TrueLease
Creating a visual identity for a multidisciplinary approach to health.
Creating a visual identity for a multidisciplinary approach to health.
Year
2025
Scope
Web Design
Duration
12 weeks
Why routine rental tasks still feel stressful?
Current rental apps lack clarity and trust, either overwhelming users with information or leaving them guessing, while offering poor structure for tracking, accountability, and transparent communication between tenants and owners.
Current rental apps lack clarity and trust, either overwhelming users with information or leaving them guessing, while offering poor structure for tracking, accountability, and transparent communication between tenants and owners.
Issues faced by tenants
Issues faced by tenants
Issues faced by tenants
Lack of clarity
Tenants raise requests and then… silence. No clear status, no timeline, no confirmation of who’s handling it.
Lack of clarity
Tenants raise requests and then… silence. No clear status, no timeline, no confirmation of who’s handling it.
Lack of clarity
Tenants raise requests and then… silence. No clear status, no timeline, no confirmation of who’s handling it.
No single source of truth
Rent details in one place, lease in another, maintenance on WhatsApp, updates via email.
No single source of truth
Rent details in one place, lease in another, maintenance on WhatsApp, updates via email.
No single source of truth
Rent details in one place, lease in another, maintenance on WhatsApp, updates via email.
Power imbalance
When something goes wrong, they feel: unsure who to contact, hesitant to follow up, afraid of being “that tenant”.
Power imbalance
When something goes wrong, they feel: unsure who to contact, hesitant to follow up, afraid of being “that tenant”.
Power imbalance
When something goes wrong, they feel: unsure who to contact, hesitant to follow up, afraid of being “that tenant”.
One apartment. Multiple tenants.
TrueLease allows multiple tenants living in the same apartment to connect to a shared apartment profile. Each tenant has an individual account, while the apartment acts as a shared space where residents and their landlord or property manager can stay up to date on important information.
Tenant 1
Tenant 2
Tenant 3
Apartment
Shared apartment profile
Property manager
Property manager
Tenant 1
Tenant 2
Tenant 2
Updates
Announcement
Documents
Payments
Maintenance
Apartment
Shared apartment profile
TrueLease
This app gives tenants and property managers one clear place to handle rent, maintenance, and communication, so nothing gets lost, misunderstood, or chased manually.
This app gives tenants and property managers one clear place to handle rent, maintenance, and communication, so nothing gets lost, misunderstood, or chased manually.
Build trust through transparency
Build trust through transparency
Build trust through transparency
Ensure all actions, updates, and changes are visible, time-stamped, and traceable, so neither tenants nor owners are left guessing or disputing what happened.
Ensure all actions, updates, and changes are visible, time-stamped, and traceable, so neither tenants nor owners are left guessing or disputing what happened.
Ensure all actions, updates, and changes are visible, time-stamped, and traceable, so neither tenants nor owners are left guessing or disputing what happened.
Reduce anxiety through clarity
Reduce anxiety through clarity
Reduce anxiety through clarity
Make critical information like rent status, lease time left, and issue progress instantly understandable at a glance, without forcing users to dig or calculate.
Make critical information like rent status, lease time left, and issue progress instantly understandable at a glance, without forcing users to dig or calculate.
Make critical information like rent status, lease time left, and issue progress instantly understandable at a glance, without forcing users to dig or calculate.
Encourage accountability on both sides
Encourage accountability on both sides
Design clear ownership and status states for payments and maintenance, making responsibilities explicit and reducing follow-ups and blame.
Design clear ownership and status states for payments and maintenance, making responsibilities explicit and reducing follow-ups and blame.
Design clear ownership and status states for payments and maintenance, making responsibilities explicit and reducing follow-ups and blame.
Keep interactions calm and human
Keep interactions calm and human
Use clear language, predictable layouts, and minimal cognitive load to prevent stress in already sensitive situations related to housing.
Use clear language, predictable layouts, and minimal cognitive load to prevent stress in already sensitive situations related to housing.
Use clear language, predictable layouts, and minimal cognitive load to prevent stress in already sensitive situations related to housing.
One apartment. Multiple tenants.
TrueLease allows multiple tenants living in the same apartment to connect to a shared apartment profile. Each tenant has an individual account, while the apartment acts as a shared space where residents and their landlord or property manager can stay up to date on important information.
