Fastighetsbyrån: Propelling a Real Estate Giant into the 21st Century

Background

Fastighetsbyrån, the leading and largest real estate agency in Sweden, orchestrates approximately a quarter of all property transactions nationwide, boasting around 270 offices and 1,800 employees. The agency engaged Creuna to enhance their user experience (UX), user interface (UI), customer experience (CX), employee experience (EX), and service design.

Our collaboration extended to working alongside two external partners: Fastighetsbyrån’s IT development partner and another entity responsible for their branding efforts. Creuna’s primary deliverables included the redesign of their extensive, multilingual website and web services. Additionally, we contributed to the development of two groundbreaking digital tools aimed at streamlining customer interactions and introducing disruptive innovations to the real estate industry.

The project kicked off approximately three months before my involvement began, with the macro-conceptual framework already established through workshops and meetings led by our UX director, who also served as the project’s UX lead.

Tasks & Responsibility

• Co-developing UX Strategy
• Research & Analysis
• Information Architecture
• User Flow & Stories
• Persona Development
• User Interviews
• Interaction Design
• Rapid Prototyping
• Wireframing

Agile Environment

The working method for this project is quite distinct from the other major project I am involved with at the firm (Swedish Football Association). While both projects operate within agile environments and the development teams employ agile methodologies, this particular project adopted a ‘Lean-UX’ approach. This methodology involves sketching, wireframing, rapid prototyping, testing/feedback, and iteration. We hold weekly meetings and spend two days each week working side-by-side with the developers.

Close Collaboration

The majority of daily tasks involve iterative processes aligned with our strategy and deliverables, requiring close collaboration with the client. I work on-site at the client’s office two days a week, acting as a liaison between our UX director—keeping her informed and implementing her directives.

New designs are presented during meetings where we must motivate and explain the rationale behind the overall structure, modules, content, or even minor elements like a button. These discussions with the client’s team and developers are crucial for gathering feedback not only on the design but also on its feasibility and alignment with their processes. Occasionally, we share designs via the InVision App beforehand to allow for preliminary comments.

Iterative Process: Prototyping & User Testing

We created prototypes in various forms, ranging from low-fidelity wireframes to high-fidelity designs incorporating final elements. These prototypes were tested by the client, developers, or end users. Fastighetsbyrån has a dedicated group of 400 active users available for us to conduct usability testing, allowing us to gather feedback for subsequent adjustments and iterations.

The prototypes were showcased either online or in person during more significant testing sessions. We employed different types of user testing methods, including A/B testing and usability testing, to ensure the effectiveness and user-friendliness of our designs.

Micro Interactions & Web Accessibility Guidlines

We focused on improving accessibility to accommodate a broader range of users. Our approach involved partially adhering to the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, supplemented by insights from our own findings at both the interaction and micro-interaction levels. This dual strategy ensures that the digital experiences we create are not only compliant with established standards but also finely tuned to meet the specific needs of our users.

Hierarchies, IA: Card Sorting Exercises

We conducted multiple card sorting sessions to optimize various aspects of the project, including information architecture, content organization, and navigation. These exercises helped us understand user preferences and behaviors, ensuring that our design decisions were user-centric and effective in creating intuitive user interfaces.

UI Design: Design Components + Style Guide

UI design begins once the wireframes are approved and tested, but this is just the start of their refinement. Each design component undergoes a series of reviews—including design review and interaction design review—before being tested again for necessary reiterations.

We also develop a comprehensive style guide that includes typography, font sizes, color schemes, and an element bank. Additionally, we specify breakpoints for the responsive design of the interface. All UI elements are meticulously crafted by our talented Art Director, ensuring a cohesive and visually appealing digital experience.