INDUSTRY:
REAL-ESTATE
CLIENT:
PROPERTYCARD
YEAR:
2021
EXPERIENCE:
PRODUCT DESIGN
PropertyCard
about.
Redesigned PropertyCard to simplify property management for users, improving usability through user research and a comprehensive Figma-based design system.
challenge.
So What Am I Reading?
You are reading an 8 month project, that took blood, sweat, and tears. A project that introduced me to my passion of Design Systems. Discover the challenge of simplifying property management for landlords and tenants. The extremely exciting task of a product designer that involved overhauling PropertyCard's system, prioritizing accessibility and usability. Witness the results of countless user interviews and many nights utilizing market data analysis, to eventually reach a redesigned platform that now caters to users of all ages, ensuring an intuitive experience. Draw upon the the comprehensive design system, crafted in Figma from scratch, and maybe just enjoy reading something I spent around a year on.
The What Should I Be Doing Part
Problem: Property management is a daunting and overwhelming responsibility for both landlords and tenants. So here is where we come in, the platform to streamline the process, making it more efficient and effortless for everyone involved. The challenge lies in simplifying complex tasks so that individuals with limited tech knowledge can use the platform effectively. When I joined, PropertyCard's design was unintuitive, with a steep learning curve that required significant technical expertise to navigate. Even with my Computer Science Degree it took me around 5 minutes before I realized where the home button was.
The Goal: To create an intuitive, visually appealing, and user-centric digital environment that effectively addresses the needs and pain points of property management professionals. (Very Professional)
Responsibilities: As Product Designer, I led user-centric research, shaped visual design, and developed prototypes through iteration. I focused on creating an exceptional user experience by prioritizing accessibility, usability, and aesthetics.
research.
The Part Where I Did Some Homework (Research)
One of the main ways I understood what users need from this platform is by user interviews. I interviewed home owners that just wanted a way to display their properties as well as manage the monthly/yearly services in an efficient way. I also used market data to learn what properties needed to display and the constant expenses on them that needed to be highlighted on the platform. The age range of home owners and land lords was between 40-75 which highlighted that I needed to create a platform that needed almost zero technical ability to manage or our users will be confused. By understanding the users, as well as the market data I was provided, I was able to create a user experience that meets all of their needs and achieve the companies goal.
Paint Points Found
High Learning Curve → Users quit the product
Difficulty in Property Analysis → PMs (property managers) find lack of use for the product.
Complex Onboarding → User’s input wrong data or quit half way through
Lack of Real-time Updates → Mistrust in product
design system.
Why Design System?
Because I looked at it in terms of 10 years time, and the amount of properties needed to be managed. In 2021 there were 1.03 Million occupied dwellings in London’s private rented sector, with each property manager potentially managing 40-200 properties.
Using Atomic Design methodology, I began by creating the components and building upwards. Focusing on simplicity, usability, usefulness, and user-centric. By the time I had finished, the design system had reached well over 200 custom made components.
What’s With The Yellow and Black
BOLD, modern, and sophisticated brand identity. Yellow represents energy, optimism, and friendliness. Black represents power, sophistication, and elegance. Blend it all in with the minimalism and simplistic WHITE and it can balance it all. Together they create a strong visual impact that is needed for a property management platform. Definitely not because I was listening to BLACK AND YELLOW song.
problems.
Not everything was sunshine and rainbows.
Turns out designing for people that lack any technical ability is actually pretty hard, but for some reason, it was also extremely fun. There were some specific guidelines that I came up with as we continued user testing and seeing how people interact with the product.
Switches, Buttons, and Forms
To keep the interface intuitive, I limited interaction types to just three:
Switches → For toggling
Buttons → To navigate or trigger actions
Forms → When input is absolutely necessary
Why? Because these mimic real-life behavior. Everything a user encounters either flips, goes somewhere, or asks for something, no surprises.
Always have a way back
One of the first things I learned: people panic when they feel lost.
So I made sure every screen, every step, every click had a clear path backward. No dead-ends. No “oops, I guess I live here now” moments. Just clean, reversible flows that respected human error.
Keep it Cardy xD
The whole interface lives in cards, and it works.
Users loved how each action opened a new card rather than flipping the entire screen. It made the experience feel modular, digestible, and familiar. And hey, the product is called PropertyCard xD might as well lean into it.
it was fun.
The development of PropertyCard was a challenging but a rewarding experience. I was able to create a platform that simplified property management for landlords and tenants. Creating a design system that was complex and had more than 200 components.
Creating with a responsive first mentality taught me that you start small and go bigger, and with auto layout, making components responsive was a huge step in the right direction. The art of minimal design really struck with me, because through minimal design, users of any age and technical ability are able to use the platform with little to no problems, unlike other designs which require a certain degree of technical ability.
It is now 2025 and unfortunately it seems that the website is no longer operational. I left the company due to creative differences but I do not regret it, my time there was fun, a constant move, working remotely was awesome, and the people I met were great! I hope that the company regains itself and the product launches again!
Do please check out the figma file to see more details on everything.
