A digital platform made to simplify client onboarding, speed up the process, and preventing fraud in the leasing environment in Latin American countries.
(Website)
ameru.com
(Details)
(Challenge)
Security & Privacy concerns of a sector
There’s a predominant lack of a secure and transparent platform for leasing and real estate transactions in Latin America. This can lead to users facing issues such as fraud, lack of customer support, and reduced satisfaction.
(Goal)
Set a standard for companies & users
Creating a product that simplifies client onboarding, speeds up the leasing process, and identify/prevent fraud. Aim to help the surety and insurance sector make better decisions and grow by providing transparency, speed and trust to the leasing market.
(Result)
An all-in-one platform to complete tasks
Ameru resulted in a robust and transparent solution for real estate and leasing transaction in Latin America. The platform tackled challenges such as fraud and the absence of adequate customer support. It facilitated easier client onboarding and helped accelerate operations, while minimizing fraud and legal issues. In a nutshell, Ameru is effectively simplifying tthe leasing process and management of client data, thereby mitigating significant obstacles in the leasing industry.
(Market Research)
The claim
Research shows that the online leasing and real estate market in Latin America is disorganized and lacks security measures.
Market Analysis
Many services lack trust, security, and proper customer support. Ameru saw an opportunity to address this pain point and provide a user-friendly solution.
64% of users do not feel completely safe when contacting real estate agents, providing documents, or managing the overall process.
(Key Objectives)
1. Create a User-Centric Experience: We prioritize the needs and preferences of our users by developing an intuitive platform that offers personalized property recommendations, seamless navigation, and simplified transaction processes.
2. Foster Trust and Transparency: By implementing stringent identity verification measures and promoting open communication channels, we aim to build trust among all stakeholders, fostering a secure and reliable real estate ecosystem.
3. Streamline processes: By integrating various real estate services and automating repetitive tasks, we seek to streamline the entire property transaction journey, reducing time and effort for both buyers and sellers.
4. Create a visually appealing platform: Initially having a low-fi prototype as sketches and converting that into mid & high fidelity prototype.
(Karla)
Age: 32
Job: Marketing Manager
Marital Status: Married
City: Bogotá
(About)
Karla is looking for a reliable platform to search for properties and access accurate and up-to-date property information. She is concerned about sharing personal and financial information on digital platforms and is frustrated with the difficulty of finding trustworthy property listings online.
(Objectives)
Karla hopes to be able to lease a property without stressing about trust. She aims to have access to accurate and up-to-date property information.
(Needs)
Karla needs to have an easy process to find trustworthy listings online.
(Quote)
"Finding trustworthy property listings online has been a nightmare. I've spent hours sifting through listings only to find out they're either scams or aren't what they appear to be. I'm starting to lose hope."
(Marcos)
Age: 34
Job: Architect
Marital Status: Married
City: Santo Domingo.
(About)
Marco's day-to-day routine involves a lot of traveling due to client meetings and property viewings, making him constantly on the move. He juggles many responsibilities, from negotiating lease agreements to addressing tenant concerns, highlighting the importance of efficiency in his work.
(Objectives)
Marcos wants to connect with potential buyers and sellers more efficiently. He wants to streamline his administrative tasks to improve productivity. Having reliable market data and property information would help serve clients better.
(Needs)
Marcos needs to make it easier to manage and organize client inquiries and property listings. He needs to have better visibility in reaching potential clients. He is always trying to get done with time-consuming administrative tasks that rob him time from interacting with his clients.
(Quote)
"I strive when I can dedicate my time to what matters at work. I’m not saying that the administrative part of my job is useless, but my strength is in the interacting and being present with the client through the process."
Low-Fidelity Wireframes - Tenant side
Low-Fidelity Wireframes - Surety side
(Flow Diagram)
I created two flow diagrams outlining necessary website functionality and user tasks. I created these flow diagrams to better understand how to create low-fidelity wireframes for Ariel's portfolio showcase. Our main goal is to provide a great user experience for Ariel’s clients.
Tenant Flow
This flow represents the tenant journey from accessing the platform and registering, to completing their profile and having access to their information/process dashboard.
Surety Flow
This is a simple flow that represents how surety would manage client information navigating through the dashboard using different tabs. All information should be accessible and easy to find.
(High-Fidelity Wireframes)
After planning the overall navigation and looking at the low-fidelity wireframes provided, I could tackle the design of the high-fidelity prototype. This will allows us to visualize and test the product to validate our ideas and iterations.
We also had as an objective the creation of a style guide that reflects Ameru's values and vision, while also providing a framework for consistent brand messaging across all channels. We believe that this style guide will help Ameru to build a strong brand identity and connect with their target audience effectively.
(Alignment & Grid)
I picked an 8-pixel grid for the project and set the margins withing groups of 8, 16, 24, 32, and 40, with margins between groups at 32, 40, 48, 56, 72, and 96. These vary between content & brand elements. Here’s an example of the dashboard:
(High-Fidelity Prototype)
I connected my high fidelity designs into a clickable prototype. That will allow me to test the website on a first group of users. After creating sample iterations we conducted a testing round to check the usability of the website and see if there were any features we could improve. We ended up doing a second round, but here is the final High Fidelity Prototype.
View Surety Prototype
View Tenant Prototype
(Usability Testing)
This report evaluates and improves the onboarding process and the dashboard used for reviewing applicant data. The testing process included two iterations for the onboarding process and three for the dashboard, incorporating user feedback to enhance the user experience and identify usability issues.
(Methodology)
Usability testing sessions were conducted with a diverse group of participants, including potential homebuyers, real estate agents, and other stakeholders. The sessions involved a combination of in-person and remote testing, utilizing a think-aloud protocol to gather qualitative insights and observations. Participants were given specific tasks to complete, and their interactions with the platform were observed and recorded. Data collected during the testing sessions included user feedback, observations, and task completion metrics.
(Findings and Improvements)
Onboarding process Iterations
a. Iteration 1:
Findings: Participants encountered difficulties in understanding the onboarding steps and providing the necessary information due to unclear instructions and ambiguous labels.
Improvements Made: Clear and concise instructions were added to guide users through each step of the onboarding process. Labels were revised to be more explicit and understandable, reducing confusion and improving task completion rates.
b. Iteration 2:
Findings: Users expressed frustration with the length of the onboarding process and the excessive amount of information required. Some participants also reported with not understanding the verification process.
Improvements Made: The onboarding process was streamlined by compiling the number of required fields into fewer sections. The verification process was optimized to be more standardized to help users understand.
Dashboard Iterations
a. Iteration 1:
Findings: Agents reported difficulty in navigating the dashboard and accessing applicant data efficiently. The layout was deemed cluttered, leading to confusion and reduced productivity.
Improvements Made: The dashboard layout was redesigned with a focus on clarity and organization. Data visualization elements were introduced to provide a quick overview of applicant information. The navigation was simplified, and filtering options were added to improve search functionality.
b. Iteration 2:
Findings: Agents desired a more compact options to navigate the information.
Improvements Made: Additional customization features were added, allowing agents to adjust the dashboard layout, choose preferred data display options, and set personalized notifications, enhancing the flexibility and user satisfaction.
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