Optimizing user journeys and agent needs in luxury real estate
Engel & Völkers Americas needed a complete redesign of their website to tackle outdated design, performance issues, and a lack of alignment with their luxury real estate identity. The platform was struggling to meet user expectations, running slowly and failing to stand out among competitors. As the UX designer, I worked to overhaul the site by addressing technical inefficiencies, reimagining the information architecture and crafting a more modern and sophisticated design that embodied the brand’s elegance. Collaborating with stakeholders and users, I introduced innovative features and optimized user journeys, creating a unique and highly functional digital presence that sets the platform apart in a very competitive market.
Client
Engel & Völkers
Scope
UXD | Research | Conceptualization | Prototyping
Year
2023
Understanding the needs of users and the brand
Engel & Völkers came to us with an outdated website that no longer reflected their luxury real estate brand. Through in-depth stakeholder and user interviews, we gathered valuable insights that shaped the platform’s redesign. Stakeholders highlighted the need for a more scalable, high-performance platform, while user feedback revealed key pain points. Buyers, sellers, and agents struggled with property searches that felt inefficient and impersonal, and the experience lacked the sophistication expected from such a prestigious brand. Additionally, we conducted a competitive analysis to pinpoint and ideate features that could distinguish Engel & Völkers in a crowded market. These insights helped optimize navigation, introduced personalized search tools, and enhancing the overall user experience to make it as seamless and exclusive as the brand itself.
Engel & Völkers came to us with an outdated website that no longer reflected their luxury real estate brand. Through in-depth stakeholder and user interviews, we gathered valuable insights that shaped the platform’s redesign. Stakeholders highlighted the need for a more scalable, high-performance platform, while user feedback revealed key pain points. Buyers, sellers, and agents struggled with property searches that felt inefficient and impersonal, and the experience lacked the sophistication expected from such a prestigious brand. Additionally, we conducted a competitive analysis to pinpoint and ideate features that could distinguish Engel & Völkers in a crowded market. These insights helped optimize navigation, introduced personalized search tools, and enhancing the overall user experience to make it as seamless and exclusive as the brand itself.
What do they
Think?
My friend will text me their shazams after a night out.
The features of this app are limited.
What else has this artist made?
Is this the right song?
What do they
Say?
I usually share links in group chats.
People always share music with me.
I want to see what my friends Shazam.
Send me the songs we discover together.
How do they
Feel?
Disappointed by inaccurate results.
Frustrated sharing results mid-event.
Excited when friends share songs.
Thrilled discovering a new artist.
What do they
Do?
Screenshots Shazam results.
Checks Shazam history after night out.
Shares Shazam screenshots with friends.
Uses Shazam often during DJ sets.
Crafting an intuitive and scalable design framework
With a solid understanding of user behaviors and business goals, I led the effort to map out user flows for key interactions such as property searches, agent inquiries, and stakeholder-specific features like office locations. These flows were refined through iterative wireframing, resulting in a robust prototype that served as both a testing tool and a blueprint for development. Early usability tests on the wireframes helped validate key decisions and revealed opportunities for optimization, such as simplifying navigation and streamlining search functionalities. I also designed a modular wireframe system to ensure reusability, minimizing developer effort and accommodating future scalability.
With a solid understanding of user behaviors and business goals, I led the effort to map out user flows for key interactions such as property searches, agent inquiries, and stakeholder-specific features like office locations. These flows were refined through iterative wireframing, resulting in a robust prototype that served as both a testing tool and a blueprint for development. Early usability tests on the wireframes helped validate key decisions and revealed opportunities for optimization, such as simplifying navigation and streamlining search functionalities. I also designed a modular wireframe system to ensure reusability, minimizing developer effort and accommodating future scalability.
1.0
Home
1.1
My music
1.1.1
Shazams
1.1.2
Likes
1.1.3
Artists
1.1.4
Recents
1.1.5
Playlists
1.2
My Friends
1.2.1
Following
1.2.2
Followers
1.2.3
Recents
1.2.4
Likes
1.2.5
Who to follow
1.3
🔍
1.4
⚙️
Application map and architecture
New feature
Existing
Primary task/screen flows
User wants to find a track their friend Shazamed.
