Project Phoenix: Redesigning ZipRealty’s iOS App
Overview
Following ZipRealty’s acquisition by one of the largest real estate corporations, the need for a refreshed iOS app became clear. Project Phoenix was a complete redesign, aimed at modernizing the app to align with the company’s established web presence and accommodate a growing user base across brands like Better Homes and Gardens, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, and ERA.
The Goal
The primary objective was to design and launch a native iOS app that:
Provided users with a seamless experience parallel to the website.
Offered a branded experience for brokers and agents.
Modernized the legacy codebase using Swift.
Improved the overall user experience while maintaining scalability.
Design Approach
To achieve our goals, we focused on:
Leveraging common native iOS patterns to improve search and navigation.
Optimizing user flows to simplify access to key features.
Ensuring designs worked seamlessly across iPhone and iPad.
Developing a white-label app structure for multiple brands, allowing for unique branded experiences.
My Role
As the lead designer for Project Phoenix, I was responsible for:
Conducting competitive analysis of market leaders like Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin.
Proposing a new information architecture and designing lo-fi and hi-fi mockups.
Collaborating with UX research for usability testing and persona validation.
Learning and applying iOS Human Interface Guidelines for a native experience.
Partnering with engineers to ensure seamless implementation across iPhone and iPad platforms.
Research & Validation
Our team collaborated closely with UX researchers to validate designs, conducting:
Unmoderated tests: Using usertesting.com for larger audiences.
Internal tests: For quick A/B testing with in-house teams.
Participant selection: Based on personas representing active homebuyers.
Key insights included:
Users found the app’s navigation intuitive and familiar.
Most participants could complete home-search tasks easily.
Engineers identified bugs and edge cases during research watch parties.
While the app delivered a delightful experience, its differentiation from competitors remained a challenge.
Branded Experience
The app featured a flexible design to support branding for major real estate networks like Better Homes and Gardens, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, ERA, and ZipRealty. Key considerations included:
Introducing brand identity seamlessly for first-time users.
Personalizing the app based on users’ search areas and agent assignments.
Delivering consistent branding across user interactions.
Outcomes & Achievements
Successfully launched the app, leading to a redesign of its Android counterpart.
Established a foundation for other native apps within the organization.
Recognized by U.S. News as one of “The Best Apps for House Hunting” in 2018.
Provided a platform that influenced the user experience for thousands of consumers.
