User Research & Definition of Scope

The research took shape of several in-depth interviews to better understand home owner needs and competitive review to identify possible market gaps.

Assumptions were clarified while achieving a better scope.

A customer journey was mapped out from interviews that allowed us as a business to future proof the architecture of the app.

Personas were created to articulate with rest of the team the introduction of a new type of customer and user.

Stakeholder management

Periodic catchup meetings ensured the MVP was executed in a timely manner, with updates given to critical stages of the design process. The designs allowed easier strategic decisions with respect to the ecosystem.

Prototyping

A full click-through prototype was set up to test information architecture, navigation, labeling, and small screen interaction. This later was used as walk-through material for the development team.

User Testing

With a fully clickable prototype, we tested the product first internally than externally. Capturing insights and iterating designs based on a hybrid of Qualitative vs Quantitative data.

Success Metrics

The success metrics were not defined as a product team, since other features were in the product roadmap meant the business was aware the project had to stay dormant for a while, any growth was organic and priority only was given to few enhancements and bugs. 

Overall the uptake was steady and consistent, with a third of users finding value, this correlated roughly with the number of users requesting the feature that tend to have more projects at a go as well as more structure in their process.

Key strategic decisions

Allowing multiple projects to co-exist under one account.

To allow co-ownership of project by a residential builder and a home owner rather than be administered by the builder.

Allow growth within the portal into areas identified as good to have like design and maintenance.

Key features delivered:

Social login integration

Smart branding customization

A chat service

Ability to view documents and raise comments against objects.

A portfolio area

Additional functionality such as digital acceptance of documents

Notification model via emails and in-app. 

1/3 of customer base adopted the module.

“I like client portal as I can share with my clients documents knowing I dont need to dig in my emails”