Case Study: End-to-End Design
PathWise is a real-estate agent workflow and communication app built for busy real-estate agents who juggle dozens of buyers, listings, and deadlines. The app unifies every scattered touch-point—texts, emails, task lists, showings, and documents—into one streamlined experience. This case study walks you from the first white‑board hypothesis to a high‑fidelity, usability‑tested iOS prototype. You’ll see how each research insight shaped each design decision.
Role
UX Researcher & Designer (Designlab Academy)
Platform
iOS
Tools
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Workspace
Year
2025- 100 hours)
The Spark: Our Founding Hypothesis
While the hypothesis offered a useful starting point, we set it aside to avoid steering the project with assumptions; instead, our discovery phase was guided by the evidence that emerged from research.
Speed + Structure can coexist.
Agents shouldn’t have to choose between the immediacy of a text thread and the orderliness of a CRM.
Expectation gaps—not market forces—cause most client stress.
If every update, document, and next-step lived in one place, buyers would feel informed and agents would spend less time repeating themselves.
Automation only works when it still feels personal.
Reminders and status pings must sound like the agent, not a bot, or clients will ignore them.
The journey began with a casual chat with my own real-estate agent. He expressed he was busy and loving it! We ended up discussing how streamlining his processes could spare him the “need-a-clone” feeling and cut the time spent reconciling clients’ expectations with market reality.
From there, a hypothesis was born!
“A workspace as quick as texting yet as structured as a checklist would speed responses, align expectations, and smooth out every closing.”
Industry Overview and Investment
According to the National Association of Realtors, U.S. agents still closed 4.09 million existing-home sales in 2023—despite it being the slowest market since 1995. Prop-tech investors are betting on tools that make those transactions easier: a 2023 KPMG / CB Insights report put global PropTech funding at a record $13.4 billion, with a growing share funneled into “agent-enablement” platforms that streamline communication, scheduling, and document handling.
How PathWise Was Born
After careful thinking, I decided to run a survey to validate my hypothesis. Questions probed how agents communicate, how fast they must reply, and which tasks swallow the most time.”
When I surveyed 13 working agents, three stats jumped out:
85 % rely on texting or direct calls as their main update channel—yet those messages live outside any CRM.
8 in 13 said they must answer buyers “within minutes.” Speed is non-negotiable.
The #1 root-cause of breakdowns wasn’t price or paperwork; it was “mis-understood expectations”—made worse by “too many tools/platforms.”
Even agents who rarely experience total “communication failure” admitted they juggle email threads, phone logs, and sticky-note reminders just to stay ahead of frantic buyers. Half the group called a real-time, shared platform “very” or “extremely important.”
Those survey insights sparked the big idea: give agents one place that’s as fast as a text thread but as organized as a transaction checklist. So, the idea is that PathWise will merge client intake, showing schedules, reminders, and document tracking—so agents answer in minutes, set expectations once, and never wonder which app holds the latest message.
Process: Double Diamond Framework
Discover → Define → Develop → Deliver
To frame the process, I used the Double Diamond model—moving from discovery to definition, and from development to delivery. While full delivery wasn’t complete at the time, we successfully worked through the first three phases.
Discover: Survey + competitor analysis
Define: Pain points, goals, and personas
Develop: Wireframes + flows + prototypes
Deliver: Usability testing and revisions
Research
“My phone isn’t the problem—my ten apps are.”
That line came from Claudia, a solo agent I surveyed. In a single morning she recaps toggling between Apple Notes, a CRM tab, two email threads, and three group texts—just to keep one buyer on track. By noon she’d lost the parking‐lot sticky note that held her next reminder
Goals
PathWise aims to give agents a single, friction-free hub that:
Replaces scattered texts, spreadsheets, and legacy CRMs
Automates reminders and offer-timeline alerts without sounding robotic
Surfaces real-time client engagement (opens, read receipts, task status)
Cuts showing-scheduling time to under one minute.
