Realay – Building a smarter real estate experience from the ground up

Team & Collaboration The design team consisted of two product designers. We worked closely with a remote team of backend and frontend developers, QA, a product manager, and Realay’s founding team. Our collaboration model relied on async updates via Slack and Figma, weekly design reviews, and ongoing feedback loops with PMs and engineering leads. My role covered the end-to-end design process, from discovery to execution, including UX research, information architecture, interaction design, high-fidelity UI, prototyping, and delivery. Kickoff and Early Scope The project kicked off with a series of collaborative discovery sessions with the founders and product team to define the core value proposition: reduce friction in the real estate transaction process, especially around showing scheduling, property browsing, and agent-client communication. We reviewed competitive benchmarks, outlined the MVP, and created a shared language around core personas and goals. Communication and Collaboration We used Figma for design collaboration and Slack for daily async communication. Weekly standups, design critiques, and sprint reviews were held with the product and engineering teams. I regularly presented design proposals and updates to the CEO, CTO, and PM to gather feedback, align with business priorities, and adjust timelines. Assumptions and Validation Early assumptions included the idea that buyers would want to request showings for multiple properties at once (tours). Through interviews with realtors, we discovered that most buyers preferred to request individual showings and have their realtor coordinate any tour-style visits. This insight led us to redesign the tour creation process, shifting it from a client-side feature to a realtor-initiated workflow, with individual showing requests as the starting point. Decision-Making Process Product decisions were made collaboratively but rooted in practicality. We used low-fidelity prototypes and user feedback to drive early-stage decisions. Larger design directions were presented to stakeholders and aligned through discussions focused on technical feasibility and product vision. Prioritization of features was informed by user interviews, potential impact, and dev effort. Metrics and Measurement We evaluated feature success based on engagement and usability. For instance, in the messaging system, we tracked user behavior to understand when to classify messages as notifications vs. inbox items. For the showing request flow, we measured time-to-response and completion rates. Analytics were paired with qualitative feedback gathered from realtors testing the app. Feedback Loops Feedback was both structured and continuous. Internally, I facilitated design reviews and incorporated iterative feedback from the PM and engineering leads. Externally, we ran prototype tests with early realtors and clients to identify usability gaps and refine messaging. Feedback cycles helped us simplify complex workflows like linked contacts, tour scheduling, and note threading. User Research and Testing User research was embedded throughout the project. We conducted interviews and walkthroughs with realtors, sellers, and buyers to gather insights. This research highlighted recurring issues like difficulty coordinating showings across multiple parties, lack of feedback after viewings, and fragmented communication across platforms. These insights directly influenced UX decisions.