HOMEX — An app for when disaster strikes
The idea that started it all..
I was at the finishing line for my interaction design certification. I was excited and ready to embark in the journey of the capstone. When realizing that I needed to come up with a design for something new and interesting I started to think. What could we possibly need? What is missing out-there? I remember thinking of a time when I was a victim of theft at my small apartment in downtown Hartford. I called the insurance agency for rental insurance and asked them what I could possibly do. I was told I needed to provide evidence. I needed pictures, receipt, videos, etc. I realized I had none… Thus, the idea of creating an app that could facilitate the way individuals record their assets started.
The second stage:
After knowing what I wanted to get myself into. I decided to start prototyping. I wanted to begin with simplicity. Something that a user can easily go into and add an asset. This was the first task that I tried to accomplished before moving into the third stage. I thought of a quick camera icon that can be clicked just as a camera in a lock screen. After that, I thought of what else a user might want to do in the app. I begin by adding features for insurance. In the app, the user will also have access to get an insurance quote and be able to file a claim. A screen that can have it all and be fully accessible will be the easiest to use. This will definitely help a user in case of a disaster. They will have it all in one place.
The end of testing:
The prototype was then improved to a point where it was ready to be tested. The test consisted of 6 users who were given a variety of tasks. Some users had more difficulty but the conclusion was overall the same. All user thought the camera feature was interesting but the insurance features were not yet in their correct stage. After several improvements and hours of work, the prototype was complete. The users’ feedback was implemented and the design felt “finished”. Now it was time to get coding and finally finish the so wanted certification that started this entire idea. Which is now HOMEX.
