user testing & resulting changes

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Design Concept: Enhancing the Rental Experience for International Students" is an innovative project aimed at utilizing virtual reality technology to address the high cost of living that international students face during the rental process in Australia. We offer advanced virtual reality technology to enable international students to remotely survey potential housing, helping them avoid the economic burden of rising rental costs during peak periods.

VR HomeVista boasts an exquisite design, distinctive remote viewing and rental functionalities, robust usability, and user interaction. This final design artifact incorporates high-quality visual effects, undergoes multiple rounds of testing and iteration, and concludes by summarizing key points for further improvement.

3D design artifact

Project Background

Reflection

VR Home Vista prototype stands out for its originality and meticulous craftsmanship. We believe it excels in both aesthetic appeal and functional prowess. The design is clean and modern, emphasising visual simplicity to enhance the user experience. Our holistic approach considers the multifaceted nature of the real estate ecosystem, resulting in a product that serves a wide range of stakeholders. We integrate diverse perspectives and user requirements, making VR Home Vista a truly innovative product. In future iterations, we envision connecting our product to existing platforms (e.g., real estate domains) through business collaborations. By adding interfaces to these software, we can integrate our product and services, facilitating tasks such as VR property viewing and contract signing. This success is not only ours but also contributes to the success of the real estate and domain industries. We create a larger market through collaboration.

VR Home Vista is more than just a VR device; it represents our team's journey in learning design thinking and the user experience design process. The product recognizes the need in the current market to bridge gaps through technology and provide an experience that transforms the process of seeking and settling into a pleasant and efficient journey. As we continue to iterate, we aim to deliver a better and more comprehensive product.

Changes compared to Mid - fidelity prototype

Addressing the Equipment Cost Issue - By adding an insertion port at the top of VR HomeVista, users can insert their smartphones, utilizing them as the screen and computer for VR. This significantly alleviates cost concerns, as users only need to purchase the affordable VR Case for VR HomeVista, and the phone will seamlessly integrate upon insertion.


Enhancing the Rental Experience for Users

1. Long-pressing the front of VR HomeVista activates the voice assistant feature, allowing users to verbally express their preferences, with the system automatically suggesting preferred housing options.


2. Introducing a "Favorites" button - enabling users to bookmark their preferred houses/apartments and providing a convenient contract button.


3. Remote signing of lease agreements - activating the contract-signing mode with a long-press, initiating immediate communication between agents/landlords and users to complete the leasing process remotely.


Aesthetic Upgrade - Overall refinement of the appearance, enhancing visual appeal, and improving overall comfort when worn.

unattractive appearance

enhancing the remote viewing experience

the need to consider equipment costs

addressing insufficient interactivity

VR Home Vista is the result of our team's journey through the entire design and iteration process, aligning more closely with our goals to provide a more convenient service for international students. Traditional methods of property viewing pose challenges, including geographical limitations, time constraints, and the complexity of coordinating multiple viewings. We observed that in Sydney, international students, a rapidly growing demographic in the real estate market, face even more daunting challenges.

VR Home Vista, designed by our team, leverages cutting-edge VR technology to create dynamic, interactive real estate tours. The product enables users to explore numerous properties in a virtual world, experiencing the depth, scale, and ambiance of each space with a fidelity that photos cannot match. Through this technology, users can observe every corner of a room, an experience unattainable for international students abroad. Previously, most international students could only make housing decisions based on images or videos sent by agents, severely limiting their ability to choose. Our VR Home Vista is an evolution in user-centric viewing experiences, allowing users to tour properties at their leisure, unrestricted by location or time. We anticipate that this service will be well-received by international students, as a small percentage, based on our survey, decide to rent without even seeing a video of their rooms, given the lack of better alternatives through our product. Booking and signing contracts across the seas can be achieved through our product.

incorporating additional rental functionalities

Prototypes

Through our research, we found that a major factor contributing to the increased expenses for international students in renting accommodation is the practice of many students returning to their home countries during semester breaks and coming back to Australia just before the start of the new semester. During the back-to-school season, the prices for different types of housing in various regions can fluctuate significantly, leading to a substantial rise in living costs for international students. In response to this issue, our group conducted interviews with users facing such situations.


Based on the interview results, we discovered that these users prefer the option to choose their accommodation in Australia before their return, eliminating the need to secure housing during the period of significant rent fluctuations. Remote apartment viewing is a solution to assist international students in inspecting potential residences in Australia while still abroad, allowing them to avoid renting during periods of substantial rental price variations and ultimately reducing their overall living costs.

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Rationale for how VR homevista

could reduce cost of living pressures

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Australia is currently experiencing a significant surge in housing prices. Taking the year 2014 as an example, the median rental prices in Sydney and Melbourne skyrocketed by 18.9% and 7.8%, respectively. As of today, rental prices in popular Australian cities continue to display an upward trend. There is a strong demand for rental housing among international students in Australia, with the majority opting to rent accommodation. Rental expenses constitute a substantial portion of international students' cost of living.

VR HomeVista

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Design process

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We employed the “Double Diamond” design process, delving into in-depth research on the rising cost of living for international students in the realm of renting. Our initial research aimed to uncover the root causes, revealing that the cost increase is primarily linked to fluctuations in rental prices during the periods between the end and the beginning of academic semesters due to students returning home during vacations.

Framing of the Opportunity - Summarised the needs and pain points into an affinity diagram.

Ideation - Brainstorming techniques to generate innovative design concepts and solutions

Generating Concept - We chosen VR HomeVista concept by using “Decision metrics” method

Concept Testing - Use interview to receive feedback from testers

Prototype Production - Use interview to receive feedback from testers

Iteration(Mid - fidelity prototype)

Presentation Feedback & 2nd round Test - We obtained key evolutionary information based on critical feedback from Tutor Paulo and using Think-Aloud & Usability Testing methods.

Iteration(High - fidelity prototype) - More complete functions and exquisite appearance