Lecture Notes: Designing a Roommate Finder App

Introduction

• Objective: Design an app to help people find roommates
• Company: A profit-driven startup targeting users having difficulty finding roommates, especially during the pandemic
• Target Users: University students aged 18-24 in North America
• Market Analysis: Current solutions include Facebook groups, roommate matching websites, and network referrals
• Current Solutions: Summary:
  • Facebook groups
  • Roommate matching websites
  • Friends’ network referrals

Personas

1. James
   • Age: 20
   • Scenario: Already has a room, current roommate moving out, needs a new roommate
2. Eric
   • Age: 21
   • Scenario: Doesn’t have a place, looking for a new place or a roommate who has a place

Problem Statement and User Pain Points

• Main Pain Points:
  • Credibility: Hard to verify reliability of potential roommates
  • Familiarity: Prefer roommates introduced through mutual connections
  • Lifestyle Compatibility: Difficult to gauge if living styles match
  • Financial Aspects: Different expectations regarding rent and utilities

Ideation and Features

1. Key Features:
   • Available Room Listings: For users like Eric looking for rooms
   • Roommate Listings: For users like James looking for roommates
   • Verified Users: Implement a verification system similar to Instagram’s checkmark
   • Easy Chat: Enable quick and easy communication between potential roommates
   • Mutual Connections: Sync with Facebook to show mutual friends
   • User Bio and Lifestyle Details: Detailed user bios with lifestyle preferences such as smoking, drinking, etc.

Key User Flows

Importance of Focusing on First-time User Onboarding

• Rationale: Essential for a brand new app to ensure a smooth onboarding experience

User Flow 1: James (Has a Room)

1. Open the app
2. Sign up and create a profile
3. Specify that they have a room
4. Post room details (price, number of rooms, amenities)
5. Receive messages from interested users
6. Use Arrange Meetup feature to schedule meetings with potential roommates

User Flow 2: Eric (Looking for a Room)

1. Open the app
2. Sign up and create a profile
3. Specify that they are looking for a room
4. Browse room listings based on preferred location
5. Use filters like price and amenities
6. Send messages to room posters
7. Use Arrange Meetup feature

Wireframes

Bottom Navigation Tabs

• Rooms, Roommates, Messages, and Profile

Room Listing View

• Information Displayed:
  • Picture
  • Price
  • Number of rooms and bathrooms
  • General location (e.g., Toronto)
  • Filter options for pricing, location, etc.

Room Details Page

• Larger Images (carousel view)
• Detailed Information: Price, amenities (laundry, gym, etc.), household rules (no smoking, no pets), and a message button for instant communication

Roommate Listing View

• Information Displayed:
  • Picture & Name
  • Budget range
  • Short bio

Roommate Details Page

• Larger Images and Detailed Bio: Lifestyle details (smoking, drinking), and a message button
• Interaction Method: Similar to Tinder (swipe left/right for like/dislike)

Summary

• Two main user flows and their onboarding process
• Focus on reliability, lifestyle compatibility, and ease of use
• Key features and detailed wireframes for enhanced user experience.