Bringing Location Rentals to Life Through Intuitive Design
Who Said Finding a Home Would Be Easy?
ROLE
Lead UI/UX Designer
DESIGN DURATION
6 Weeks
READ TIME
8 minutes
Project Overview
Lively began as a simple Squarespace site with basic information and limited functionality. The platform had potential, but users were often confused and struggled to understand how it worked.
My goal was to redesign the site into a more dynamic, user-friendly experience one that allowed people to explore rental locations with ease and get a real sense of each space. This had to be accomplished with limited resources, which made the challenge even greater.
I led the redesign from start to finish, transforming the site into a modern, responsive platform built on WordPress. The focus was on improving the user journey, adding essential features such as a search bar and filtering, and creating a system that enabled users to communicate directly with landlords.
Chapter 1:
We Have a Problem
The original Lively site had a broad vision but lacked the structure to support true user exploration. With limited functionality and a static layout, it was difficult for visitors to browse available locations or understand what made each space unique.
As interest in the platform grew, the gaps became clear. This wasn’t just about improving aesthetics it was about enabling users to find the right space easily while giving the brand a strong foundation for growth.
A key issue was the absence of a reliable communication system between tenants and landlords. Users needed a centralized place to ask questions, report issues, and manage their rentals. Without it, the platform couldn’t meet their needs.
Chapter 2:
The Research
Because the original site offered limited data, I relied on competitive analysis to uncover best practices in the rental market. Platforms like Zillow and StreetEasy were studied for how they structure information, guide users through search flows, and present properties in visually engaging ways.
To gather additional insights, I used AI tools to surface common pain points in the rental space and designed a short survey to capture user expectations. At the end of the design phase, we conducted three rounds of QA with the CEO, leadership team, and other teammates, ensuring the experience aligned with both business goals and user needs.
Key Questions I Asked:
question
What do users need in order to confidently browse and compare rental locations?
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Zillow and StreetEasy use strong filtering, maps, and photo galleries.
question
How can we make each space feel unique and appealing without overwhelming the user?
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Explored how to use imagery and layout to strike a balance between inspiration and clarity.
question
What do other rental platforms do well and what can we improve on for a more seamless experience?
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From overcomplicated interfaces to cluttered search results, I pinpointed what to avoid and what to simplify.
Chapter 3:
Smarter search and filtering
Users can easily search for properties based on location, price, number of beds and baths, and availability, making it quicker to find the right match
Listing-friendly property pages
Each property now has clear, accessible information, and users can save listings to their personal dashboard for future reference or to schedule a tour.
User-friendly tenant dashboard
Tenants can easily view their upcoming rent payments and request maintenance or service work directly through the platform.
Admin-friendly dashboard
Admins can quickly access tenant and property details to assist users with any inquiries or issues, streamlining support and management.
Chapter 4:
Collaboration & Challenges
This project required collaboration across multiple departments. I worked closely with the CEO to align the redesign with business objectives and engagement targets, while my main day-to-day collaboration was with engineers.
One of the biggest challenges was building a fast, responsive site without sacrificing a clean and engaging UI. Communication was key, regular check-ins gave each team the space to share concerns and solve problems collectively.
The largest technical challenge was designing and implementing the tenant and landlord messaging system. We needed to ensure that conversations were seamless and reliable, since this would become the primary communication channel for users. Throughout the process, I consistently advocated for user needs to guide decision-making.
The redesigned Lively Rentals platform launched successfully, providing a smooth browsing experience with enhanced search, filtering, and booking flows. The new dashboard allowed tenants to easily manage rentals, request maintenance, and communicate with landlords all within one system.
The mobile-first design ensured accessibility across devices and browsers. Feedback has been positive, with users noting the platform’s improved functionality and ease of use. Beyond the immediate impact, the redesign also laid the foundation for future growth and feature expansion.
Importantly, our work didn’t stop at launch. We prioritized ongoing monitoring to track performance and ensure the platform continued to meet evolving user needs.
