Going Back To The Problem

Last week's critique was that I go back to the problem, and look at some new avenues to explore the problem from. So I have actually multiple problems, that lead down multiple avenues. The problems are more and less specific... the area I started examining was how tenants interact with their landlords, specifically that they were scared/hesitant to contact the landlord RE. maintenance of the property, through fears that it would be seen as the tenant's fault and they would be charged monetarily, for fears that it would make the landlord angry (even through no fault of tenant), things like that, due to the power balance between the two groups.

• How people interact with each other
• How people interact with the space
• How tenants interact with landlords and vice versa

And how they don't see eye to eye... this was a really good study -

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/08/tenants-landlords-don-t-see-eye-to-eye-survey.html

that said stuff like,

• 75% of landlords believe that they fix problems within a property as soon as possible, 
• 66% of tenants claim the complete opposite (that problems are not fixed within a timely manner at all)

Graph A. Landlord perception               Graph B. Tenant perception of 

of problem fixing                                    problem fixing

Which was really interesting to me, as it really said that problems for landlords were really just out of sight out of mind, if they can't see in front of them/aren't aware of a problem why should they or would they care? Landlords perceive their relationship with tenants to be good 90% of the time (no statistics for how tenants perceive their relationship with landlord, but it is plausible that the more powerful party will be having a better time and perception of the relationship generally).
And so I looked at how to make the problems more obvious and in-your-face to the landlord. They don't live there, so they don't see necessarily the benefit of resolving issues in a timely manner.

• What if Virtual Reality could make the problems of a house more obvious to its owner that was not living there? Like really in your face... 
• What if there was some kind of device in the house that monitored problems and sent alerts to the landlord with the longer they wait the more the consequences are really obvious? 
• Like the VR progression of really exaggerated mould or whatever, to make the landlord do something
• What if the owner of the house valued their house like a person? What if the house had a personality and talked to its owner? 
• What if there was a more obvious representation of problems and their time, money, etc, that can be lost when they don't take care of the property properly and do a shit job of repairing stuff? 

1. Make it easier and more inviting for tenants to complain and

2. Make the problems more visual and obvious for landlords to see, like how bad it will be 

This combination of features would hopefully result in an increase of tenants letting their landlords know about issues more, and the landlords fixing issues in a timely manner due to the increased visibility they would have of the problem.  

Feedback Week 3

Version 2 of my wireframe from last week. I presented to Tristam this week and this was my feedback...

What does each target market want and need? 

Think about the legal aspects and stuff

• blow it up, go beyond the boring
• practicalities surrounding each users needs
• user testing 

Don’t remove myself from the situation. Go wider than I am currently and focus more on the problem than the solution, the problem will lead me to a solution 

Week 2 - VCD Research/Studio Project Responsive Studio

Feedback from the showing at Week 2. I presented my wireframe, which would dictate the mechanics and features of my website/app/service. Got a lot of good feedback: 

• Aimed at families vs flatters - different needs, whether one account would be for a whole flat or every person has their own account? Because flatting can change rapidly from year to year probably each person has their own account 
• If the target audience (Maori and Pasifika) works, that's cool but if not the idea can stand on its own. Not just for them, everyone can use it but make it extra welcoming to them. 
• Communication is the most important feature of this programme, a relationship between the landlord and tenant, over and above the database
• Shared experience, with the mediating 3rd party. How would it look from the landlord's perspective? 
• Does your target audience (Maori + Pasifika) have access to this platform?
• Could you manage and sign contracts over this platform too? With annotations and things... again encouraging dialogue between landlord and tenant  

Adding more drawings and stuff to my Methodology, like this --

Another theory that I could add is that of Observational Research...

Looking at well laid-out websites again

I really have to have a point of difference from what the tribunal website already does... have to structure my content in a funner way and with more emphasis on certain things. Looking at visual styles and whatnot now also. Colour palettes, fonts, etc etc.

Lets be honest here - this design is totally just a carbon copy of some of what the tribunal website is already doing... the green? Way too similar! It's good to get it out of my head though.
I do like the idea of a scrolldown journey though... With a fixed hovering navbar for easy navigation through the large amount of content. And I think the style of TT illustrations (little vector graphics) is also quite good, could use sort of the same ish style for this?

Features again - Hammering out the structure

So the website would be divided into 2 sections - how to avoid the tribunal, and then, how to win it.

Automation and automatic process make it easier for people to proceed feeling more knowledgeable and confident when a distressing event is taking place. 

Being Prepared AF

Good visual metaphors. Like, being on the ocean? Climbing a mountain? Gamifying the process slightly... making it more engaging, a narrative people can relate to. A task that seems difficult but then is easy when you have the right gear and preparation, that's what I want to get across to people. It's like your life jacket here, your secret food stash. We all have an earthquake kit right, just in case? Well, this is like that. It probably won't happen, but if it does you can bet you will be the most prepared and the most likely to win your case against a shitty landlord.  "Getting your ducks in a row etc etc"

"Preparing for Tribunal actually starts when you begin the tenancy."

WHEN YOU MOVE IN.

• A database for all photos of prior damage and stuff, all pictures of the existing condition of things. Explain why: So landlord can't sneakily take it out of your bond at the end of the tenancy, which happens a lot. 
• KEEP EVERYTHING ON FILE, especially the contract that you signed, the amounts of money that you are paying each week, etc etc. One easy place. (Secure...)

DURING TENANCY. 

• "Common mistakes tenants make in the path before a dispute..." "Tricks for young players" - e.g. If a landlord is being slack and not fixing something that needs to be fixed, DON'T stop paying your rent. 
• When contacting the landlord for a repair, keep it civil and polite - here's some pre written emails you can use and tailor to send to the landlord asking for a repair, this way it is a pre set process and you are less likely to anger the beast etc etc. 

WHEN A PROBLEM ARISES

• Getting prepared from then on, this is when you bring out your earthquake kit, or lifeboat or whatever the fuck. 
• Bla bla bla, getting prepared 
• Don't hesitate to contact the Citizens advice bureau or the Tenancy 0800 number for help before you take action - it's always great to get outside input from people who know this stuff inside and out. 
• Link to Tenant Advocates Chat... free govt service for vulnerable tenants, they can sometimes help you before you have to go to tribunal... 

How to Win at Tribunal

Illustrated user journey with one of the users... important stuff to remember before + during the courtroom, that they might not tell you. 

After Tribunal

• Other Useful Stuff
• After your case has had a ruling made on it, check out the "tenants database" - this is a register of information that landlords can access about YOU and potentially discriminate against you.  Make sure you request the information it holds about you...
• If you feel like it, you could add the landlord to this information database about bad/shitty landlords - this helps others like you in the future to see nasty landlords and potentially avoid them. 
• A little review form, maybe to make it more legal, a proof of ID? Proof of address. 

#SUPERCRIT

Feedback from Supercrit

• Really get the precedents in order and what they need

presentation of a complex idea

1. context

2. big idea

3. audience description. situation of audience. personae

3a. research. users (testing), history & precedents. where necessary

4. experience plan (flow charts, storyboards: narratives)

4a. experience prototypes (incorporating evidence or feedback where necessary)

5. outputs - include experience prototype where people can perform as necessary

6. reflection. how does your output relate to your research? how does it relate to your intent? to the needs/desire/understanding of your audience?

7. conclusion. desire. projection of concept into future: personal and/or community. hypothesis