Project Details
Reflow is a social rental app that allows students to rent, list and request items from each other. I worked as a Product Designer to design this application as part of a 3-week design challenge hosted by UTD AIGA Club.
Product Designer
My Role
Timeline
February - March 2023
(4 weeks)
Just me!
Team
Figma, UX Research, UI Design, Prototyping
Tools
Problem ☹️💸
College students often face the challenge of having limited space and tight budgets. They may need items for a short period of time but don't want to invest in buying them, which can lead to wastage and unnecessary expenses.
Solution 😊✨
A peer-to peer rental app with a social media model, where students can lend, rent, and request items from one another.
The Process
01 Empathize
I conducted a Google survey, competitive analysis, and user interviews.
Competitive Analysis
I first wanted to familiarize myself with the peer-to-peer rental space and identify ways I could provide the most value to students with Reflow.
While these apps allow people to share their things with each other,
they do not foster a sense of community among users.
Survey Results
I sent out a Google survey with 10 respondents, and these were the results
User Interviews
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Have you ever needed something for a short period and wished you could rent instead of buy it?
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If yes, what did you do to tackle that problem?
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What are your thoughts on a service that lets you rent out commodities?
User Interviews
I conducted a total of 5 interviews with these questions:
02 Define
I identified the 2 main user types for Reflow:
Renters & Lenders
Empathy Mapping
I employed empathy mapping to emphasize significant research discoveries among the 2 main user categories and facilitate my decision-making process. This allowed me to draw conclusions about the behaviors of my users, prioritize my focus, and identify the most significant insights.
People struggle to balance the potential usefulness of items and cost efficiency especially when considering seasonal or occasional use
Problem Statement
After the research phase, I brainstormed based on these HMW with the users and their pain points in mind:
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How might we create a platform that enables users to acquire things like books, clothing, and furniture temporarily, without having to buy them outright?
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How might we reduce uncertainty around decisions to own, borrow, or purchase items needed occasionally?
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How might we build a sense of community into rental apps, allowing users to connect with others who have similar interests and needs for temporary items?
03 Ideate
Based on the research, I made a final list of the following features that would be included in the product:
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Item request
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Allow renters to communicate their specific needs more effectively and enable them to connect with potential lenders.
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Lender reviews & ratings
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Seeing reviews and ratings of the lender can help reduce uncertainty before renting.
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Community feature
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Help build trust and increase user engagement with the app, while also inspiring others to rent and lend.
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User and Task Flow
Mapping out the user flows of these features before jumping to wireframes helped me visualize first what screens I needed to create.
Low-fi Wireframes
Design System
User Testing & Iterations
Identify areas of the app that requires change to improve user performance and satisfaction
04 Prototype
Many Figma frames and iterations later... I present to you:
Reflow!
Requesting an Item
Users can quickly and easily communicate their specific needs by requesting an item through the Request feature.
(Remember to click on the videos to see the animated prototypes!)
Lender reviews & ratings
Seeing reviews and ratings of the lender can help reduce uncertainty before renting from another user.
Community Feed
Users can see how others are engaging with each other in the app. This would help build trust and increase user engagement so that there are more items available for people to rent.
Renting an Item
Clear and easy-to-navigate user flow when renting something from others. Users can see the breakdown of the cost before confirming their rental.
Search Filter
Filtering based on category, location, type, distance, and rating allows users to find an item they need more efficiently.
Creating a Listing
Users can create listings on things they want to lend out with just a few sentences and clicks. The 'Show on Feed' option allows users to choose if they want others to see their activity on the Social Feed.
05 Deliver
Sharing my challenges and reflections, and what I would do if I had more time.
Learnings & Reflections
Challenges
The main challenge was ideating solutions under a tight timeline. I found it helpful to spend more time on secondary research and dig deep into the problem space to empathize with users. Because this is a peer-to-peer rental app, I was trying to fulfill too many user needs.
If I had more time
I would conduct user testing with my prototype and demonstrate how I can refine the UX flows to enhance the app's marketability.
What I learned
My passion for UX and creating a brand! It was truly fulfilling to be able to create an app prototype from 0 to 1 with insights drawn from research.
Check out my other projects!
Fuxihuman Website
Genie
Let's work together
Reach me at: jessie66022@gmail.com
Made by Jessie Lin with 💜 © 2023