Revolutionizing real estate: Liva's journey to empower brokers and delight clients
1. Overview
I designed a mobile app for Liva, a Brazilian startup, to automate real estate workflows, improve broker productivity, and enhance client satisfaction.
For confidentiality, some specifics—like survey protocols, sample details, metrics and other deliverables—aren’t included in this case.
2. Background
Liva is a Brazilian startup focused on helping real estate brokers be more productive while making their clients happier. The solution automates critical tasks like:
- Registering clients into the CRM.
- Automatically recommending properties tailored to client needs.
- Qualifying leads to save brokers time.
- Providing an online channel for booking visits and resolving client inquiries.
Because real estate brokers primarily work from their smartphones, a dedicated mobile app was essential. I was responsible for designing this app, ensuring it met both business goals and user needs.
3. Problem statement
The challenge
Real estate brokers needed a streamlined tool to manage their workflows efficiently. Liva aimed to address this gap by building a mobile app that prioritized usability and utility.
Key questions we wanted to answer
- What specific information and features would have the biggest impact on broker productivity?
- How can the app improve both usability and satisfaction for brokers and their clients?
4. Research
To answer these questions, we used a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods:
- Google Analytics: reviewed website data to understand existing user behavior.
- User interviews: conducted with brokers to identify critical data and features that aligned with their daily routines.
- Usability tests: tested the MVP with brokers to validate the interface and functionality.
Throughout the process, I focused on understanding how brokers used the app’s information and ensuring that the design addressed their priorities.
5. Ideation
The research insights shaped the core features of the MVP:
- Automated workflows: simplified processes like client registration, property recommendations, and lead qualification.
- Clear interface design: highlighted essential information in an accessible and actionable way.
- Seamless communication: created a channel for brokers to book visits and answer client questions easily.
These features became the foundation for the app’s design and usability testing.
6. Design process
The app’s design process was iterative, with a focus on continuous feedback:
- Wireframes and prototypes: created layouts that emphasized usability and key functionalities.
- User validation: conducted interviews to ensure the app’s features met brokers’ expectations.
- Usability testing: addressed friction points to improve the interface and enhance utility.
7. Testing and iteration
The final design delivered an app tailored to brokers’ workflows, with key outcomes including:
- Improved usability: a clear, streamlined interface that made critical information easy to access.
- Increased productivity: automated tasks like client registration and property recommendations saved brokers time.
- Enhanced communication: the app enabled brokers to connect with clients more efficiently for visit bookings and inquiries.
Unfortunately, I left the company shortly after delivering the app, so I didn’t have the opportunity to measure long-term results. However, the app’s usability was well-received during testing, and it was successfully launched.
8. Reflection and learnings
Challenges
Balancing feature complexity with usability was a key challenge. Ensuring the app provided immediate value to brokers required careful prioritization and iteration.
Key takeaways
- Deeply understanding user workflows is essential for designing tools that fit seamlessly into daily routines.
- Usability is key, especially for mobile apps that need to work in fast-paced environments.
- Continuous validation and feedback are critical for delivering designs that meet real-world needs.
9. Future opportunities
If I were to revisit this project, I’d recommend:
- Post-launch feedback loops: continuously gather insights from brokers using the app in real-world settings.
- Advanced analytics: measure the app’s impact on broker productivity and client satisfaction over time.
- Feature expansion: explore opportunities like AI-driven property recommendations and enhanced communication tools for brokers.
Visit Liva’s website or check out the app on the Play Store. Below, you’ll also find a link to the Figma file showcasing the app’s design.