Tyler Y. Designs
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InvestorPrism: Connecting Investors in Multifamily CRE
InvestorPrism is a social platform designed to help investors connect, network, and learn from one another in the multifamily commercial real estate (CRE) space. Developed by Tony Tamales, the platform aims to function similarly to LinkedIn but with a specific focus on fostering partnerships and collaboration among real estate investors.
Date
January - February 2025
4 Weeks
Project Type
Industry Design Project at Springboard
Team & Roles
3 member team
Tyler - Connections page & profile
Applications Used
Project Overview
InvestorPrism is a marketplace app designed to bridge the gap between aspiring commercial real estate (CRE) investors and industry experts. The platform fosters networking, knowledge-sharing, and investment opportunities through a seamless and intuitive user experience.
This project involved designing a wireframe that prioritizes usability, structured information architecture, and engagement features to create a valuable tool for investors at all levels.
Problem Statement
Aspiring CRE investors struggle to access expert insights and industry connections, making it difficult to navigate investment opportunities effectively. Many existing platforms focus solely on transactions rather than fostering meaningful connections. The goal of InvestorPrism was to design an app that facilitates direct engagement between investors and seasoned professionals, enhancing accessibility to expert knowledge and informed decision-making.
Research and Discovery
To create an effective design, we conducted extensive research to understand user needs, analyze competitors, and evaluate usability.
Key Research Methods:
Competitive Analysis: Examined leading platforms to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for differentiation.
User Personas: Defined key user groups (LPs, GPs, Co-GPs) to tailor platform features to real-world needs.
Heuristic Analysis: Evaluated usability, ensuring the interface was intuitive and efficient.
Heuristic Analysis
Using Jakob Nielsen’s 10 general principles for interaction design, we assessed the existing high-fidelity wireframes to determine necessary improvements. This analysis allowed us to refine usability, enhance accessibility, and optimize the user experience. Based on these heuristics, we identified several key features to improve clarity and ease of use.
Recommended Solutions:
Create an integrated help center to provide users with easily accessible guidance.
Add contextual help tooltips throughout the interface for better user understanding.
Implement guided tours for new users to introduce key platform functionalities.
Develop searchable documentation for quick access to frequently asked questions.
Add video tutorials for complex processes to improve onboarding and user engagement.
These solutions ensured that InvestorPrism not only met usability standards but also provided a seamless and user-friendly experience for investors.
Competitive Analysis
Pallas
Strengths
User-friendly navigation for investment discovery
Strong educational resources for beginners
Direct access to General Partners (GPs)
Weaknesses
Limited AI-driven investment recommendations
Focuses primarily on syndication investments
Lacks social networking features
Opportunities
Expansion into other CRE asset classes
AI-powered investment insights
Enhanced user networking for community-driven investments
Threats
Competition from platforms with stronger social engagement
Fintech advancements in automated investing
Market shifts impacting syndication models
Janover Engage
Strengths
Large investor network ($1B+ in confirmed investments)
Diverse investment opportunities across CRE sectors
Established brand credibility
Weaknesses
Less accessible for new investors due to accreditation requirements
Unclear pricing transparency
Limited community engagement features
Opportunities
Broader accessibility for non-accredited investors
Improved pricing transparency
AI-powered networking and deal-matching
Threats
Growing competition from more inclusive investment models
Regulatory changes impacting accreditation
Increasing demand for interactive, community-driven platforms
This research provided valuable insights that shaped InvestorPrism’s design, ensuring it addressed user pain points and stood out in the market.
Personas
Design
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Since we inherited high-fidelity wireframes from a previous designer, we already had a foundation to build on. My primary focus was designing the Connections (My Network) Page from scratch and refining the Profile Page to enhance usability.
Connections Page
Filter List with Search Navigation: Allowing users to find connections efficiently.
Left-Side Navigation Menu: Ensuring seamless accessibility across sections.
Profile Preview Cards: Displaying key user information with quick action buttons.
Profile Page Enhancements
Integrated a left-side navigation menu for consistency.
Added Active Offerings and Managing Deals (inspired by Janover Engage and Pallas).
Added more metrics and information to the page to enhance user insights.
Client Feedback & Iterations
Due to time constraints, we relied on direct client feedback instead of full user testing. The client had a clear vision, allowing us to iterate efficiently based on their needs.
Key Adjustments:
Filter options refined to include only All Connections, Near You, LP, GP, and Co-GP.
AUM and deals visibility expanded for both LPs and GPs.
Social link visibility adjusted: Phone numbers and emails were blurred to encourage in-app interactions, with premium users gaining access through paid badges.
LinkedIn-style user recommendations added to enhance discoverability.
High Fidelity Wireframes
Connections Page Refinements
Standardized card design for consistency with the app’s visual language.
Expanded card details for richer user insights before initiating conversations.
Profile Page Refinements
Removed direct contact details (except website links) to retain engagement within the platform.
Maintained table of contents navigation for a seamless browsing experience.
Introduced collapsible investment sections to view a user’s contributions without leaving the page.
Enhanced profile banners and badge displays for better visual appeal and credibility indicators.
Final Outcome & Reflections
Final Solution
The final product included:
A revamped home dashboard with left-sidebar navigation.
A newly designed Connections Page emphasizing networking.
Refinements to the Profile Page for improved user engagement.
Additional pages, including a splash screen, messaging system, and FAQ section, to reinforce community-building elements.
Despite time constraints, we successfully delivered a prototype that aligned with the client's vision and provided a strong foundation for securing funding.
Key Takeaways & Next Steps
Lessons Learned:
Adapting to tight deadlines: Efficient decision-making and clear communication were essential in this fast-paced project.
Working with existing high-fidelity designs: Maintaining consistency while improving usability required strategic thinking.
Collaborating with a team: This was one of my first team projects, and I learned how to divide tasks effectively, share ideas, and align our work with the client’s goals.
Balancing user needs with business goals: While we designed for investors, we also had to consider monetization strategies, such as premium badge access for enhanced networking.
This project reinforced my ability to design with business objectives in mind, iterate efficiently under constraints, and create a seamless networking experience for users.
Next Steps:
Tony will present the prototype and high-fidelity mockups at a pitch meeting to secure funding for the project. Following successful funding, we hope to continue working with Tony to complete the remaining two parts of the application, as well as finalize and refine the current design.