Tenant 1
Tenant 2
Tenant 3
Apartment
Shared apartment profile
Property manager
Maintenance
Documents
Updates
Payments
Announcement
Maintenance
Documents
Updates
Payments
Announcement
Survey Insights
62% of respondents avoid using rental apps due to unclear onboarding and a lack of structured tenant–landlord communication.
71% of users said conversations move outside the app because in-app communication is unstructured, leading to lost records and reduced transparency.
58% of users reported low trust in existing rental apps due to unclear processes, inconsistent updates, and poor visibility into actions.
User Interviews
4 out of 6 tenants interviewed described feeling anxious or powerless after raising issues, primarily due to the lack of progress tracking and accountability.
Both tenants and landlords found existing apps confusing, with user flows that do not reflect real-world rental communication or expectations.
A recurring theme across interviews was the absence of trust in the system itself, which often led users to abandon the app mid-process.
4 out of 6 tenants interviewed described feeling anxious or powerless after raising issues, primarily due to the lack of progress tracking and accountability.
Both tenants and landlords found existing apps confusing, with user flows that do not reflect real-world rental communication or expectations.
A recurring theme across interviews was the absence of trust in the system itself, which often led users to abandon the app mid-process.
User Interviews
4 out of 6 tenants interviewed described feeling anxious or powerless after raising issues, primarily due to the lack of progress tracking and accountability.
Both tenants and landlords found existing apps confusing, with user flows that do not reflect real-world rental communication or expectations.
A recurring theme across interviews was the absence of trust in the system itself, which often led users to abandon the app mid-process.
Ensure all actions, updates, and changes are visible, time-stamped, and traceable, so neither tenants nor owners are left guessing or disputing what happened.
Research Insights
Hear what our personas have to say
Hear what our personas have to say
Student renter, lives away from family, and manages rent and issues independently.
Student renter, lives away from family, and manages rent and issues independently.
Know exactly what’s due, when, and what’s already done.
Track maintenance requests without chasing people.
Feel in control of their living situation.
Know exactly what’s due, when, and what’s already done.
Track maintenance requests without chasing people.
Feel in control of their living situation.
Know exactly what’s due, when,
and what’s already done.Track maintenance requests without chasing people.
Feel in control of their living situation.
Goals
Goals
Goals
Unclear rent status or surprise charges.
No visibility into issue progress.
Communication that disappears into thin air.
Unclear rent status or surprise charges.
No visibility into issue progress.
Communication that disappears into thin air.
Unclear rent status or surprise charges.
No visibility into issue progress.
Communication that disappears into thin air.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Frustrations
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps and updates.
Simple, respectful communication.
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps and updates.
Simple, respectful communication.
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps
and updates.Simple, respectful communication.
Needs
Needs
Needs
"I just want things to work and not feel stupid asking twice."
"I just want things to work and not feel stupid asking twice."
Jack
Jack
New to renting, unfamiliar with lease terms, processes, and rights.
New to renting, unfamiliar with lease terms, processes, and rights.
Understand what's expected of them.
Avoid mistakes or penalties.
Feel confident navigating rental responsibilities.
Understand what's expected of them.
Avoid mistakes or penalties.
Feel confident navigating rental responsibilities.
Understand what's expected of them.
Avoid mistakes or penalties.
Feel confident navigating rental
responsibilities.
Goals
Goals
Goals
Legal language and unclear rules.
Fear of doing something wrong.
Lack of guidance or context.
Legal language and unclear rules.
Fear of doing something wrong.
Lack of guidance or context.
Legal language and unclear rules.
Fear of doing something wrong.
Lack of guidance or context.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Frustrations
Plain-language explanations.
Clear timelines and reminders.
Transparent records they can refer back to.
Plain-language explanations.
Clear timelines and reminders.
Transparent records they can refer back to.
Plain-language explanations.
Clear timelines and reminders.
Transparent records they can refer back to.
Needs
Needs
Needs
"I don't know what I don't know."
"I don't know what I don't know."
"I don't know what I don't know."
Emily
Emily
Manages multiple units, not emotionally invested in any single tenant, values efficiency.
Manages multiple units, not emotionally invested in any single tenant, values efficiency.
Reduce repetitive tenant queries.
Maintain records for rent and issues.
Close issues quickly with minimal back-and-forth.
Reduce repetitive tenant queries.
Maintain records for rent and issues.
