Overview
As Rentler became the leading website for rental property listings in Utah, the team recognized the need to offer comprehensive property management tools. I led the design of this suite, collaborating with landlords to create user-tested solutions that streamlined tasks like tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance tracking. Through extensive user research and testing, I crafted tools that improved the landlord experience, making property management more efficient and user-friendly.
The Challenge
- Rentler, as Utah’s top property listings site, needed to expand its offerings by creating a suite of property management tools tailored to landlords.
- Design tools that would help landlords manage critical aspects of property management, such as tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance tracking.
- Ensure the tools were easy to use, efficient, and reliable, providing real value to landlords and enhancing Rentler’s reputation as a one-stop solution for property management.
- Gather insights from landlords through user interviews and testing to ensure the tools met real-world needs and expectations.
My Role
As the lead designer for the project, my responsibilities included:
✅ Leading user research to gather insights directly from landlords, including conducting interviews and analyzing feedback.
✅ Designing proofs of concept for a suite of property management tools, ensuring they addressed the most critical needs of landlords.
✅ Collaborating with cross-functional teams (including product managers and developers) to refine the tools and create a seamless, user-friendly experience.
✅ Conducting usability testing and iterating on designs based on real-time feedback to ensure the tools were practical and efficient.
✅ Ensuring the integration of the new property management suite into Rentler’s existing platform for a smooth user experience.
Approach & Solution
1. User Research & Interviews
- Strategy: To ensure the tools would meet landlords’ actual needs, I conducted a series of user interviews with a diverse group of landlords in Utah. This allowed me to understand their pain points, frustrations, and the features they most wanted from property management tools.
- Outcome: Insights gained from these interviews directly informed the features I prioritized in the suite, such as a simple and intuitive interface for tenant screening, easy-to-track rent collection, and an accessible method for maintenance requests.
2. Prototyping & Design
- Design Strategy: Based on user feedback, I developed proofs of concept for each tool in the suite. The designs were focused on simplicity, clarity, and streamlining key tasks for landlords. I created interactive prototypes to test early concepts with users and iterated on the designs based on their feedback.
- Outcome: The result was a suite of tools that were not only functional but also user-friendly, with a clean, intuitive interface for efficient management of properties.
3. Usability Testing & Iteration
- Strategy: I conducted usability testing on the prototypes, focusing on tasks like tenant application submission, rent payment tracking, and maintenance request management. I gathered feedback through user sessions and real-time observations to identify pain points and areas for improvement.
- Outcome: The tools were continuously refined based on the feedback from real landlords, ensuring that the final product was both practical and easy to use.
4. Integration with Rentler’s Platform
- Strategy: Once the property management tools were developed, I collaborated closely with the development team to ensure seamless integration into Rentler’s existing platform. The goal was to create an all-in-one solution for landlords without disrupting their existing experience on Rentler.
- Outcome: The tools integrated smoothly with Rentler’s platform, enabling landlords to manage their properties and listings within a single ecosystem, making the experience more efficient and enjoyable.
Results & Impact
✅ The property management suite successfully met the needs of landlords by providing them with a user-friendly, comprehensive toolset for managing their properties.
✅ The suite included tools for tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance tracking, streamlining key tasks and improving overall workflow for landlords.
✅ User testing helped refine the tools, ensuring they were intuitive, reliable, and well-received by the landlord community.
✅ Rentler established itself as a one-stop solution for both property listings and management, driving further growth and engagement within the Utah rental market.
✅ The suite improved landlord satisfaction, leading to increased usage and positive feedback.
Key Takeaways
✔ User research and testing were integral to developing tools that actually addressed the real needs of landlords, rather than assumptions about what they needed.
✔ Early-stage prototyping and interactive testing helped identify usability issues quickly, leading to faster iterations and a more effective final product.
✔ Ensuring seamless integration with the existing platform was key to creating an all-in-one experience for landlords, helping Rentler maintain its leadership in the Utah rental market.
✔ Collaboration across teams—including product managers, developers, and landlords—ensured that the final product met both business goals and user needs.
