Summary:
The real estate appraisal process includes property inspection, measurement, comparison with similar homes in the area, and generating a value estimate report. This app automates certain aspects of the process and streamlines the inspection.
Problem statement
Appraisers have their own classic methods for inspecting residential properties, but they struggle to remember details from the inspection visit, needing to take notes, photos, and recall conversations with property owners, which is inefficient.
The Solution
After weeks of research on residential appraisers, I developed a comprehensive mobile app that consolidates all inspection tasks—such as taking photos, notes, and other details—making it easier for appraisers to generate valuation reports with greater accuracy and less effort.
Team Members:
Hossein Sharafi: Product Designer
Arta Mokaberi: Usability Consultant
Alireza Nafisi Project Coordinator
The Process (Design Thinking)
| Discover | Define | Ideate | Design |
| – Interview – Observation | – Affinity Diagram – Task Analysis – Defining Problems | – Brainstorming – Impact-Effort Matrix – User Flow – Story Board | – Wireframes – User Interface |
Discover
User Interview Findings
- Appraisers typically inspect the properties solo. Measuring, taking photos, and making notes simultaneously can be challenging, often leading to the appraiser overlooking some details.
- In large projects, following an inspection, it can be challenging for the appraiser to recall which photo corresponds to each room in the property, leading to wrong report generation.
Observation Findings
- An inspection visit may last anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, during which the appraiser may become fatigued, potentially resulting in errors when recording information.
- Some appraisers have designed their own forms to assist them in taking notes during the inspection.
- Certain properties feature two or more dwellings that must be inspected a single visit, necessitating the appraiser to assess them collectively.
Define
Affinity Diagram
Task Analysis
Task analysis is a visual tool that outlines the steps users take to complete a specific action. Below is the property inspection task analysis derived from my user research data.
- The Inspector contacts the property owner to set a visit.
- The inspector gathers data on the property using online resources.
- The inspector goes to the property address and starts the inspection process by taking photos and notes and talking to the property manager about the dwelling’s features.
- The inspector categorizes the photos and notes in folders, returns to the office and uploads the images to a cloud service to transfer them to his computer.
- If some photos are overlooked, the inspector must return to the property to take them or ask the property manager to send them to him.
- The inspector adds the photos from the property to specific report forms and fills out the form based on the property’s notes.
- The inspector finishes the report and then sends it to the bank or the client.
Defining Problems
According to user research findings, the primary challenges during the inspection process are as follows:
- Information Management and Organization (Data collection during inspection, data storage and transfer)
- Property Complexity (Each property presents unique characteristics making standardization difficult)
- Property Access and Time Constraints (Restrictions on property access or limited time to inspect)
Ideate
Brainstorming – Ideas
I shared the research findings with the team and invited their suggestions on how appraisers could address these challenges. The outcome is illustrated in the diagram below:
Impact-Effort Matrix
We have organized all ideas into an impact-effort matrix to identify a software solution that can benefit both appraisers and our team.
User Flow of an Inspection Tool (Mobile App)
This user flow is designed to enable appraisers to effortlessly create and manage inspection projects, capture photos, record notes, and employ predefined checklists to optimize their workflow. The app’s intuitive procedure ensures that users can carry out their tasks efficiently with no friction and seamlessly transfer all files and notes to their computers.
Story Board
Story boarding helps all stakeholders to learn about the process and user actions.
Design
Paper prototypes
Despite the abundance of digital wireframing tools, paper wireframes still offer benefits such as quick generation, focus on the process and effortless presentation to team members.
Wireframes
This app primarily provides a comprehensive residential appraisal inspection (with photos and notes). Inspectors can add unlimited photos and notes, save them as a project, and then transfer the project to the cloud for further use.
High-Fidelity User Interface for Android Phones
The user interface is designed using Figma, based on Android UI standards. The iOS version will be designed after the successful release of the first version.
