LeaseEase
Digital subleasing platform optimizing rental listing and tenant-landlord connection.
IOS // MOBILE APP DESIGN // UX/UI // BRANDING
Project Overview
This project was part of DAUCI’s Project Teams during Fall Quarter 2024 (October–December). The theme for this quarter focused on designing an app that positively impacts people, communities, and the world.
Role
Project Manager + Design Lead. Led a team of 5 from concept to completion.
Timeline
October 7th, 2024 - December 2nd, 2024 (8 weeks)
Initial Problem Discovery
—"What problem am I trying to solve?"
"As a college student in Southern California, I have faced the housing crisis head-on. Rent prices in cities like Irvine are extremely high, making it difficult for students to find affordable and flexible living spaces. Additionally, the process of subleasing is often fraught with challenges, including finding trustworthy sub-letters, unclear lease terms, and a lack of secure payment options."
Could there be an easier and safer way to find housing in high demand areas like Southern California?
These frustrations inspired us to create LeaseEase, as there is no centralized platform to connect leasers with subtenants. By creating one, we aim to streamline the apartment-hunting process, providing resources and security to support both parties
Initial Research/Problem Validation
—"Why is this important?"
We wanted to ensure that the housing crisis among students was a real issue, not just an isolated case. After conducting online research, we confirmed that many students face housing insecurity when leasing and subleasing due to a lack of institutional support.
"Students are responsible for finding their own sub-leasers with little to no help from the housing offices. Class Facebook pages and Anteater Housing Network become cluttered with posts about every detail of students’ apartments in order to find a match; students even go as far as hanging flyers around campus."
Research & Explanation
—"What methods will I use to help drive clarity and focus on my solution?"
UX RESEARCH METHOD 01: SECONDARY RESEARCH & INTERVIEWING
We conducted user interviews with four college students from different schools to better understand housing challenges. The goal was to gain insight into their experiences and explore how LeaseEase could address these issues.
What are some housing challenges that you faced when subleasing/leasing?
“I wish we established a contract, because they stained the carpet floor and wasn’t willing to compensate it.”
— UC Berkeley
“They didn’t pay the last two month’s rent and blocked me on every platform.”
— San Jose State University
“I found my tenant off facebook, but they ghosted me and never showed up after I rejected everyone else.”
— UC Santa Barbara
“I wish I knew what kind of people my housemates are and their living habits before I moved in.”
— University of Southern California
UX RESEARCH METHOD 02: USER SURVEYS
Given the time constraints of this project, we decided to distribute surveys via social media and received 31 responses from individuals who have experienced subleasing challenges.
59.3%
Poor Communication
59.3% of participants has experienced poor communication with landlord and sub-tenant.
54.8%
Contract/Security Deposit
44.4%
Inaccurate Listings
37%
Scams/Unsecured Payment
37% of participants have experienced scams and unsecured payments through zelle or venmo
Define /Opportunity Space
—"How am I going to address the pain points in my design?"
After interviewing the participants and screening the current products available on the market, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of our audience. More so, with these pain points in mind, we can begin to translate the insights into features for the platform. Our next step was defining the user persona and journey roadmap.
Pain Point #1: Payment and Legal Uncertainty
Include built-in legal contract templates and a secure payment system for deposits and rent, ensure both parties are legally and financially protected
Users could customize and sign contracts directly within the app, with security deposits managed through a trusted third party to prevent disputes.
Pain Point #2: Trust and Security Concerns
Introduce an identity verification system to confirm the legitimacy of both sub-leasers and sub-tenants.
Ensure users feel safe and secure when entering into a lease agreement.
Pain Point #3: Lack of Search Filters
Implement advanced search filters that allow users to specify preferences like location, price, length of sublease, and other relevant factors.
Help sub-leasers and sub-tenants quickly find the right match without scrolling through irrelevant listings.
Pain Point #4: Communication difficulty
In-app messaging with push notifications to prevent missed opportunities.
Users can quickly respond to potential matches without having to rely on social media DMs that often go unnoticed.
Synthesis: Journey Mapping
Based upon data from in-person interviews, surveys and competitive analysis, we organized my observations and categorized them using a customer journey map. This helped me expose pain points and areas for improvement in the app along the entire user journey.
User Persona
We created two journey maps to accommodate the needs of two distinct user types. Following this, we will develop two user personas—one for the sub-tenant and one for the sub-landlord.
Design
Our initial user research uncovered key opportunities to improve the leasing and subleasing experience, such as enhancing trust, simplifying search and communication, and ensuring secure transactions. For the design, we focused on streamlining the onboarding process, refining search functionality, and improving communication tools to create a more seamless experience.
Additionally, we emphasized personalization, making it easier for users to find and secure listings that match their preferences. Existing platforms lacked a cohesive approach to trust-building and efficient discovery, and our redesign aimed to address these gaps by creating a more intuitive and reliable solution.
Setting up the Structure
—Ideas to Action
Before designing, we wanted to establish a strong foundation for the app by mapping out key interactions and navigation flows. These foundational elements provided a clear blueprint for the app, guiding our design decisions and ensuring a streamlined user experience.
Wireframes
Given the numerous features we aimed to incorporate, we prioritized a structured approach to ensure a smooth and cohesive development process.
To streamline execution, we consolidated all supported features, grouped them strategically, and assigned specific tasks to each designer. Throughout our process, we prioritized the clarity of each of our teammates. We really wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page which is why we took the approach we did.
Design System
We unanimously agreed on blue as the primary color, setting a foundation for the app’s visual identity. However, to create a cohesive design system, we needed to establish a structured approach to typography and iconography.
As we built the prototype in Figma, we introduced accent colors to differentiate features and enhance usability. This iterative process allowed us to refine the design while ensuring clarity and consistency across the interface.
Time to Deliver
—The Solution
LeaseEase is a mobile app that simplifies subleasing by offering secure payments, legally binding lease templates, and verified user profiles. With easy listings and in-app messaging, it ensures a safe and transparent experience for students and young professionals.
Identity Verification System
Built-in Legal Lease Agreement
Security Payment via Platform
Things that I learned
My passion for UI/UX Design
This was my first long-term UX design endeavor, where I had the opportunity to design an app from scratch. I found immense fulfillment in bringing an idea to life, navigating the entire design process from ideation to prototyping and iteration. Seeing the final prototype take shape was incredibly rewarding, as every decision was driven by user needs and thoughtful design.
As the Leader of this project, I learned to think with intention, negotiate with team members, and lead with both kindness and confidence. I also realized that how I present myself directly reflects on my team, shaping our collaboration and workflow. One of the most valuable takeaways from this experience was understanding that what seems self-explanatory to designers may not be for the general public, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, usability testing, and user validation.
If I had more time…
I would have conducted a second round of user research to gain deeper insights for further iteration. While my initial research informed the foundation of the design, additional testing would have allowed me to validate decisions, identify overlooked pain points, and refine the user experience even further.
