The Overview
Seven Capital
In collaboration with Seven Capital, a leading property development company based in London, I was asked to enhance the digital presence and user experience of their customer-facing platforms. Renowned for their high-quality residential and commercial developments, they recognise the need to provide a seamless and engaging online experience for prospective buyers, investors and stakeholders.
The Context
The primary objective of this project was to redesign Seven Capital's website and mobile application, focusing on intuitive navigation, appealing visual aesthetics and user-centric functionalities. By conducting thorough user research and employing best practices in UX design, I aimed to create a digital environment that not only reflected the company's brand values but also met the diverse needs of its audience.
The Challenge
Key deliverables included a fully responsive website, an optimised mobile app and a comprehensive user journey map. This project empowered Seven Capital to better engage with their customers, enhance their market presence and drive higher conversion rates through an improved digital interface.
Competitor Analysis
Design Research
To define the project's objectives, I conducted a workshop with key stakeholders, focusing on their perceptions of the current user experience and design aesthetic of the site. During this workshop, stakeholders expressed significant dissatisfaction with the site's user experience, citing issues such as poor navigation, a cluttered interface and a lack of intuitive design elements.
The design aesthetic was also criticised for being outdated and not reflecting the company's modern and innovative image. This feedback highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive redesign to enhance usability, streamline navigation and update the visual design to align with Seven Capital's brand identity.
I then found competitor websites and analysed their user experience and design aesthetics to identify best practices and areas for improvement. This competitive analysis revealed that many rival sites offered a more streamlined and user-friendly interface, with clear navigation and modern, visually appealing designs. Competitors often provided intuitive features, such as interactive property search tools, virtual tours and easily accessible information which enhanced user engagement and satisfaction. By benchmarking against these standards, I identified specific opportunities to elevate Seven Capital's site, ensuring it not only met but exceeded user expectations and effectively competed within the market.
User Personas
Based on the insights from the competitive analysis and stakeholder feedback, we identified three primary user personas for Seven Capital's website redesign: The Investor, The Homebuyer, and The Property Agent.
The Investor
A seasoned professional looking for lucrative development opportunities. They prioritise detailed information on investment returns, market trends and project timelines. Their user journey requires easy access to comprehensive financial data as well as clear project overviews with regular updates on investment progress.
The Homebuyer
Is often a young professional or a family seeking their dream home. They value an intuitive search functionality, high-quality images, virtual tours and transparent information about properties and neighbourhoods. Their experience should be seamless, enabling them to explore, compare and shortlist properties with ease.
The Property Agent
Acts as an intermediary, facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers. They need robust tools for managing listings, tracking client interactions and accessing up-to-date market information. An efficient dashboard and communication features are essential to streamline their workflow and enhance productivity. Each persona's unique needs and preferences informed the design strategy, ensuring the new site delivers a tailored and impactful experience for all users.
Usability tests
During the usability session we focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the website's design through interactive user testing and feedback. Participants from the target audience engaged with the old site, performing key tasks while providing real-time insights into their experience. We observed their interactions, noting areas where users encountered difficulties or confusion. This hands-on approach allowed us to identify usability issues and gather actionable feedback, which was then used to refine the design and improve overall user experience. The session was instrumental in ensuring that the final website was intuitive, user-friendly and aligned with Seven Capital’s objectives.
Streamline the layout of the homepage to prioritise key content and reduce visual clutter.
Ensure that important elements such as property listings, navigation menu, and calls-to-action are prominently displayed and easily accessible.
Improve the visibility of key information such as pricing details, contact information and FAQs to facilitate easier navigation for users.
Implement clear, intuitive navigation pathways to guide users towards desired actions, such as scheduling property viewings or signing up for newsletters.
Introduce real-time support options such as live chat or instant messaging to provide immediate assistance to users with inquiries or issues.
Enhance the availability of customer support resources and contact channels to ensure users can easily reach out for help or clarification.
Enhance the depth and richness of property descriptions with additional details about amenities and nearby attractions.
Include high-quality images and virtual tours to provide users with a comprehensive understanding of each property's unique features and characteristics.
Ensure transparency in pricing and terms of service to build trust and confidence among potential buyers and investors.
Provide clear and upfront information about payment options and property ownership processes to alleviate concerns and uncertainties.
Overall, the user testing session provided valuable insights into the usability and user experience of the Seven Capital website. While participants appreciated aspects such as the modern design and robust property search functionality, there were also areas for improvement identified, particularly regarding homepage layout, navigation clarity, real-time support options, property descriptions, and transparency in pricing and terms.
Mental Models
Understanding and Analysis
After conducting usability sessions with end users, I organised a workshop to collect and synthesise feedback from stakeholders. This session involved gathering their thoughts on the design. We discussed various aspects, including design aesthetics and user experience. The collected input was then categorised into key groups, such as design improvements, feature enhancements and user feedback integration. This structured approach ensured that stakeholder perspectives were effectively incorporated into the final design, aligning the project with both user needs and business objectives.
Objective
The objective of the user testing session was to evaluate the usability and user experience of Seven Capital's website from the perspective of potential property buyers, investors, and tenants. The focus was on assessing navigation, property search functionality, content clarity, and overall satisfaction with the website.
