Introduction

In the context of the evolution of coliving in Spain, Cotown embarked on a journey to transform the experience of its cotowners, comprising students and young professionals, through an innovative approach to user interface (UI) design. To achieve this goal, Cotown reached out to implement a pre-defined design strategy and style guide.

The challenge was clear: applying these concepts to an interactive prototype in Figma that would reflect Cotown's vision and elevate the user experience to new heights. In this case study, we will explore how I collaborated with Cotown to achieve this transformation.

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Context

Coliving, a housing concept that encourages community living and shared spaces, is still relatively nascent in Spain's rental culture. While the idea of communal living is gradually gaining traction, it's essential to note that the country has been traditionally rooted in more traditional housing arrangements. However, the landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by shifting demographics and evolving lifestyles.

Cotown found itself in a competitive arena with direct competitors already offering similar services, such as Livensa, Urban Campus, or Enso Living. Notably, The Social Hub has emerged as a frontrunner in the market, setting the benchmark for interface design and amassing a significant customer base. In this dynamic environment, Cotown's commitment to innovative UI design plays a pivotal role in establishing a unique and compelling presence in the coliving landscape of Spain.

In the context of Cotown's target user persona, which often comprises young individuals with medium to high purchasing power and a strong digital presence, UI design holds a crucial role. These tech-savvy individuals have grown accustomed to seamless digital experiences through their continuous engagement with various online platforms and social media.

A well-crafted UI design not only enhances the functionality of Cotown's platform but also appeals to the aesthetic and usability preferences of this demographic, making it a key factor in attracting and retaining their interest in the coliving experience.

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Design Challenges

Here's a list of design challenges that Cotown encountered when we started the collaboration, considering its status as an emerging company without an in-house design team:

• Resource Constraints: As an emerging company, Cotown faced resource constraints, including budget limitations, which could affect the extent to which design enhancements can be implemented.

• Execution Within a Tight Two-Month Timeline: An additional formidable challenge we faced was the need to execute the entire project within an exceptionally tight two-month timeline. With ambitious goals and a commitment to delivering a superior user interface, meeting this deadline demanded efficient coordination, meticulous planning, and unwavering dedication.

• Responsive Web Design: Ensuring that the website's design is responsive and user-friendly across various devices, particularly mobile, is crucial to cater to a diverse user base.

• International Appeal: Attracting international customers to Spain requires thoughtful design elements that accommodate different languages, cultures, and user preferences.

• User-Friendly Experience: Creating a seamless and user-friendly experience on the website is vital, as it directly impacts user satisfaction and retention.

• Intuitive Purchase Funnel: Designing an intuitive and efficient purchase funnel is essential to guide users through the booking process swiftly and with minimal friction.

• Accessibility: Ensuring that the website is accessible to individuals with disabilities is not only a design challenge but also a legal requirement in many regions.

• Scalability: Designing a scalable UI that can accommodate future growth and expansion into new markets is a strategic consideration.

• Consistency: Maintaining consistency in design elements, branding, and user experience across the website and associated platforms is critical for building trust and recognition.

• Feedback Mechanism: Establishing a feedback mechanism within the UI to gather user input and continuously improve the design is a challenge worth addressing.

By recognizing and addressing these design challenges, Cotown was better position itself to provide a compelling and user-friendly coliving experience in Spain while differentiating itself from competitors.

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Key Design Elements

In our quest to transform the coliving experience for Cotown, several critical design elements were developed and implemented:

• Iconography: We created a unique set of icons tailored to Cotown's brand identity. These icons not only served as visual aids but also contributed to a more intuitive and engaging user interface.

• Accessibility: To ensure inclusivity, we adapted the style guide to meet basic accessibility criteria. This included considerations for color contrast, text legibility, and screen reader compatibility, making Cotown's platform accessible to a wider audience.

• Component Library: We established a comprehensive component library, streamlining the design process and ensuring consistency across the platform. These reusable design components allowed for efficient updates and maintenance.

• Information Architecture: A new information architecture was meticulously crafted to enhance user navigation and discoverability. The restructured content flow made it easier for users to find what they needed quickly and efficiently.

• Purchase Funnel Design: One of the central design challenges was optimizing the purchase funnel for speed and effectiveness. We designed a streamlined and user-friendly booking process, reducing friction and drop-off rates.

• Navigation and Detail Pages: For inspiration and best practices, we drew from industry giants like Airbnb, Booking, and Ikea. By incorporating proven navigation and detail page designs, we aimed to provide users with a familiar and user-friendly experience while maintaining Cotown's unique identity.

These key design elements played a pivotal role in achieving our objectives, from differentiation and accessibility to scalability and user-centricity. They formed the building blocks of a cohesive and engaging user interface that transformed the coliving experience for Cotown's diverse and tech-savvy user base.

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Lessons Learned and Future Enhancements

The journey of redesigning Cotown's user interface presented valuable lessons. One significant challenge was the absence of an in-house, cohesive team of designers and developers. The involvement of a third-party development team occasionally led to communication and implementation issues.

This experience underscored the importance of a meticulous final design delivery process, including detailed notes and clarifications for various pages and components. Additionally, it became apparent that acquiring basic HTML and CSS knowledge was essential to enhance communication with the front-end team, making collaboration more effective.

Looking ahead, a critical area for future improvement revolves around scalability. While designing, the possibility of Cotown expanding to numerous cities and increasing its property listings significantly was not initially considered. As such, the website's scalability must be addressed to accommodate potential growth seamlessly. This proactive approach will ensure that Cotown's online platform can continue to offer an outstanding user experience as it continues to evolve and expand its footprint in the coliving market.

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Conclusion

In the journey to transform the coliving experience, our partnership with Cotown has been both enriching and rewarding. We've tackled design challenges head-on, striving to create a user-centric interface that not only differentiates Cotown but also enhances accessibility and scalability. The collaborative effort, though not without its challenges, has resulted in a design that reflects Cotown's vision to revolutionize coliving in Spain.

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Explore the prototype!

I invite you to explore the prototype that has been meticulously crafted to optimize the user experience. While some animations are pending implementation by the development team, the prototype showcases our focus on structure, navigation, layout, and usability. Click the button below to access the prototype and witness the future of coliving with Cotown.