RentBuddy
Timeline
8 weeks | Spring 2024
Role
Product Design
Team
Just me :P
Tools
Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
00 Overview
Helping college students find housing and roommates with ease.
Rent Buddy is a mobile application designed to address the challenges of off-campus housing for college students in San Luis Obispo. The app provides vetted housing options and a roommate matching feature to connect students with compatible roommates. Over eight weeks, I conducted research and prototyped a solution that makes the housing search simpler, faster, and less stressful for students.
Project Timeline
I was given 8 weeks to conduct research and complete my Senior Project. Due to such short time constraints, it was important for me to work efficiently and diligently. To ensure an appropriate amount of time was dedicated towards research and ideation, I created a timeline including temporary deadlines and progress markers.
01 The Problem
From Dorms to Dead Ends…
Imagine you’re in your second year of college.
You need to figure out your housing situation for next school year, but with classes, work, and extracurriculars, you don’t have time to search for housing, verify listings, or track down compatible roommates.
How might we create an easy-to-access mobile application that provides a reliable and trustworthy platform for Cal Poly students to find potential roommates and off-campus housing?
02 Research and Insights
User Survey
I designed an anonymous survey through Google Forms to uncover the pain points regarding the search for off-campus housing and roommates in San Luis Obispo. To categorize pain points according to housing versus roommates, I divided the survey questions into two categories. Most respondents found the housing and roommate search difficult and believed a mobile application would be helpful.
This is what some respondents mentioned about the housing search process:
“After my first year, it was difficult finding housing because I didn't know the area.”
“The process for finding housing was very informal for me, so many people wouldn’t get back to me at all.”
“There is not much affordable housing in SLO which makes the search tough”
This is what some respondents mentioned about the roommate searching process:
“I am pretty shy so it is hard to find potential roomates and I am pretty nit picky on who I would like to live with.”
“[It’s] hard to find compatible people, I want [someone] to have same living habits and also be able to be friendly, but not everyone is truthful about their habits.”
“It is nervwracking reaching out to people and figuring out living situations with people you generally didn't know to well.”
Based on the responses, the most important features to include were:
Personalized matches: Tailored roommate recommendations using each user’s preferences, needs, and compatibility factors.
Roommate preference filters: Filter potential roommates based on key preferences, lifestyle habits, budget, and compatibility.
Direct messaging: Connect with potential roommates through built-in direct messages to ask questions, share details, and start conversations.
Housing details: Explore essential housing information including prices, amenities, reviews, and photos.
Housing Preference Filters: Narrow down housing options by price, location, amenities, and personal preferences.
03 Design Exploration
Competitive Analysis
Identity Brainstorming
For my logo design, I was inspired by 90’s mascots and various character logos. In my initial sketches, I played with the idea of turning a house into a mascot with human features. I wanted the mascot to look friendly and cute. Having a friendly mascot would entice users, develop brand awareness, and trust.
User Journey
The user journey was designed to make finding both a compatible roommate and the right home feel simple and intuitive. From setting personal preferences and discovering tailored roommate matches to exploring housing options and connecting with potential roommates, each step guides users toward finding a living situation that fits their lifestyle, needs, and budget.
Low Fidelity Sketches
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
04 Final Solution
Design System
The design system combines a clean sans-serif typeface with a friendly mascot and school-inspired colors to create an approachable, cohesive experience. The typography keeps the interface modern and easy to navigate, while the mascot adds personality and warmth. School colors reinforce a sense of community and familiarity, helping the product feel both trustworthy and distinctly connected to its audience.
Final Mascot Designs
Rent Buddy: The All-In-One College Housing App
A simpler way for college students to find housing, discover compatible roommates, and connect with a community that feels like home.
Personalized Onboarding
Set preferences and lifestyle details to create a more personalized housing and roommate experience from the start.
Student Verification
Verify student status to create a more trusted and secure community for connecting with potential roommates and housing.
Direct Messaging
Connect with potential roommates through direct messaging to ask questions and get to know each other.
Roommate Filtering
Filter roommate matches by lifestyle, preferences, budget, and other factors to find the right fit.
Housing Filtering
Quickly narrow down housing options by price, location, amenities, and other preferences.
05 Challenges and Lessons Learned
Instead of waiting until later in the quarter, I would start working on my project much earlier. The one task I would highly recommend starting earlier would be the branding of the app. I believe this took me the longest time to complete and it was responsible for most of the project’s delay. Next time, I will also send out my survey much earlier. Despite the quick turnaround time, I am incredibly proud of the project I created this quarter. This is an idea that I have been playing around with for a few months, so I am very happy to see it finally come to life. These past couple of weeks I have learned so much more about the design process, conducting user research, and project management. I will definitely be applying the skills I’ve gained from this project to my future career.
06 Journal Feature
Check out RentBuddy featured in Cal Poly’s Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA) 2025 Journal!
