Property Dashboard

Problem

Brokers needed a way to demonstrate their efforts and success to clients throughout a property's listing cycle. This need arose from:

1. Transparency Demands: Clients wanting visibility into the broker's activities and marketing efforts.

2. Justification of Services: Brokers needing to prove their value, especially in challenging market conditions.

3. Retention and Growth: A tool to help retain listing agreements and win future business.

The challenge was to create a comprehensive, yet flexible system that could showcase various metrics and activities in a client-friendly format.

Requests

“As a broker, I would like to show my clients how many calls, emails, showings/tours and meetings I have both completed and have scheduled for their property. I’d also like to communicate the success of the marketing efforts by telling them how many times the property website has been viewed, documents have been downloaded, email campaigns have been scheduled and leads have come in/been sourced. I should be able to report on this information weekly, monthly, quarterly and/or annually, depending on my client’s request."

All of this activity indicates to the Landlord/Seller that the broker is working diligently to lease or sell the property and will help the broker prove why he or she should retain a listing agreement should that be called into question (i.e. the property is not leasing/selling as quickly as the client had hoped) and/or why he or she should be awarded future business (i.e. you worked hard and leased/sold this property quickly - your method works/your network is strong).”

Solution

Create an editable dashboard with the following key features:

1. Customizable Tiles: Default tiles with the option to show/hide and edit. This decision addresses the varied needs of different brokers and clients. It allows for standardization (through default tiles) while providing flexibility (through customization). Show/Hide Functionality also enhances relevance and avoiding information overload.

2. Custom Tile Creation: Allowing users to add unique information beyond default options. This feature enables brokers to tailor the dashboard to each client's specific interests or concerns, enhancing relevance and avoiding information overload.

3. Flexible Reporting Periods: Weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual views. Different clients may have different review cycles or interests. This feature allows brokers to align their reporting with client expectations or market norms.

Process

01. RESEARCH

1. Competitor Analysis: This step ensures the solution is competitive and identifies potential differentiators.

2. Market Research for Inspiration: Looking beyond direct competitors can bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to dashboard design.

3. Persona Research: Understanding the end users (brokers, admins) is crucial for creating a tool that fits seamlessly into their workflow.

4. BI Tool Exploration: This technical research informs what's possible, helping to balance user desires with technical feasibility.

5. User Interviews: Direct input from potential users provides invaluable insights into real-world needs and preferences.

6. FullStory Analysis: Examining how users interact with existing dashboards helps identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

02. DESIGN

1. Workflow Wireframing: This step ensures all user requirements are captured before moving to visual design, reducing the need for major revisions later.

2. Design System Integration: Basing the look and feel on the existing design system ensures consistency across the platform and speeds up the design process.

03. USER TESTING

1. Interviewed brokers to present designs and prototypes to see if this was something they would use or if there was anything missing from the designs. Based off of the users feedback, most brokers had expressed the need to send and share the dashboard to their clients instead of using it for internal purposes.

Conclusion

This approach demonstrates a user-centered design process that balances standardization with customization. The extensive research phase, including both market analysis and direct user input, ensures the solution is both competitive and genuinely useful.

The decision to create an editable dashboard with customizable tiles shows foresight in creating a flexible tool that can adapt to various user needs and evolve over time. This flexibility is crucial in a field where client relationships and market conditions can vary widely.

The iterative nature of the process, particularly the user testing phase that led to the addition of the client sharing feature, highlights the importance of continuous user engagement in the design process. This approach not only improves the final product but also helps ensure user adoption by directly addressing their expressed needs.

Overall, this design process demonstrates a thoughtful balance between meeting immediate user needs, ensuring ease of use, and creating a flexible system that can adapt to future requirements.