ILAN SHEMESH
An app for managing apartment defects and final delivery processes for buyers.
Project ID
The Idea
The app seeks to create a platform that will allow for the management of irregularities on construction sites, as well as for the quick and efficient transfer of properties to future tenants. Currently, property management procedures are carried out manually, delaying the delivery of apartments and creating a disconnect between contractors and construction workers regarding the repair of damages.
The Challenge
Main challenges in the characterization of the app:
- Creating a dashboard containing all the necessary information, including: number of apartments, contractors and overdue impairments
- A clear and captivating interface
- Quick receptiveness for deficiencies
The Research
Contrast
After prolonged research into the working conditions of construction site workers,
I characterized numerous challenges:
- Extended work under direct sun exposure
- Conduct in buildings lacking functional lighting
- Dust-filled environments
- The damage of screen displays caused by the transfer of dirt from the hands
In consideration of these obstacles, I designed a layout containing sharp and striking colors
in order for the user to successfully operate the system under challenging working conditions.
Efficiency and Speed
Time is a crucial component in the system, hence the following were emphasized:
- Large tabs containing summaries of the most critical information
- Clear and distinct divisions within the text
- A quick and smart search tool allowing for direct access to all the information in the system
- Notification alerts for construction workers regarding new defects, as well as for tenants when signing protocols
User Understanding
The app is mainly designed for builders and project managers who rarely use complicated
technologies. Therefore, developing a straightforward and easily-operated system was crucial in easing
these individuals in the transition from the current manual process to a comfortable digital platform.
Wireframes
User Interface Components
User Interface Mocks
The dashboard was designed in a minimalistic and clear fashion, where general information may be located in the top-right corner, a notification bar of potential defects at the bottom, and a list of construction workers and professionals who are not punctual to the left. The latter data is important as it informs the site manager which of his employees is underperforming.
In order to prevent an information overload and maintain a clean system, I designed a side menu concentrating all general information, including lists of property owners, projects and workers.
Notification menu: The menu was designed to display clusters containing alerts of the same type. For further ease of use, different clusters are distinguished using icons and colors.
After the user presses on an alert, they are shown a list of the fields of work related to the cluster which the alert is characterized as, along with all the relevant details and information
The user may access their notification history from the notification bar at any time
I created a special control for the system user, from which they can edit their profile and log out of the system.
The user may access a list of their recent searches which includes the category each search belongs to.
A screen showcasing a list of the apartments in the building, with the number of defects or deficiencies within each apartment. The default system is designed so that the apartment with the greatest number of deficiencies will appear first.
The defect creation screen, which is used to record new damages requiring fixing, was designed as two parts:
To the right, the outline of a map on which damages or deficiencies may be marked, while to the left, an editing option for defects which were previously recorded.
This format was created in order to allow the user to visually see the location of the impairment, as well as to speed along the process of reporting a defect.
To accelerate the process, I used Presents and Chips instead of Drop Down. The user can therefore always show their marked information without any additional clicks.
I introduced the option of speech recognition, allowing the user to dictate their remarks and issues. Along with their comments, the user may insert no more than four images per defect, in order to:
- Prevent system and server overload
- Allow the user to view the full picture. Inserting over four images would require scrolling and therefore hide a portion of the information
After their insertion, defects and deficiencies appear in separate sections. I created a system allowing each defect to be characterized by its location, type, date of establishment and status (“Approved”, “Fixed” and “Open”). Furthermore, I positioned the defects as points on a map, with the type of defect listed below each point.
In the case of an extreme number of defects in one apartment, I created a filter allowing for selection by type of defect and status.
Within the protocol tab in the lower right corner, I add a + button which allows for the creation of a new protocol, to be placed above the previous protocols.
I split the process of establishing a “new protocol” into three phases, each focusing on a different topic. The first phase includes general details which offer the tenant clarification on coordinating expectations with regards to the management of defects. Below I added two fields for digital signatures.
The digital signature screen was designed to be relatively large in order to obtain a suitable signature. Additionally, I created a distinct separation between the options “OK” and “Cancel” to avoid mistakes.
In the second phase, I created a sketch showing all the defects and their locations to allow for full transparency with the tenant regarding the state of the apartment. This way, the tenant is able to communicate with the project manager if any new defects must be recorded.
In the second phase, I created a sketch showing all the defects and their locations to allow for full transparency with the tenant regarding the state of the apartment. This way, the tenant is able to communicate with the project manager if any new defects must be recorded.
In the “Buyers” tab, I collected the information of all the property owners of the apartment and added a navigation option in the case that an owner owns more than one property.