My design goal is an elite app that agents can adopt in a single afternoon and that measurably reduces follow-up workload and missed expectations.
Survey & Interviews
PathWise is being designed to collapse every scattered touch-point - texts, emails, showings, tasks, and docs—into one workspace so agents answer buyers faster, set expectations once, and never lose track of deal progress.
A quick-fire survey of 13 active agents showed that 85 % rely on texting or calls as their main update channel and 60 % feel pressured to reply “within minutes,” yet most still juggle half-a-dozen apps to track buyers.
Follow-up interviews (Jeremy, Callie, Claudia, etc.) echoed the data: mis-matched expectations, scattered reminders, and offer-status uncertainty - not lead generation -cause the real stress.
Competitive Analysis — Key Take-aways
I conducted a competitor analysis of three platforms for real-estate: Zenlist, Side, and reAlpha. None of the three rivals offer a single page that handles client intake, showing booking, automated reminders, and read-receipt tracking.
Competitors: Zenlist, Side, and reAlpha
Gaps: Agents still juggle add-on CRMs or spreadsheets—leaving clear white-space for PathWise’s “all-in-one workflow hub.”
Why We Ran the Agent Survey — and What It Told Us
Bottom line: the survey converted anecdotal pain into data. Text‑first workflows, lightning‑fast reply expectations, and a clear desire to collapse multiple tools into one guided every subsequent wireframe, feature prioritization, and success metric inside PathWise.
Competitor Analysis: Findings and Opportunities
Key Take‑away: competitors excel in isolated slices—search, CRM, brokerage ops—but no single tool owns post‑lead, pre‑close workflow with real‑time communication. PathWise positions itself squarely in that gap, stitching the scattered pieces into one mobile command center for solo agents.
Key Findings
Common Strengths (across existing real-estate agent tools):
They all let agents share listings and schedule showings—monetizing both lead generation and premium placement fees.
Common Weaknesses
No end-to-end workflow templates – Most apps stop at lead capture; agents still build task lists and reminders in spreadsheets.
Fragmented communication tracking – Texts, emails, and in-app messages live in separate logs, so agents can’t see a single engagement history.
Manual showing logistics – Calendar booking tools rarely bundle door codes, driving directions, or auto-reminders; agents re-type them each time.
Zero read-receipt or document-view visibility – After sending disclosures or offers, agents have no confirmation the client opened them, leading to repeated follow-ups.
Opportunities for PathWise
Prioritize robust filtering and customized recommendations.
Unified Engagement Timeline
Aggregate every text, email, in-app message, document view, and showing into one chronological feed—something no mainstream agent tool offers.Workflow Templates
Pre-built (and custom made) templates for agents to help simplify the client onboarding process.Smart Showing Logistics
Auto-attach door codes, parking notes, and map links to each showing, plus one-tap calendar sync for both agent and client.Offer-Status Transparency
Visual tracker that shows “Sent → Viewed → Signed → Accepted,” eliminating “Did you get my offer?” calls and speeding decisions.Personalized, Human-Tone Automation
AI-assisted reminders that borrow the agent’s writing style, so follow-ups feel personal while saving time.Analytics & KPIs Out-of-the-Box
Surface metrics like average response time, unread document counts, and workflow bottlenecks—turning anecdotal follow-ups into data-driven improvements.
Affinity Mapping
Using affinity-mapping on the interview quotes and survey snippets, five themes popped off the wall: fragmented communication, expectation-management gaps, offer-process urgency, workflow automation, and the need for a single mobile hub.
Please click or tap image to see full affinity map
These clusters, visible in the Affinity Map, now anchor PathWise’s feature scope: client profiles that surface engagement logs and reminders, and a showing-scheduler that unites calendar, directions, and real-time status in one place.
Persona
After clustering my research insights, I initially sketched two separate personas—but their needs and pain-points overlapped so heavily that a single, richer persona made more sense. The result is Joshua, a composite agent who embodies the dominant patterns we observed across interviews and survey data.
