Overview: Redefining the Property Search Experience
ImmoScout24 is a real estate app that simplifies property searches in Switzerland, offering tools to explore listings, manage mortgage options, and connect landlords and tenants.
As the Senior Product Designer, I led design improvements that enhanced accessibility, usability, and safety, including the redesign of the search page, the introduction of a map search, and the creation of virtual tours during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Problem: Fragmented Search and Service Experience
Before my involvement, users faced challenges in quickly filtering and visualizing properties based on proximity to key locations, and the app’s services were disjointed, requiring users to navigate between web and mobile. These issues created friction for users trying to find homes or access necessary services within a single experience.
Design Approach: Improving the User Journey
To address these issues, I adopted a user-centered approach driven by both user research and data analytics from my colleages in Switzerland. I studied Swiss Gen X and Gen Y behaviors to understand how users approached house-hunting. Their needs focused on accurate, up-to-date property information and a vast range of supporting services.
Optimizing for Destination-Based Property Needs
Users frequently wanted to know how close listings were to essential destinations (e.g., work, schools).
I designed a feature where users could set two specific destinations and see how far each property were from these places when viewing the listing page and the listing detail page. This brought a sense of control and precision to the home search process, allowing users to make decisions with confidence.
Safe Property Exploration During the Pandemic
As COVID-19 disrupted in-person property visits, I also participated in designing virtual tours, allowing users to explore homes remotely. This feature not only addressed the safety concerns and but also created long-term value for users and landlords by expanding the pool of prospective buyers or renters.
The challenge is integrating this feature seamlessly into an existing property listing page while keeping it simple for non-tech-savvy users. The solution was a clean, embedded interface for users to toggle between photos and interactive virtual tours.
Making Services Easier to Find and Use
Users previously had to switch between the ImmoScout24 app and the web to access additional services like mortgage management, creating a fragmented experience. The goal was to increase the app's revenue by promoting in-app service purchases while reducing user friction.
I applied a layout that grouped services neatly, making navigation straightforward. This allowed users to transition smoothly between property searches and service inquiries, improving user engagement and service uptake.
Impact: Improving the UX and Boosting Business Metrics
The improvements resulted in:
A 78% user retention rate, driven by the intuitive search functionalities and virtual tours.
A jump to #1 in Real Estate on the Swiss App Store for several months, showing the increased user satisfaction.
My contribution to the design system reduced collaboration time by 16%, enhancing productivity of teams in Vietnam and Switzerland.
Reflection: Designing for Seamless, Intuitive Experiences
At ImmoScout24, I learned to balance user-centered design with business objectives, creating features that enhanced both the app’s usability and its revenue potential. By improving core features like the search page, map exploration, and virtual tours, I helped redefine the way users interacted with real estate during a challenging time.
This experience sharpened my ability to design for diverse user needs while maintaining a clear focus on driving business results.
Next work