Taps “My friends”
“My friends”
Taps “Following”
List of followers
Locates user
User's profile
Browses history
Track ID
User wants to see who else Shazamed the same song.
Shazams a song
Track ID
Taps number of shazams
List of users who Shazamed
Taps a username
User profile
Browses users history
User wants to search for and then follow a friend.
Taps “My friends”
“My friends”
Taps “Search”
Enters name in field
Selects user from results
User's profile
Taps “Follow”
Action
Screen
High-view user flow for new features
High-view user flow for new features
Track ID
is this the right song?
Plays preview
Like or Save?
View track's Shazam history?
Stream/
download?
Taps ♥︎ icon
Taps number of Shazams
List of users
Taps on a username
User's Profile
Follow User?
"My friends" feed
Taps on a track in feed
Track ID
"My friends" feed
Browses "Who to follow"
Screen
Action
Question
Building a luxurious and functional digital experience
The visual design phase focused on marrying functionality with the elegance Engel & Völkers is known for. I worked alongside my talented colleague to build a comprehensive design system that included reusable components to streamline development and maintain a consistent look across pages. This robust system also ensured that features tailored for stakeholders, such as detailed property reporting and office management tools, seamlessly integrated into the user experience. After building high-fidelity prototypes, we conducted another round of usability testing to validate design enhancements and refine interactions. The final product was a technically sound, visually stunning platform that not only performed better but also positioned Engel & Völkers as an innovator in the competitive real estate market.
The visual design phase focused on marrying functionality with the elegance Engel & Völkers is known for. I worked alongside my talented colleague to build a comprehensive design system that included reusable components to streamline development and maintain a consistent look across pages. This robust system also ensured that features tailored for stakeholders, such as detailed property reporting and office management tools, seamlessly integrated into the user experience. After building high-fidelity prototypes, we conducted another round of usability testing to validate design enhancements and refine interactions. The final product was a technically sound, visually stunning platform that not only performed better but also positioned Engel & Völkers as an innovator in the competitive real estate market.
What do they
Do?
Screenshots Shazam results.
Checks Shazam history after night out.
Shares Shazam screenshots with friends.
Uses Shazam often during DJ sets.
What do they
Think?
My friend will text me their shazams after a night out.
The features of this app are limited.
What else has this artist made?
Is this the right song?
How do they
Feel?
Disappointed by inaccurate results.
Frustrated sharing results mid-event.
Excited when friends share songs.
Thrilled discovering a new artist.
What do they
Say?
I usually share links in group chats.
People always share music with me.
I want to see what my friends Shazam.
Send me the songs we discover together.
Primary task flows
User wants to find a track their friend Shazamed.
Taps “My Friends”
“My Friends”
Taps “Following”
List of Followers
Locates User
User Profile
Browses History
Track ID
User wants to search for, then follow a friend.
Taps “My Friends”
“My Friends”
Taps “Search”
Enters name in field
Selects user from results
User's profile
Taps “Follow”
User wants to see a song's shazam history.
Shazams a Song
Track ID
Taps number of Shazams
Taps a username
User profile
Browses user's history
List of users who shazamed
Action
Screen
Key features & enhancements:
Streamlining user journeys for faster conversions
Through stakeholder and user feedback, it became clear that the most critical user tasks were often buried under layers of unnecessary information. In response, I led the effort to refine the website’s information architecture by simplifying the navigation. By consolidating key sections and actions—buying, selling, searching for an advisor, and locating shops—into a streamlined, three-level structure, we allowed users to easily access their desired actions with minimal effort. Secondary information was relegated to the footer, ensuring a quicker path to conversion while maintaining a clean, intuitive design. This change significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of the user experience.
Through stakeholder and user feedback, it became clear that the most critical user tasks were often buried under layers of unnecessary information. In response, I led the effort to refine the website’s information architecture by simplifying the navigation. By consolidating key sections and actions—buying, selling, searching for an advisor, and locating shops—into a streamlined, three-level structure, we allowed users to easily access their desired actions with minimal effort. Secondary information was relegated to the footer, ensuring a quicker path to conversion while maintaining a clean, intuitive design. This change significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of the user experience.