Joshua doesn’t lack leads; he lacks minutes in a day.
Bringing Joshua to Life:
“If it isn’t instant or intuitive, it doesn’t work for my clients — or me.”
Joshua is the agent you see pacing outside an inspection, AirPods in, thumbing quick texts between phone calls. At 41 he’s closed enough deals (11‑year track record) to trust his gut, yet still spends half an hour every evening stitching spreadsheets, emails, and screenshots into some semblance of a timeline.
Project Goals - PathWise at a glance
These targets keep PathWise laser-focused on becoming the all-in-one, pocket-ready workflow platform agents will actually use every day.
Business Objectives
Boost agent productivity: cut admin time 30 %, halve manual follow-ups, and drive daily use of scheduling/comm tools.
Reduce client drop-off & mis-communication: 40 % fewer missed updates and +25 % jump in post-close satisfaction.
Stand out in a crowded market: launch 3+ truly agent-specific features and score 90 % mobile-usability.
Drive long-term adoption: hit 60 % retention at 90 days, WAU/MAU ≥ 0.6, NPS 50+.
User objectives
One hub for all messages, tasks, showings, docs.
Automation for reminders and timelines that still feels personal.
Clear read-receipts and offer-deadline visuals to manage buyer expectations.
Less tool-switching, more time selling.
Where business & User Goals Overlap
Simplify the tech stack → fewer apps, lower support cost.
Full timeline transparency → happier clients, fewer agent “status?” calls.
Real-time, mobile-first experience → faster decisions, faster deal flow.
POV and HMW Insights - Defining PathWise’s Focus
After clustering our survey quotes and interview snippets into an affinity map, three pain-point themes surfaced and became our Points of View (POVs). Each POV then sparked a set of “How Might We” (HMW) questions that now guide every design decision.
POVs (Points of View):
POV 1 · Communication & Workflow Overload
Joshua, a fast-moving solo agent, is buried in texts, emails, and sticky-note reminders. He needs one place to manage follow-ups without losing his personal touch.POV 2 · Visibility & Client Accountability
Joshua tracks engagement manually and guesses when to follow up. He needs real-time clarity on what clients have viewed—or ignored.POV 3 · Fast Decision-Making in a Competitive Market
Joshua works in bidding-war territory; buyers hesitate and miss out. He needs visual tools that convey urgency and market pace.
HMWs (How Might We) from POV 1:
• HMW automate reminders while still sounding human?
• HMW cut the time spent sending the same update across channels?
• HMW merge every message into a single, mobile-friendly feed?
HMWs from POV 2:
• HMW show live “opened / viewed” status for docs and messages?
• HMW create a running engagement log that kills the guess-work?
• HMW rank follow-ups by client activity so his time goes to the hottest leads?
HMWs from POV 3:
• HMW visualize offer timelines so clients decide faster?
• HMW end repeat “hurry-up” calls with dynamic, client-facing updates?
• HMW frame market data so buyers feel confident acting quickly?
Sitemap
Information Architecture Overview
The PathWise sitemap organizes everything an agent needs—from first client contact to closing—into five top-level buckets:
Home / Dashboard – a launchpad tile that surfaces upcoming deadlines, quick-action “+” (add client, task, reminder), and notification drawers.
Clients – searchable roster ➜ individual profile pages containing offer-timeline visualizer, engagement log, notes, mood tracker (low-priority), document vault, and workflow readiness score.
Schedule – calendar view ➜ one-tap “Schedule a Showing,” with embedded client search and conflict-checking.
Communication Hub – start a new text, email, or in-app message; reuse templates; track conversation threads in a shared task list.
Settings & Help – agent preferences, integration toggles, branding/theme controls, plus tutorials, FAQ, and support.
This structure mirrors the two core task flows discovered in research—Add Client → Assign Workflow and Schedule Showing—while keeping secondary actions (templates, branding, analytics) tucked into Settings so the day-to-day navigation remains clean and fast.
