Hyve
Roles
Team of three UX designers.
My contributions were project management, research, testing, branding, UI/interaction design and presentation.
A Student Residence Emphasising on Holistic Living.
We mapped out our chosen students' accommodation search process to pinpoint focus areas for the business.
Creating Hyve as a supportive, community-oriented student residence, aimed at nurturing personal development through
co-living experiences.
Gaining insights into the competitive environment
We analysed student accommodations in London to understand their offerings
UX Design
UI Design
UX Research
Wireframing
Design sytem
Brand Design
Duration 3 month
Introduction
Our team was fortunate to collaborate with Queen Mary University of London, assisting one of their entrepreneurs in the
QIncubator program. This initiative helps bring business ideas to fruition.
Design Challenge
Build a website advocating for student accommodations prioritising resident well-being, highlighting the benefits of
Sattvic Lifestyle and Ayurvedic Food Principles, focusing on holistic health and balance.
London grapples with a severe lack of affordable, quality housing for its vast population of over
We devised a positioning matrix to evaluate how the business could align with an emphasis on student health and well-being, aiming to uncover potential market gaps.
Our findings suggest that while certain accommodations provide some level of student
health support through fitness amenities, the focus on these aspects seems rather limited.
It appears to be more of a symbolic gesture rather than a holistic program aimed at
cultivating a lifestyle centered around health and well-being.
User research
With an understanding of the market background, we shifted our attention to gaining insights into the student population.
Employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, we conducted one-on-one interviews and distributed two surveys,
engaging a total of 31 participants.
What did we learn from it?
89% of respondents do not adhere to a specific diet and are unfamiliar with
the concept of Sattvic lifestyle and Ayurvedic food principles.
58% rated health and well-being as highly important, scoring it above 7 on
a scale from 1 to 10.
56% feel that they are not paying a fair price for their accommodation.
83% view activities as an effective means to socialise and make
new acquaintances.
The alignment of business goals with user needs revealed a disparity between our business concept and the demands
of the market.
Our original plan focused on addressing London's housing shortage and promoting health but included
unfamiliar concepts like Sattvic Lifestyle and Ayurvedic Principles. Students preferred flexibility over strict policies.
Refining the Concept
We went back to the drawing board, using our user research to create personas that helped us develop a more viable business concept.
Who are the Users?
"Budget conscious creative
Age: 18 years old
Course: BA (Hons) in Graphic Design
From: York, UK
She's a new freshman, feeling both nervous and excited about being in a new city. She's eager for the learning opportunities and freedom that come with university life.
- Fitting in socially
Academic hurdles
Integration into social circles
"Disciplined scholar"
Age: 26 years old
Course: MSc Software Engineering
From: New Delhi, India
Having just finished his degree, he is now seeking further studies in London. He's an avid sports enthusiast who enjoys cycling to university and includes meditation in his daily routine.
- Limited Healthy Food Choices
Few Sports Facilities Available
Meditation Area
"Outgoing post grad"
Age: 24 years old
Course: MSc Business Information Technology
From: Berlin, Germany
Danny is nearing the end of his first year of his
Master’s program.
such as movies or games.
go with the flow.
- Not much room for oneself
Juggling responsibilities
Challenges in lifestyle
Developing User Pathways
Considering the users' perspectives, we pondered their emotions in various situations, ultimately formulating their needs and goals.
Defining the problem
Problem Statement
Student housing should provide a
nurturing, community-driven
environment for personal growth
and well-being, fostering academic
success and lifelong skills.
Hypothesis
Creating a nurturing, community-driven
environment in student housing will
positively impact residents' personal
growth, academic achievement, and
lifelong skill development.
Ideation
we consider a student's journey from acceptance to finding their ideal housing and their process of fostering well-being
and community in their new living environment.
Userflow - Website and Student Portal
We opted to create two products: a website serving as the main entry point to the service, and an internal student portal
introduced later in the student journey, post-acceptance.
Standing out in the market
Design system
Website
Presentation
Next steps
- More reviews of digital design output with stakeholder
More testing - digital product testing amongst more diverse group of students.
Reflections & Learnings
Taking initiative:
One important takeaway was
the necessity of maintaining
project momentum in a
collaborative setting, even amidst
unforeseen challenges.
This entailed making prompt
decisions regarding task assignments,
client interactions, and ensuring team
members were updated on progress
and future actions.
Implementing Kanban and standups:
Implementing a team Kanban board
significantly enhanced project efficiency
compared to previous methods,
as it enabled us to collectively visualise
and prioritise all tasks. Additionally,
daily stand-up meetings proved invaluable
in maintaining seamless communication,
particularly in remote work scenarios.
Embracing practicality and adaptability:
I gained confidence in delegating tasks
and focusing on the overarching
project objectives rather than getting
caught up in minor details.
This involved regularly reassessing
priorities and making necessary
adjustments, such as streamlining
certain processes or features.
2023 Saroj Pun. Crafted with dedication and love. Often updated.