Role: UX/UI designer
Company: Vakansa AB
Project: From zero to launch
Keywords: Usability studies, Competitor analysis, UX research (Interviews, surveys, user tests, and data analysis), Prototyping, testing, UI, and Illustrations.
Background
and problem
Vakansa is a startup that runs a platform for renting under-used spaces (offices, cinemas, schools...). The platform enables hosts to advertise their properties for rent on any timescale from a single hour to a long-term contract.
The process of advertising a venue at Vakansa's platform was long and confusing, search functionality was limited and the information about membership options and prices was insufficient. The users also found the platform to look outdated and generic which doesn't reflect how the platform aims to be perceived.
Target group
Vakansa is aimed at anyone who has or needs a space. The target group is therefore relatively broad and includes, for example, companies, schools, and associations on the local owner side. On the local applicant side, there are, for example, other companies and associations, but also freelancers and self-employed people.
Discovering the pain points
I utilized a user-centered approach to research the existing and potential users:
1/ Conducted interviews with schools, companies, and freelancers.
2/ Used Affinity Diagram to pattern finding
3/ Worked with Behaviour types, User stories, and Customer Journey mapping.
4/ Creation of requirements sheet and prioritization.
Design concept
Based on the previous research and analysis the platform was designed based on the following concepts:
1/ A smooth process for advertising and searching/booking a space: This includes a one-step application form to create an ad, standardized minimum requirements for the ads to ensure high quality, improved search functionality using filters and accelerator buttons
2/ More information and assistance: Increased assistance and recommendations for placing ads, a complete overhaul of the company and process description pages including clear prices and terms.
3/ Fast, easy access customer service: assisting in every step of the space renting process. This ensures that new users can easily use the service and provides direct links, in key places on the webpage and dashboard, to customer service if they have any further needs.
UI and Illustrations
One key goal of the new website was to better align with Vakansa's vision. To reflect the platform's commitment to environmental sustainability, we selected green as the primary color. Building on this, I carefully chose the rest of the color palette, and fonts and designed minimalist, modern icons to maintain a clean aesthetic. Finally, I created new illustrations that vividly depict the vision of sustainable cities.
Prototyping
and testing
A prototype of the platform was created using Adobe XD and used for user testing. At this stage, the testing was limited to some of the functionality as this kind of model does not allow creating spaces to be booked or actual booking of spaces. Among the functionalities tested the general impression impression of the test subjects was positive, the information was perceived as clear and sufficient, the flow was smoother and the modern, minimalist style was consistent with the image of Vakansa and its mission statement.
More tests are planned to be done once the page is launched with its full functionality, in particular venue owner's calendar and booking process.
Next steps
The aim of the current platform was to have an MVP to launch quickly. In parallel further improvements on the user dashboard, with added communication options between renters and owners as well as an improved booking system and the platform administrators dashboard will be made.