Task Flows
Please click or tap task flow pictures to see a larger depiction.
Add a New Client + Assign Workflow
Dashboard ➜ Fill client form (name, contact, comm prefs) ➜ Save ➜ Choose workflow template or create custom checklist ➜ Confirm → lands on Client Profile
Why this flow matters
Onboarding a buyer or seller is the first move in every transaction. One page captures contact + preferences, then instantly attaches an automated task list—eliminating the spreadsheet-and-sticky-note routine most agents described in research.
Schedule a Showing
Dashboard ➜ Calendar icon ➜ Tap Schedule Showing ➜ Search/select client ➜ Enter property address, date, time, notes ➜ Book Showing ➜ Success screen → showing appears on Client Profile
Why this flow matters
Agents ranked showing coordination as their biggest time sink. This single-screen form lets them lock a time, verifies conflicts, and auto-pushes details to the buyer—turning a multi-app chore into a one-minute task.
Wireframes
Add a Client + Establish Workflow
Designed in Figma and refined through usability testing
Please click or tap pictures to see a larger depiction.
Lo-Fidelity Sketches
Some ideas for structure and screens to get the ball rolling.
Mid-Fidelity v.1
• Floating “+” Quick‑Action opens the form.
• Long checklist for workflow.
• No required‑field cues.
• No duplicate client confirmation or denial.
Mid-Fidelity v.2
• Asterisks added for required information.
• “No Duplicate Found” dialog box added.
• Progress bar added.
Hi-Fidelity
•Added splash screen and Face ID login screens
•Added ‘Client added Successfully’ dialog box
•Branded the screens according to style card.
Schedule a Showing
Designed in Figma and refined through usability testing
Please click or tap pictures to see a larger depiction.
Lo-Fidelity Sketches
Some ideas for structure and screens to get the ball rolling.
Mid-Fidelity v.1
• Auto‑complete for property address.
• Inline calendar picker.
Mid-Fidelity v.2
Hi-Fidelity
• Checklist made into collapsable lists.
• Progress bar added.
• Added map preview in showing form.
Design Progression Overview
Summary: Iterations cut task‑completion time from 1 m 45 s in v1 to 52 s in hi‑fi (n = 4 participants).
• Map preview card appears once address is chosen.
• 15 / 30 / 60 min “length chips.”
• Success screen adds Share + Schedule Another buttons plus “Sync to Calendar” toggle.
Mid‑Fi v1 – First Clickable Draft - Key Updates
• Floating “+” Quick‑Action offered only Add Client, New Task / Reminder, and Upcoming Deadlines.
• No inline field validation or duplicate‑client check.
• Workflow checklist displayed as a single 40‑item scroll.
• No conflict alerts or confirmation screens.
Impact: Early testing surfaced three pain‑points: checklist fatigue, desire for conflict warnings, and hesitation with icon‑only navigation.
Mid‑Fi v2 – Post‑Test Iteration- Key Updates
• Quick‑Action menu expanded to include Schedule Showing and Add Event, presented in a cleaner inline layout.
• Forms gained required‑field asterisks and a “No Duplicate Client Detected” toast.
• Checklist broken into collapsible sections.
• Progress bar added for both tasks.
• Added map preview in showing form.
Impact: These changes cut average task time by ~25 %, eliminated checklist overwhelm, and gave users clear end‑state feedback.
Hi‑Fi – (Third Test) - Key Updates
• Introduced brand gradient headers, iconography, and larger typography for readability.
• A client‑ID card now anchors the top of the showing form; time‑length chips (15/30/45 min) added.
• New confirmation toast for Add Client and a dedicated success screen after Schedule Showing—featuring Schedule Another, Share Details, and Return to Dashboard buttons.
• Polished CTAs and visual hierarchy throughout.
Impact: Third‑round testing achieved 100 % task success and boosted overall intuitiveness to 8.5 / 10.
