DealApp’s property map, once intended to support discovery, had become a serious usability blocker. Users, both home-seeking clients and real estate agents, entered the map and immediately hit a wall: stiff navigation, unclear filters, and a lack of guidance. Instead of helping users explore available properties, the map actively worked against them. Smartlook session recordings and in-app engagement metrics revealed a consistent pattern, high bounce rates, minimal interactions, and visible friction across sessions. The experience wasn’t just old; it was failing its purpose.
I replaced the static flow with a fully interactive, map-first experience. Users can now zoom, pan, and filter listings directly on the map, with dynamic horizontal tabs and segmented filtering options, tailored to their needs, whether browsing properties, exploring requests, or locating agents. A seamless switch between map and list views enables smoother, more engaging and useful navigation.
To kick off the redesign, I aligned closely with both the product and business teams to surface key use cases, user needs, and context-specific pain points. I mapped out the different browsing goals for clients and agents, then designed wireframes for four distinct map views: one for exploring properties ads by area, one for client-submitted real estate requests, one for promoted listings, and one for viewing agents geographically across KSA. Each concept was rooted in real user behavior and location preferences. Feedback loops were tight, I presented iterations early, refined them collaboratively, and ensured alignment across teams before moving into high-fidelity designs.
At the time, DealApp’s map feature displayed a non-interactive static map of Saudi cities. Users couldn’t zoom, scroll, or freely navigate the map. Instead, the flow was linear: tapping on a city pin opened a view of that city’s districts, and selecting a district would redirect to a property list view, with no map involved from that point on.
This wasn’t a minor UI tweak, it was a foundational UX problem dropped on my desk in my very first week at DealApp. The pressure was real. I had to quickly build context, think critically, and design solutions that didn’t just follow best practices, but made sense within users’ existing mental models. I ideated five distinct map exploration concepts, iterated fast, and aligned with stakeholders on the most promising direction. The challenge was not only about proposing a new interface, but securing buy-in for a completely new navigation logic that broke away from what users had been used to.
Location-based browsing
Intuitive navigation experience
Personalized map views
Faster access to relevant results
Jumping into a high-impact flow during my first week pushed me to think quickly, design more effectively, and collaborate deeply. I learned how to balance speed with structure, lean on my team, Mohammed, Somaya, Aya, and Yara, and design around real behaviors, balancing business needs with design best practices. Most importantly, I learned when to lead, when to let go, and how to keep momentum without losing clarity.
Cross-team alignment made all the difference. From research to design reviews, everyone played a part. Rapid design iterations helped us find the right direction fast. The result? Higher engagement, smoother decision-making, and stronger trust across the team.