Key Findings: Positive Feedback
Participants liked the availability of virtual tours for properties, noting that it provided a more immersive experience and helped them visualise the space better.
Participants appreciated the modern and visually appealing design of the website, describing it as professional and polished.
Participants liked the availability of virtual tours for properties, noting that it provided a more immersive experience and helped them visualise the space better.
The website's responsiveness and fast loading times were mentioned positively by participants, contributing to a seamless browsing experience across different devices.
Areas for Improvement:
Several participants noted that the homepage felt cluttered and overwhelming, with too much information competing for attention. They suggested streamlining the layout to prioritise key content and reduce visual clutter.
Some participants encountered difficulties finding specific information, such as pricing details or contact information, suggesting that certain elements were not sufficiently prominent or easily accessible.
A few participants expressed frustration with the lack of real-time support options, such as live chat or immediate assistance from customer support representatives. They suggested adding more interactive features for instant help and guidance.
Several participants mentioned that the property descriptions could be more detailed and informative, with additional information about amenities, neighborhood features, and nearby attractions to help them make informed decisions.
Participants highlighted the importance of transparency regarding pricing, fees, and terms of service, suggesting that clear and upfront information would build trust and confidence among potential buyers and investors.
The solution
Designs
When working with Seven Capital to design their website for both desktop and mobile platforms, I conducted a comprehensive design workshop to align our vision and approach. The workshop began with a series of collaborative sessions involving key stakeholders from Seven Capital, including their marketing and sales teams. We focused on understanding their brand objectives, target audience, and specific design needs. By facilitating discussions and interactive exercises, we identified critical design elements and gathered valuable insights into user preferences and business goals.
Following the initial sessions, we conducted user journey mapping and wireframing exercises to explore and refine the website's layout and functionality. This iterative process allowed us to create and test design prototypes, ensuring that both desktop and mobile versions of the site were optimized for usability and visual appeal. The workshop fostered a strong partnership with Seven Capital, enabling us to deliver a cohesive and effective website design that met their requirements and enhanced their online presence.
Property cards
We knew that including punchy photography would help attract users and draw attention. Including details like the property name, location, price and tenure type allowed users to learn key pieces of information in small bite size pieces.
Overall, the design effectively balances functionality with visual appeal to create an intuitive and engaging browsing experience.
Property listings
We wanted to present property listings in a straightforward, scrollable format so users could quickly compare different options.
Here, Each listing prominently featured a high-quality image, the property name, location, price, and tenure type, making information immediately accessible. The consistent layout and simple typography ensure that the content is easy to read and navigate, contributing to a smooth and intuitive user experience.
Property categories
We wanted to organise content into visually distinct categories to allow easy exploration of different property types. The "Featured Collections" section is prominently displayed, guiding users to curated property categories such as "Urban Spaces," "Mid-Century Modern Homes," and "Family Homes." The design uses ample white space and clean typography, which not only improves readability but also creates a sense of elegance and simplicity.
Favourite picks
A vibrant image at the top captures attention, while concise studio details are clearly presented below. Clean, prominent CTA buttons guide users to explore each property further. To build trust and encourage engagement, impactful customer reviews are strategically placed, reassuring potential buyers and driving interest.
The Results
35% rise in average time spent on site, indicating users are more engaged with the new design.
22% increase in property inquiries and contact form submissions, reflecting higher user interest and action.
28% boost in mobile site visits, suggesting that the redesign made the mobile experience more appealing and user-friendly.
18% decrease in bounce rate, showing that users are finding the content more relevant and engaging.
30% improvement in user satisfaction scores, based on post-interaction surveys and feedback.
25% drop in customer support requests related to navigation and usability issues, indicating a more intuitive user experience.
40% rise in positive social media mentions, reflecting improved public perception and engagement with the brand.
Conclusion
#1 Expect Reactions
Designing for Seven Capital taught us that any changes can spark strong reactions from users, especially when it involves significant investments like real estate. We learned to handle updates carefully—whether it’s changing property images or transaction details. Working closely with customer support was key to making sure these improvements met user needs without causing unexpected backlash.
#2 Be Ready to Adapt
Our project showed how tricky it can be to work with complex systems and old technology. We discovered that being flexible and ready to adjust plans on the fly was crucial. Whenever we hit roadblocks, we had to brainstorm and pivot quickly to keep things moving smoothly.
#3 Systematic Design is Key
One major takeaway was the value of a systematic design approach. Adding new features isn’t just about slapping new elements onto the UI; it’s about figuring out what matters most to users and making thoughtful decisions before jumping into design. Using existing design systems and components rather than creating new ones helped us maintain consistency and make improvements more effectively.
#4 Understand User Journeys
We found it fascinating to see how different users interacted with Seven Capital’s site. Some users didn’t even start on the homepage but engaged through notifications or payment methods. This insight helped us design better for various scenarios and ensure a smooth experience no matter how users accessed the site.
#5 Listen to Everyone
The project really highlighted the importance of gathering feedback from a wide range of people. By listening to both internal team members and external users, we got valuable insights that shaped our design. This feedback, seen in both direct responses and social media mentions, was crucial for refining the product and making it better for everyone.