Wireframe Testing Summary
The first mid‑fidelity prototype surfaced usability gaps: agents scrolled through a 40‑item checklist, received no conflict warnings, and hesitated over unlabeled icons. In response, the second iteration split the checklist into collapsible stages, added required‑field cues, expanded the Quick‑Action menu to include Schedule Showing, and introduced clear confirmation toasts and success screens. Additional refinements—client ID cards, time‑length chips, and a duplicate‑client check—further reduced friction.
The high‑fidelity build layered PathWise’s visual language—gradient headers, icons, and enlarged typography—onto these improved flows, while map previews and refined CTAs boosted clarity. In the third test round, every participant completed both core tasks without assistance and rated overall intuitiveness 8.5 out of 10, confirming the design is ready for development.
At the heart of PathWise are four guiding principles. Clarity First ensures every screen, status, and reminder eliminates guess‑work, so agents and their clients always know exactly where they stand. Human Speed means the app delivers updates as fast as a text message while preserving the agent’s personal tone—automation without the robotic feel. Our commitment to a Trusted Partnership keeps PathWise neutral and ad‑free, elevating professionalism and strengthening client confidence. Finally, Agent Empowerment drives every feature: routine chores become one‑tap actions, letting agents spend less time juggling tools and more time advising their buyers and sellers.
Brand Values and The Why
Designed in Figma and refined with the assistance of AI tools
Please click or tap any of the images to see more.
Mood Board
Color Palette: PathWise’s palette balances confidence with calm. Electric Purple drives the action—it’s bold enough to energize calls‑to‑action while still reading professional on mobile. A flash of Golden Sun would highlight critical moments (deadlines, alerts) with upbeat warmth rather than alarming red. All of it rests on Off‑White card panels and easy to read typography, giving the UI a crisp, editorial finish that feels both modern and trustworthy.
Typography
We chose SF Pro for its wide language support, tall x‑height, and familiarity to iOS natives. A 1.25 × modular scale keeps hierarchy clear: 32 px / 20 px / 18 px for headers down to a comfortable 15 px caption—large enough for thumb‑reach scrolling yet compact on dense dashboards.
Logo exploration
I designed two different logos: a handshake monogram and the house‑with‑path lockup. Ultimately, I decided on the second one because it sits neutrally with any brokerage branding—aligning with the Trusted Partnership value.
Result
The palette, type, and icon set together create a UI that feels steady, modern, and instantly legible—delivering on PathWise’s core values of Clarity First, Human Speed, Trusted Partnership, and Agent Empowerment.
PathWise Style Tile
Prototype Testing
A total of seven different users users walked through two PathWise tasks—Add Client + Workflow and Schedule Showing. Feedback confirmed we were solving real agent pain‑points: testers praised the Quick‑Action button, the step‑by‑step checklists, and the streamlined confirmation screens. The refinements that followed further reduced hesitation and boosted confidence scores.
Test the Prototypes
Final Thoughts
PathWise began with a simple hypothesis: solo real‑estate agents lose precious deal time to scattered tools and unclear client communication. Grounded in surveys, interviews, and three rounds of prototype testing, the project turned that insight into a focused product—a mobile workspace that automates reminders, visualizes next steps, and schedules showings in seconds. Each iteration sharpened both clarity and speed: collapsing 40‑item checklists into staged tasks, adding duplicate‑client protection, and surfacing calendar‑sync and share shortcuts. By the final hi‑fidelity test, every participant completed the two core flows with 100 % success and rated overall intuitiveness 8.5 / 10.
PathWise now delivers on its four brand values—Clarity, Human Speed, Trusted Partnership, and Agent Empowerment—turning daily chores into one‑tap actions and freeing agents to do what software can’t: advise, negotiate, and build client trust. The next phase will translate these validated designs into code, integrate MLS data for real‑time listings, and support team collaboration. With a research‑driven foundation and clear market need, PathWise is ready to become the go‑to workflow companion for modern real‑estate agents.