Optimising Efficiency in Student Housing Management
Generative Research
A property management software company was losing customers in the student housing sector.
To improve retention and growth, they aimed to understand how to better serve this market, as their platform was originally designed for multi-family housing management.
I led the 10-week project, managing recruitment, conducting user interviews, synthesising findings, creating a customer journey map, and delivering the final presentation. I also acted as the main point of contact for the client throughout.
Research Goals
Problem Space
In the U.S., student housing properties undergo a “student turn” where all residents vacate simultaneously, requiring rapid unit preparation for new tenants.
This demanding process involves large-scale operations (50–500+ beds), tight timelines for cleaning and repairs, and coordination across multiple teams.
Our client’s property management system wasn’t designed to specifically cater for these challenges. They sought to understand property managers' needs to improve efficiency, reduce stress, and streamline transitions during this busy time.
Understand the full Student Turn Process
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end process, from move-out to move-in.
Identify Pain Points & Gaps
Uncover issues in the current solution to prioritise features that address them.
Research Process
Qualitative Research
12 User Interviews
Helped us understand the student turn journey, highlighting goals, needs, pain points & improvement areas from those overseeing the process.
Kicking off the Project
A walk-through demonstration of the software with the Product Manager was held to:
Identify key assumptions about users
Gain insights into their understanding of the student turn process
This provided valuable input for shaping the recruitment and moderator guides.
User Interview Preparation
Mapping the student turn journey from the property managers' perspective was crucial to identify key opportunities for product improvements to enhance efficiency, support workflows, and boost customer satisfaction.
Recruitment
12 property managers (6 platform users, 6 non-users)
Various U.S. regions and property sizes
Email outreach using client-provided contacts, tracked in Excel
Including 6 platform users and 6 non-users allowed comparison between those familiar with the system and those who manage student housing without it.
Interview Structure
Two tailored moderator guides were structured chronologically to align with the student turn process.
Background: role and property context
Student Turn Timeline: duration and key phases
Process Breakdown: preparation, move-outs, damage charges, vendor management, move-ins, post move-ins
(responsibilities, challenges, and software feedback)
Conclusion: key challenges and potential areas for improvement.
Conducting User Interviews
During interviews:
A research assistant recorded notes in an Excel spreadsheet, and I summarised key insights after each remote session, providing stakeholders with weekly updates.
Ongoing synthesis was done in Miro, using affinity mapping to structure platform data and draft customer journey maps for each user.
Customer Journey Map Setup
Three swimlanes were created to capture the overall journey:
Key Steps
Identifying critical stages in the process.
User Sentiments & Thoughts
Understanding emotions and perspectives at each step.
Key Insights & Recommendations
Providing actionable takeaways for each step.
Visual techniques to ease comprehension:
Divided the map into key phases for clarity.
Labeled columns with letters and numbered insights for easy navigation.
Used color coding (blue/positive, orange/neutral, red/negative).
Added an empathy path to highlight user emotions.
Emphasised key insights with larger fonts and call-out boxes.
Included customer quotes to add authenticity.
Finalising the Customer Journey Map
Creating the initial journey map in Miro enabled clear data visualisation and an easy transition to a high-fidelity version ensuring key findings remained simple and digestible.
I combined individual journey maps to identify patterns and create a unified journey, refining both the approach and user interview questions along the way.
Deliverables
What we delivered
✓ Weekly Progress Updates shared with the client.
✓ 12 x Interview Summary Documents with key insights, quotes, and virtual recordings.
✓ 1 x Customer Journey Map illustrating key phases, actions, challenges, emotions, and opportunities.
✓ 1 x In-depth Report covering research goals, approach, key insights, and platform recommendations.
✓ 1 x Formal Final Presentation delivered to stakeholders and the team.
Key Findings
💡
Key Insights
Lease Tracking Issues: Whiteboards/spreadsheets cause errors → Recommendation: Floor plan tool for occupant tracking.
Move-Out Delays: Late departures disrupt schedules → Recommendation: Key return tracking for real-time updates.
Assigning Roommates: Post-move-in matching is difficult → Recommendation: Match roommates via student applications.
Vendor Inefficiency: Physical print-outs slow processes → Recommendation: Digital access to inspection photos/descriptions.
Move-In Chaos: Manual prep is overwhelming → Recommendation: Automate move-in communication.
🖥️
Product Gaps & Recommendations
Damage Charges: Manual cost calculation is slow → Recommendation: Automate with real-time photos.
Inspection Templates: Duplicates needed due to bed tracking limits → Recommendation: Support bed-specific inspections.
Vendor Updates: Work status requires physical checks → Recommendation: Allow vendors to update a turn schedule in real time.
Move-In Reports: Unsynced damage reports cause disputes → Recommendation: Provide alerts for existing damage to prevent errors.
Reflection
The research provided key insights to help the client prioritise features, reduce drop-off rates, and enhance the team's understanding of student turn challenges.
What went well
Research goals were successfully met.
Stakeholders were engaged and receptive to the findings.
Educated the client’s product team on the student turn process, improving their knowledge.
The client was pleased with the outcomes, resulting in a 12-month research retainer for further initiatives.
Challenges
Recruiting participants was challenging, extending the project timeline from 8 to 10 weeks.