Close issues quickly with minimal back-and-forth.
Goals
Goals
Tenants following up because they lack visibility.
Information scattered across calls, WhatsApp, and email.
No clean audit trail if disputes arise.
Tenants following up because they lack visibility.
Information scattered across calls, WhatsApp, and email.
No clean audit trail if disputes arise.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps and updates.
Simple, respectful communication.
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps and updates.
Simple, respectful communication.
Needs
Needs
"If it's logged, I shouldn't have to explain it again"
"If it's logged, I shouldn't have to explain it again"
Daniel
Daniel
Manages multiple units, not emotionally invested in any single tenant, values efficiency.
Reduce repetitive tenant queries.
Maintain records for rent and issues.
Close issues quickly with minimal back-and-forth.
Goals
Tenants following up because they lack visibility.
Information scattered across calls, WhatsApp, and email.
No clean audit trail if disputes arise.
Frustrations
Clear rent breakdowns and timelines.
Issue history with timestamps and updates.
Simple, respectful communication.
Needs
"If it's logged, I shouldn't have to explain it again"
Daniel
Workflow
Entry/ Authentication Workflow
Entry/ Authentication Workflow
Enter details
Create password
Choose Tenant or Agent
Click Send OTP
Enter code
Verify OTP
Enter property details
Enter property details
Upload lease documents
Upload lease documents
Enter invite code
Enter invite code
Continue
Continue
Profile Setup Workflow
Profile Setup Workflow
Go to Reports
Go to Reports
Click New Report
Click New Report
Enter issue details
Enter issue details
Submit report
Submit report
Ticket created
Ticket created
Report issue workflow
Report issue workflow
Open Profile
Open Profile
Go to Property Details
Go to Property Details
Edit information
Edit information
Save details
Save details
Edit property details workflow
Edit property details workflow
Enter details
Create password
Choose Tenant or Agent
Click Send OTP
Enter code
Verify OTP
Entry/ Authentication Workflow
Enter details
Create password
Choose Tenant or Agent
Click Send OTP
Enter code
Verify OTP
Enter property details
Upload lease documents
Enter invite code
Continue
Profile Setup Workflow
Go to Reports
Click New Report
Enter issue details
Submit report
Ticket created
Report issue workflow
Open Profile
Go to Property Details
Edit information
Save details
Edit property details workflow
Sketching and Wireframes
I focused on figuring out how the system should work rather than how it should look. I used low-fidelity sketches to explore onboarding flows, handle missing information, and understand how different features depend on each other.
I focused on figuring out how the system should work rather than how it should look. I used low-fidelity sketches to explore onboarding flows, handle missing information, and understand how different features depend on each other.
Launch screen
Launch screen
Login screen
Enter your details and create account
Login screen
Enter your details and create account
Member authentication
Verify your identity
Member authentication
Verify your identity
New user dashboard
New user dashboard
Report your issue
Report your issue
Confirmation screen—Ticket created.
Confirmation screen—Ticket created.
Member authentication
Verify your identity
Member authentication
Verify your identity
Hi-fi Designs
High-fidelity designs helped me check whether my ideas actually worked when everything was visible at once. Things that felt clear in wireframes sometimes felt confusing, heavy, or too demanding once real copy, spacing, and actions were added. This phase helped catch those problems early.
High-fidelity designs helped me check whether my ideas actually worked when everything was visible at once. Things that felt clear in wireframes sometimes felt confusing, heavy, or too demanding once real copy, spacing, and actions were added. This phase helped catch those problems early.
System states
Iterations & tradeoffs
Used empty space on purpose to create a calmer, quieter experience instead of filling the screen with noise.
Replaced detailed issue lists with a short status summary so users aren't constantly reminded of problems.
Replaced detailed issue lists with a short status summary so users aren't constantly reminded of problems.
Simplified the dashboard to one clear focus instead of many cards, making it easier to understand and less stressful to look at.
Simplified the dashboard to one clear focus instead of many cards, making it easier to understand and less stressful to look at.
Simplified the dashboard to one clear focus instead of many cards, making it easier to understand and less stressful to look at.
Kept search, badges, and reputation off the dashboard to maintain a neutral, trustworthy feel instead of pushing engagement.
Turned rent actions into clear, easy-to-read states so users know exactly what's done and what's not.
Turned rent actions into clear, easy-to-read states so users know exactly what's done and what's not.
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