Saying more with less: How interactive UI improved the user experience
⛰️ The Challenge: A New Concept with a Messaging Problem
As a disruptor in the real estate market, this company introduced a novel concept: expandable, semi-furnished apartments that optimize space while lowering rent. These units offered a compelling value proposition for both renters and developers—affordable, modern, and adaptable living spaces.
However, the messaging wasn’t landing. Potential renters struggled to grasp key aspects of the offering, and developers did not understand exactly what they were signing up for. Common questions included:
How does Expandable work?
What comes with a "semi-furnished" space?
What amenities are included?
This lack of clarity led to confusion and hesitation within the user's journey. It became evident that we needed to redesign our communication strategy to improve user understanding and engagement.
However, the messaging wasn’t landing. Potential renters struggled to grasp key aspects of the offering, and developers did not understand exactly what they were signing up for. Common questions included:
How does Expandable work?
What comes with a "semi-furnished" space?
What amenities are included?
This lack of clarity led to confusion and hesitation within the user's journey. It became evident that we needed to redesign our communication strategy to improve user understanding and engagement.
🕵️ Research: Identifying Pain Points
I began by analyzing user behavior in a website analytics platform to uncover where the breakdown was happening. Three key issues emerged:
- High U-Turn Rate – Users frequently bounced back and forth between pages, likely re-reading information to clarify details.
- Long Session Durations – Instead of being a sign of deep engagement, long sessions suggested that users were struggling to decode our messaging.
- High Bounce Rate – Many visitors abandoned the site quickly, indicating frustration or lack of immediate clarity.
I created this Hypothesis:
Users were spending excessive time trying to understand our offering, leading to frustration, disjounted navigation, and drop-offs.
- High U-Turn Rate – Users frequently bounced back and forth between pages, likely re-reading information to clarify details.
- Long Session Durations – Instead of being a sign of deep engagement, long sessions suggested that users were struggling to decode our messaging.
- High Bounce Rate – Many visitors abandoned the site quickly, indicating frustration or lack of immediate clarity.
I created this Hypothesis:
Users were spending excessive time trying to understand our offering, leading to frustration, disjounted navigation, and drop-offs.
👨💻 User Feedback
To validate these findings, I conducted moderated, think-aloud usability tests with 10 participants. In order to effectively execute and synthesize my findings I created:
- Interview guide & task flows – to better understand how users interacted with the product.
- Affinity mapping – Organizing feedback into key themes.
Findings confirmed our hypotheses: Users were unsure about what they were getting and struggled to visualize how Ori’s systems worked.
- Interview guide & task flows – to better understand how users interacted with the product.
- Affinity mapping – Organizing feedback into key themes.
Findings confirmed our hypotheses: Users were unsure about what they were getting and struggled to visualize how Ori’s systems worked.
💡 The Solution: A More Visual, Interactive Experience
Based on research insights, I identified four areas for improvement:
1️⃣ Show, Don’t Tell: Clarifying "Semi-Furnished" User Feedback:
Users asked:
"Does the couch count as semi-furnished?"
"I like the table—does it come with the unit?"
"I don’t own any furniture, so what exactly would I get?"
Solution: I designed an interactive UI element that clearly outlined what was included with the apartment upon move-in. Users could click on furniture items to see what was included vs. optional.
Impact: This became one of the most interacted-with sections, reducing U-turns by 90% and increasing clarity.
1️⃣ Show, Don’t Tell: Clarifying "Semi-Furnished" User Feedback:
Users asked:
"Does the couch count as semi-furnished?"
"I like the table—does it come with the unit?"
"I don’t own any furniture, so what exactly would I get?"
Solution: I designed an interactive UI element that clearly outlined what was included with the apartment upon move-in. Users could click on furniture items to see what was included vs. optional.
Impact: This became one of the most interacted-with sections, reducing U-turns by 90% and increasing clarity.
2️⃣ Highlighting Modern Amenities
Users frequently asked:
"Is there a washer and dryer?"
"What amenities are included?"
"How modern are the appliances?"
Solution: I designed an image grid showcasing in-unit amenities. This served as a way to give users a quick reference for amenities while providing more detailed information further down the funnel.
Impact: This section became the one of the most viewed sections of the website, leading to a noticeable improvement in our renter conversions.
2️⃣ Highlighting Modern Amenities
Users frequently asked:
"Is there a washer and dryer?"
"What amenities are included?"
"How modern are the appliances?"
Solution: I designed an image grid showcasing in-unit amenities. This served as a way to give users a quick reference for amenities while providing more detailed information further down the funnel.
Impact: This section became the one of the most viewed sections of the website, leading to a noticeable improvement in our renter conversions.
3️⃣ Building Trust Through Storytelling
Some users didn’t fully grasp the value of modular living and asked:
"Is this real?"
"Why would a small apartment be better?"
Solution: I created a timeline-style layout that walked users through the company's mission, the housing problem it solves, and why this approach matters.
Impact: This increased transparency and trust, leading to higher developer inquiries and rental sign-ups.
3️⃣ Building Trust Through Storytelling
Some users didn’t fully grasp the value of modular living and asked:
"Is this real?"
"Why would a small apartment be better?"
Solution: I created a timeline-style layout that walked users through the company's mission, the housing problem it solves, and why this approach matters.
Impact: This increased transparency and trust, leading to higher developer inquiries and rental sign-ups.
🔨 🚀 Test / Build / Launch
These updates were tested with users to verify both usability and usefulness.
Taking valuable feedback from these tests I was able to elevate these features further, build them out in Webflow, and launch the first version for our consumers.
Taking valuable feedback from these tests I was able to elevate these features further, build them out in Webflow, and launch the first version for our consumers.
🥹 Results & Impact
Results & Impact
These UX improvements led to measurable success:
✅ 400% increase in CTA engagement
✅ 2.5% increase in conversions
✅ 20% decrease in drop-off rate
✅ 9% decrease in bounce rate
By leveraging visuals, interactivity, and storytelling, we transformed the website into an engaging and informative experience that effectively communicated the value of its innovative apartments.
These UX improvements led to measurable success:
✅ 400% increase in CTA engagement
✅ 2.5% increase in conversions
✅ 20% decrease in drop-off rate
✅ 9% decrease in bounce rate
By leveraging visuals, interactivity, and storytelling, we transformed the website into an engaging and informative experience that effectively communicated the value of its innovative apartments.
🤔 Final Thoughts:
Disrupting an industry means rethinking how you communicate unfamiliar ideas. Through user research, usability testing, and strategic UX improvements, we made the the message clearer, more compelling, and ultimately, more successful.
