Smart Water Monitoring for Property Managers
Smart Water Monitoring for Property Managers
Project overview
Project overview
In the U.S., the average home loses around 10,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks, and in multi-property family buildings, this adds up to nearly $20 billion in annual losses. To address this, our client, a smart water monitoring company, aimed to scale their solution by enabling homeowners to share their leak data with building staff. We designed a centralized platform that helps property managers and staff monitor issues in real time across multiple properties and respond quickly to prevent costly damage.
In the U.S., the average home loses around 10,000 gallons of water per year due to leaks, and in multi-property family buildings, this adds up to nearly $20 billion in annual losses.
To address this, our client, a smart water monitoring company, aimed to scale their solution by enabling homeowners to share their leak data with building staff. We designed a centralized platform that helps property managers and staff monitor issues in real time across multiple properties and respond quickly to prevent costly damage.
🙋🏼♀️ My role
🙋🏼♀️ My role
As the UX Designer in a two-person team, I was responsible for:
As the UX Designer in a two-person team, I was responsible for:
Leading the initial discovery and definition phases of the design process
Create user personas to represent our target audience accurately
Define and prioritize features based on user needs and project objectives
Create user flows and wireframes aligned with the defined requirements
Supported the creation of final screens once the client had approved a UI concept
Leading the initial discovery and definition phases of the design process
Create user personas to represent our target audience accurately
Define and prioritize features based on user needs and project objectives
Create user flows and wireframes aligned with the defined requirements
Supported the creation of final screens once the client had approved a UI concept
The challenge
The challenge
Design a solution that enables property managers, concierges, and maintenance staff to:
Monitor leak detectors across multiple units and buildings
Receive and manage alerts in real time
Contact homeowners quickly to take action
Design a solution that enables property managers, concierges, and maintenance staff to:
Monitor leak detectors across multiple units and buildings
Receive and manage alerts in real time
Contact homeowners quickly to take action
Design brief canvas
Design brief canvas
To kick off the discovery phase, I used a Design Brief Canvas to frame the project. It was completed using insights from the client's initial documentation, our discovery session, and complementary desk research.
To kick off the discovery phase, I used a Design Brief Canvas to frame the project. It was completed using insights from the client's initial documentation, our discovery session, and complementary desk research.
User flow showcasing a device limit edge case.
Main flows included:
Account Creation
Streamlining the process for users to create accounts, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience.
Inviting Condo Owners
Facilitating efficient communication by enabling property managers to invite condo owners to share their device information.
Device Search and Direct Access
Enable support agents to quickly search for a device by ID and go straight to its detailed view, bypassing customer and location navigation when needed.
User flow for setting up alert preferences.
User flows
Based on the user personas’ goals and pain points, the user stories and product features were refined. These were prioritized using an MVP and a red routes matrix, helping us align with the client on priorities and create a work roadmap. Each story turned into a workflow.
Part of the user flow for setting up a dashboard and connecting devices.
User personas
Next, we created user personas. Although the product was primarily aimed at property managers, we also considered other key users such as building concierges and condo owners.
By identifying users’ goals, needs, and pain points, we were able to define user stories and move forward with the next phase of the design process.
User personas
Next, I created user personas based primarily on information provided by the client.
By identifying users’ goals, needs, and pain points, we were able to define user stories and move forward with the next phase of the design process.
User flows
Based on the user personas’ goals and pain points, the user stories and product features were refined. These were prioritized using an MVP and a red routes matrix, helping us align with the client on priorities and create a work roadmap. Each story turned into a workflow.
Part of the user flow for setting up a dashboard and connecting devices.
Main flows included:
Account Creation
Streamlining the process for users to create accounts, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience.
Inviting Condo Owners
Facilitating efficient communication by enabling property managers to invite condo owners to share their device information.
Alerts Management
Designing intuitive flows for users to receive alerts promptly and access alert history, ensuring timely action in case of emergencies.
Notification Settings
Allowing users to set up notification preferences for the dashboard.
User flow for setting up alert preferences.
User flow showcasing a device limit edge case.
User flows
Based on the user personas’ goals and pain points, the user stories and product features were refined. These were prioritized using an MVP and a red routes matrix, helping us align with the client on priorities and create a work roadmap. Each story turned into a workflow.
Main flows included:
Account Creation
Streamlining the process for users to create accounts, ensuring a seamless onboarding experience.
Inviting Condo Owners
Facilitating efficient communication by enabling property managers to invite condo owners to share their device information.
Device Search and Direct Access
Enable support agents to quickly search for a device by ID and go straight to its detailed view, bypassing customer and location navigation when needed.
User flows
Based on the user personas’ goals and pain points, the user stories and product features were refined. These were prioritized using an MVP and a red routes matrix, helping us align with the client on priorities and create a work roadmap. Each story turned into a workflow.
User personas
Next, I created user personas based primarily on information provided by the client.
By identifying users’ goals, needs, and pain points, we were able to define user stories and move forward with the next phase of the design process.
From wireframes to UI designs
From wireframes to UI designs
After validating the user flows and wireframes with the client, I handed them off to the UI designer, who developed the visual concepts and design system. Once the UI direction was defined, I supported the creation of UI designs using the established guidelines.
After validating the user flows and wireframes with the client, I handed them off to the UI designer, who developed the visual concepts and design system. Once the UI direction was defined, I supported the creation of UI designs using the established guidelines.
Clickable prototype
Clickable prototype
Along with the final UI designs we delivered a clickable prototype covering key workflows. Edge cases and error states were documented to support a smooth handoff and help the client move confidently into development.
💡 Project takeaways
Prioritizing the primary user can be enough
Prioritizing the primary user can be enough
We created personas for all users involved, but looking back, focusing only on the main user would have been enough to shape the initial experience of the product. The goals and needs of other users, like concierges, could have been based on assumptions and adjusted later on for further version.
We created personas for all users involved, but looking back, focusing only on the main user would have been enough to shape the initial experience of the product. The goals and needs of other users, like concierges, could have been based on assumptions and adjusted later on for further version.
Scroll right to explore user flow sample: user setting up a dashboard 👉🏻
Scroll right to explore user flow sample: user setting up alert preferences 👉🏻
Scroll right to explore user flow sample: device limit edge case 👉🏻
UXUI Design・IoT, Home Automation Industry
UXUI Design・IoT, Home Automation Industry
2023
2023
Related Projects
Related Projects
This was my first project with this client, setting the foundation for later updates to the Smart Water Monitoring App and Customer Support Dashboard to support a new device and expanded features.
This was my first project with this client, setting the foundation for later updates to the Smart Water Monitoring App and Customer Support Dashboard to support a new device and expanded features.
Customer Support Dashboard
Smart Water Monitoring App