drhorton.com + 2021
As lead designer, I worked to streamline and simplify how customers searched for new construction homes.
Role
ux research / ui design
Goal
simplify, modernize, clarify
Project start date
2021
Where we started
In the lovely world of selling homes during COVID, D.R. Horton was doing what other companies were doing: highlighting the benefits of buying a home from us while the world was in the middle of a global catastrophe.
The time spent at home opened leadership’s eyes to the roadblocks we were creating for our buyers. Shopping for a home was not driving around searching for signs - it was on the couch. With interest rates at incredible levels, we had interested eyes, but a website that needed to pull its weight.
There were technology constraints to address, but we could make clear improvements to start with.
Opportunities found
Reshape user journey to available homes
Improve search functionality and map
Mobile design improvements
Strategize user actions and priorities
Improve accesibility
Clarify naviation and content type
Solutions + Design
Emphasize search
People don't necessarily care about the brand they buy. All they care about is location, price, and if the home fits their family.
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Following our user, we updated the structure of our website. We started by updating how we presented our the option to search. The search bar was put front and center on the homepage, and the distracting CTAs around it were eliminated.
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The map was elevated, simplified, and enlarged to emphasize where we build.
Simplify and separate
Do users know what they are clicking on?​​ According to user tests, not really.
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One of the most important features of the redesign was creating a visual difference between communities and available homes. The function of both
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Where this matters the most is in cards and page layouts.
Community cards
Old
Redesign
Available home cards
Old
Redesign
Results + Next steps
Mobile experience
We streamlined the mobile experience and increased mobile traffic.
Improved search
Provided a more expected search experience on a home listing site, though more can be done to meet the user needs.
Begin next steps
With improving technologies and more research, we started planning the next iteration of the website while improving the user experience of the current.