National Property Group
Empowering Real Estate Agents with Clear and Intuitive Property Data
Role
Product designer
Timeline
August 2021 - November 2022
Project overview
National Property Group is a leading property data provider in Australia, offering real estate agents access to over 4 million records for property research, valuations, and reporting. They set out to revamp their web and mobile platforms to stay competitive, improve usability for existing users, and attract a wider customer base. The challenge was to simplify how property data was accessed and visualised, making the experience intuitive, scalable, and easy to navigate without sacrificing the depth of information professionals relied on.
My contribution
I joined as the lead designer, taking over from another designer and collaborating with internal and external development teams throughout a year-long engagement. Working in fortnightly sprints, I delivered iterative improvements across the platform, redesigning key areas like search, onboarding, and mapping. I evolved the design system to support a growing product suite, created detailed Figma prototypes for stakeholder testing, and helped shape a cohesive visual language that balanced clarity with complexity.
Reflections
This project deepened my experience designing for data-heavy platforms and collaborating closely across functions. Prototyping played a crucial role in aligning stakeholders and reducing dev time, while the design system became a foundational tool for scaling the product. The work reinforced the value of continuous iteration and collaboration, especially because the product was one that professionals rely on every day.
Approach
The project ran over the course of a year, with fortnightly sprints alongside the internal development team. We took an agile, flexible approach that allowed us to improve the platform in real time based on customer feedback. Using a test-and-learn mindset, we made sure our design decisions were guided by real user needs. To support the growing product range, we also teamed up with Hello Again, an external development team, working with them to build a mobile app, while continuing to enhance the web platform with National Property Group’s in-house developers.
Key Actions:
Fortnightly Sprints for Continuous Improvement: Every sprint focused on optimising the platform's usability, from minor UX adjustments to major redesigns. Key areas of focus included:
Search Experience: Improving the search functionality to help users find relevant property data more quickly.
Onboarding: Simplifying the user onboarding process for a smoother first-time experience.
Mapping Experience: Improving the map interface for both desktop and mobile to enhance usability and visual appeal.
Third-Party Integrations: Streamlining partnerships and third-party tool integrations to offer a richer data experience.
Design System Evolution: A key part of the project was building and continuously refining a comprehensive design system. Based on Material UI, the system was customised to suit National Property Group’s specific business needs. It brought consistency across all interfaces, helping create a cohesive and consistent experience for the platform, which could evolve over time. To support developers and any future designers on the project, I documented everything thoroughly and created clear guidelines and reusable components, making it faster and easier to implement new features while maintaining design quality.
Prototyping and User Feedback: Prototypes played a key role throughout the National Property Group project. They were essential for communicating design ideas to stakeholders, allowing them to experience proposed changes before giving sign-off, especially for major redesigns like the new map experience or updated navigation. I created interactive Figma prototypes that showcased everything from large structural changes to smaller interactions. This not only helped gather early feedback from stakeholders and users but also gave developers a clearer understanding of how features should behave. The iterative feedback loop allowed us to spot potential issues early and refine designs before development began.
Outcomes:
Streamlined UX: We successfully simplified the platform's interface, balancing complex data visualisation and user-friendly design.
Improved Usability: The revamped search, onboarding, and mapping experiences resulted in a more intuitive platform, improving user satisfaction and engagement.
Scalability: The evolving design system set the foundation for future product growth, making it easier to add new features and maintain design consistency.
Stakeholder Alignment: By involving stakeholders early through prototypes and iterative feedback, we ensured that the final product aligned with their vision and met business goals.
Pictured: Key mobile screens
Pictured: The evolving design system and guidelines, continuously refined to support new features and maintain consistency across the platform.