounding the home renovation process as well as in designing the product.‍

• Exploration into the home renovation process in general
  
• Mobile app or website?
  
• Form design
  
• UI Design patterns
  

I've identified several key tasks in home renovation that could be possible for AI to automate:

1. Price comparitor: AI can be used to automatically search the web and numerous other sources, including even getting estimates by directly interacting with professionals, contractors and suppliers. Perhap the interactions need to be supervised, but it will significantly reduce the workload if AI can draft the  interactions with final approval only being given by the user.
   
2. Project planner: AI can be used to automate project planning. It can determining the required list of tasks associated with every type of renovation project and stage. It can then schedule appointments based on these tasks, involving all the required stakeholders. AI can put the tasks on a timeline, taking into account dependancies and thus do critical path analysis and manage the schedule and make changes when necessary.
   
3. AI data integration: AI could be provided all the existing information that the user has in an existing project, such as project timelines, calendar schedules, documents such as project schematics or budget and costings estimations, and then integrate this data into the app.
   
4. AI managed interactions with professionals and contractors: All existing communications with professionals and suppliers could be managed by AI.
   
5. AI powered inspiration and mood board: AI could search the web and other apps for inspiration and ideas that might be relevant to the user, based on criteria provided and by analysing what existing sources of information have been provided. For example, the user might provide photos of layouts or designs that they like, and AI would search for similarly looking ideas and inspiration.
   

Key USP’s

These ideas can form the basis for what will differentiate this app from what's already available on the market. I've further defined these tasks to provide more tangible, real world value:

1. Robust third-party app integration & therefore data acceptance through AI - make accepting as many types of information from as many data sources, as easy and painless as possible - Allows you to use the tools you're already familiar with, just imports those data into it to make use of the data. E.g. import from pinterest, import spreadsheets from suppliers, import calendar data, emails..
   
2. AI assistive price comparitor collects data from own database as well as competitors.
   
3. AI assistive project planner.
   
4. Task management, scheduling & communications.
   
5. AI assistive Inspiration generator & organiser (maybe AR).
   
6. AI will auto sort those notes into its dataset. Unique combination and interchange of the apps into one.
   

Product strategy

Robust Third-party data integration is a vital part of this platform, allow users to use whatever apps they are already familiar with (e.g. Pinterest, Miro, Figjam, Milanote, calendars, emails).

This doesn't aim to replace those, merely distill & organise the content through AI (e.g. present kitchen related posts into 1 visual unit) overview contained within this interface. Collecting the data e.g. design styles, colours etc, so as to be able to interogate it internally to suggest similar options.

Whilst it's true this interface aims is not to replace third-party apps that might already do this task better, it's strategically important to develop this. Should the third-party apps decide to wall their data via paywall or outright blocking access, maintaining some degree of control of the tech/data stack.

Wireframes

I've generated a series of wireframes to begin to materialise how the solution might begin to solve some of these problems.

Onboarding process

Additionally, I've designed some onboarding pages for the initial setup phase of the project. This helps to clarify what might be important to the user and how we might be able to to leverage AI in this solution.

User onboarding for new project requirements and AI configuration settings

High fidelity wireframes

Here's some of the High-Fidelity Mockups designed for the prototypes.

Design Aesthetics

I've decided to design the app using a glassmorphism style. Glassmorphism has proven to have longevity and is elevated beyond its former trend status. This style intrinsically references materials used in construction - concrete, wood, metal and glass.

It's also symbolic of the transparency the app provides when it comes to project management and in dealing with contractors and suppliers. It also leans towards a slick futurist look and feel that forms the terrain of an Artificial Intelligence powered core without resorting to the usual tropes such as of digital streams and data bits.

Using colour, I've decided on a colour palate that delves into the deep blues for solidity and navy greens for progress and growth. There is a hint of purple to provide a sense of futurism, and orange as counter-point to lighten the overall tone.

Overall, it is grounded through pastel colours and rich visuals of existing property renovations and simple yet thoughtfully curated backgrounds and imagery.

I've included here the design notes from having created the resources in Figma. You'll be able to explore all the elements generated during the various stages of the project, the thought processes and progression throughout the project.

The next phase of the project will be to do a complete set of wireframes to be able to stitch together a prototype. I'd use usability testing scripts to gain insights for rapid iteration.

At this current stage in the project, already we've discovered that there is a lot of core functionality that needs to be designed and developed, perhaps even too much functionality.

From a product design perspective, perhaps it's worth revisiting the various tiers of MVP, to MLP and re-evaluate how we can integrate the game-changing AI aspects earlier on. We can then focus on designing fewer core functions, like just the project management and price comparator features first with AI integration, before adding on the communications aspects.

Beyond this core testing, once the testing is completed and several rounds of iterations produced, we can perhaps proceed to the next stages of the project.
‍‍
Stage 6 - Development
Stage 7 – Design Handoff
Stage 8 – Quality Assurance or UX Audit
Stage 9 - Launch

It's clear that this project is still in the very early stages of development. A complete picture of fulfilling a UX design process is available in my case study - The Lost Magic of Dagon.