Product Case Study
A reminder app that keeps first-time homeowners ahead of maintenance tasks like changing HVAC filters, flushing water heaters, and winterizing hose lines—before they become expensive emergencies.
Timeline
6 weeks
Discovery to hi-fi prototype
Role
Product Designer
Research, UX, UI, testing
Platforms
iOS & Web
Responsive design
When young adults move into their first home or apartment, the to-do list suddenly includes seasonal chores no one taught them how to track. Interviews with new homeowners revealed a cycle of procrastination: people knew tasks like flushing a water heater or changing HVAC filters were important, but they were unsure when to do them or what supplies were required. The result was expensive emergency calls and constant anxiety about “what am I forgetting?”
Tools
Figma, Maze, Airtable, Notion
Research Methods
Contextual interviews, diary studies, competitive audit
Deliverables
Service blueprint, content strategy, high-fidelity prototype
Team
Solo project with weekly feedback from a homeowners advisory panel
Tech-savvy marketing specialist who just bought a townhouse. Alex needs bite-sized guidance and wants to feel a sense of progress. A missed HVAC filter change last winter resulted in a service call, so reliability and automation are top priorities.
Jordan has roommates and limited free time. They often forget quarterly tasks, especially those tied to seasonal weather changes. Jordan values visual dashboards that call out urgent tasks and low-effort wins.
We mapped the emotional curve from “overwhelmed” to “prepared” and identified the jobs-to-be-done that the app needed to answer at each stage.
1. Onboard
Gather dwelling details, appliance brands, and seasons of concern to generate a personalized maintenance library.
2. Plan
Auto-build a seasonal calendar with tasks grouped by effort level and recommended shopping lists.
3. Act
Step-by-step guides, timers, and supply checklists help users knock out tasks without leaving the app.
4. Reflect
Completion history unlocks savings estimates, sends documentation to landlords, and adjusts future reminders.
Inspired by music playlists, tasks bundle into “Weekend Winterize” or “Spring Reset” sets so users can finish maintenance in one focused session.
If weather or supply constraints get in the way, reminders automatically reschedule and adjust prerequisites without losing momentum.
Users catalog appliances, filters, and warranty info once. Replacement reminders use SKU data to generate shopping links and local pickup suggestions.
Usability testing showed that people needed context to answer questions about their home. We added progressive disclosure and smart defaults to keep the flow under three minutes.
Choose dwelling type, ownership status, and region. Climate presets seed the seasonal calendar.
Scan appliances or upload manuals. Computer vision matches filter sizes and maintenance intervals.
Review the first 30 days of tasks with edit-in-place options to add roommates or pros for shared responsibility.
During a four-week pilot with 25 households, timely task completion rose from 32% to 78%. Participants reported fewer last-minute scrambles and a stronger sense of ownership over their spaces.
Net Promoter
+34
after four weeks of usage
Integrate with smart thermostats and leak sensors to trigger just-in-time guidance.
Partner with local service pros for tasks that exceed a user's comfort level, keeping the experience end-to-end.
Reflection
Designing First Home Helper reinforced the importance of pairing automation with education. Users don't just need alerts; they need the confidence to follow through. The next iteration will focus on social accountability features that let friends or roommates celebrate progress together.