Optimizing complex property listings for clarity
With a wide range of property types—from smaller condos to grand luxury villas—each listing presented different levels of complexity. To address this, we employed design patterns like dropdowns and tabs, allowing users to navigate dense sections of information seamlessly. By categorizing properties according to user intent—whether searching for luxury or more general properties—we enhanced the browsing experience and helped users find relevant information quickly, providing a more intuitive and less overwhelming experience.
With a wide range of property types—from smaller condos to grand luxury villas—each listing presented different levels of complexity. To address this, we employed design patterns like dropdowns and tabs, allowing users to navigate dense sections of information seamlessly. By categorizing properties according to user intent—whether searching for luxury or more general properties—we enhanced the browsing experience and helped users find relevant information quickly, providing a more intuitive and less overwhelming experience.
Curating property searches with lifestyle categories
Drawing on deep insights from user and stakeholder interviews, we recognized the importance of aligning real estate experiences with buyers’ unique lifestyles and aspirations. To cater to the diverse needs of luxury property buyers, we introduced lifestyle-driven categories like wine, equestrian, and ski properties. By grouping listings under these curated categories, we not only elevated the experience but made it more immersive, ensuring users could find homes that reflected their personal passions—whether for adventure, relaxation, or exclusivity. This feature enhanced the sense of discovery, making property browsing feel more intuitive and relevant.
Drawing on deep insights from user and stakeholder interviews, we recognized the importance of aligning real estate experiences with buyers’ unique lifestyles and aspirations. To cater to the diverse needs of luxury property buyers, we introduced lifestyle-driven categories like wine, equestrian, and ski properties. By grouping listings under these curated categories, we not only elevated the experience but made it more immersive, ensuring users could find homes that reflected their personal passions—whether for adventure, relaxation, or exclusivity. This feature enhanced the sense of discovery, making property browsing feel more intuitive and relevant.
Enhancing advisor connections and accessibility
Recognizing the crucial role that advisors play in luxury real estate, we sought to enhance the user experience by making it easier to find the right fit. Through insights gathered from user interviews, we developed a tailored filtering system that focuses on key qualities buyers seek in an advisor, such as expertise, language proficiency, and specific regional knowledge. To empower advisors, we created a digital business card and personalized website template where they could showcase properties, highlight successful transactions, and build rapport. This streamlined approach fostered stronger connections, enabling both buyers and advisors to effortlessly engage and build trust throughout the purchasing journey.
Recognizing the crucial role that advisors play in luxury real estate, we sought to enhance the user experience by making it easier to find the right fit. Through insights gathered from user interviews, we developed a tailored filtering system that focuses on key qualities buyers seek in an advisor, such as expertise, language proficiency, and specific regional knowledge. To empower advisors, we created a digital business card and personalized website template where they could showcase properties, highlight successful transactions, and build rapport. This streamlined approach fostered stronger connections, enabling both buyers and advisors to effortlessly engage and build trust throughout the purchasing journey.
Integrating business storytelling and marketing strategy
Recognizing the importance of reinforcing brand identity and aligning with business objectives, we strategically incorporated marketing content throughout the site. This included an "About Us" section featuring key leadership profiles, underscoring the company’s expertise and leadership in the luxury real estate market. We also designed an interactive timeline to tell the Engel & Völkers history, creating a compelling narrative that connected users with the brand’s legacy. By embedding targeted marketing materials at strategic touchpoints across the user journey, we ensured that these assets supported the user experience, enhancing trust and engagement without interrupting the core tasks of browsing and searching. This integration of business-focused content with user needs strengthened the site’s dual role: serving as both a functional real estate platform and a powerful marketing tool.
Recognizing the importance of reinforcing brand identity and aligning with business objectives, we strategically incorporated marketing content throughout the site. This included an "About Us" section featuring key leadership profiles, underscoring the company’s expertise and leadership in the luxury real estate market. We also designed an interactive timeline to tell the Engel & Völkers history, creating a compelling narrative that connected users with the brand’s legacy. By embedding targeted marketing materials at strategic touchpoints across the user journey, we ensured that these assets supported the user experience, enhancing trust and engagement without interrupting the core tasks of browsing and searching. This integration of business-focused content with user needs strengthened the site’s dual role: serving as both a functional real estate platform and a powerful marketing tool.
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