Building design…
Shortlet App
Shortlet App
Shortlet App
From Zero to One Million $$: The UX that Powered a Property Rental Platform’s Rapid Growth.
From Zero to One Million $$: The UX that Powered a Property Rental Platform’s Rapid Growth.
From Zero to One Million $$: The UX that Powered a Property Rental Platform’s Rapid Growth.
Project Details
Team:
Product Designer (me)
Product Manager
Mobile Developer
Backend Developer
Project Deliverables:
Host Mobile App
Customer Mobile App
Marketing Website
Design System
My Role:
UX & UI Design
UX Research
Client Management
Project Management
Tools:
Figma, Jira, Illustrator
Year:
2023
Overview
Launching From Zero: Turning a Business Idea Into a Real Product
When the founder of Shortlet came to me, they had a bold vision: build Africa’s go-to platform for short-term rentals — a mobile-first experience that could rival international players, tailored to local needs.
They had no product, no brand, and no designs — just a clear market gap and a hungry user base of hosts and travelers frustrated by unreliable platforms.
I joined at the earliest stage to design the product from the ground up and bring the first version of Shortlet to life.
Overview
Launching From Zero: Turning a Business Idea Into a Real Product
When the founder of Shortlet came to me, they had a bold vision: build Africa’s go-to platform for short-term rentals — a mobile-first experience that could rival international players, tailored to local needs.
They had no product, no brand, and no designs — just a clear market gap and a hungry user base of hosts and travelers frustrated by unreliable platforms.
I joined at the earliest stage to design the product from the ground up and bring the first version of Shortlet to life.
Overview
Launching From Zero: Turning a Business Idea Into a Real Product
When the founder of Shortlet came to me, they had a bold vision: build Africa’s go-to platform for short-term rentals — a mobile-first experience that could rival international players, tailored to local needs.
They had no product, no brand, and no designs — just a clear market gap and a hungry user base of hosts and travelers frustrated by unreliable platforms.
I joined at the earliest stage to design the product from the ground up and bring the first version of Shortlet to life.
Overview
Launching From Zero: Turning a Business Idea Into a Real Product
When the founder of Shortlet came to me, they had a bold vision: build Africa’s go-to platform for short-term rentals — a mobile-first experience that could rival international players, tailored to local needs.
They had no product, no brand, and no designs — just a clear market gap and a hungry user base of hosts and travelers frustrated by unreliable platforms.
I joined at the earliest stage to design the product from the ground up and bring the first version of Shortlet to life.
The Problem
Disjointed Experiences, Missed Opportunities
As we dug into early user interviews and market research, one thing became clear: short-term rentals in Africa were booming, but the digital experience hadn't caught up.
For customers:
Finding clean, affordable short-term rentals felt like gambling. Listings were scattered across WhatsApp, Instagram, and outdated websites.
Booking flows were clunky, with unclear pricing and unreliable availability.
For hosts:
There was no dedicated tool to manage listings, pricing, and guest communication in one place.
Manual processes and unverified bookings often led to loss of income and frustrated guests.
Both sides of the marketplace were losing time and trust. It was time to build a platform that brought everything — and everyone — together in one seamless flow.
The Problem
Disjointed Experiences, Missed Opportunities
As we dug into early user interviews and market research, one thing became clear: short-term rentals in Africa were booming, but the digital experience hadn't caught up.
For customers:
Finding clean, affordable short-term rentals felt like gambling. Listings were scattered across WhatsApp, Instagram, and outdated websites.
Booking flows were clunky, with unclear pricing and unreliable availability.
For hosts:
There was no dedicated tool to manage listings, pricing, and guest communication in one place.
Manual processes and unverified bookings often led to loss of income and frustrated guests.
Both sides of the marketplace were losing time and trust. It was time to build a platform that brought everything — and everyone — together in one seamless flow.
The Problem
Disjointed Experiences, Missed Opportunities
As we dug into early user interviews and market research, one thing became clear: short-term rentals in Africa were booming, but the digital experience hadn't caught up.
For customers:
Finding clean, affordable short-term rentals felt like gambling. Listings were scattered across WhatsApp, Instagram, and outdated websites.
Booking flows were clunky, with unclear pricing and unreliable availability.
For hosts:
There was no dedicated tool to manage listings, pricing, and guest communication in one place.
Manual processes and unverified bookings often led to loss of income and frustrated guests.
Both sides of the marketplace were losing time and trust. It was time to build a platform that brought everything — and everyone — together in one seamless flow.
The Problem
Disjointed Experiences, Missed Opportunities
As we dug into early user interviews and market research, one thing became clear: short-term rentals in Africa were booming, but the digital experience hadn't caught up.
For customers:
Finding clean, affordable short-term rentals felt like gambling. Listings were scattered across WhatsApp, Instagram, and outdated websites.
Booking flows were clunky, with unclear pricing and unreliable availability.
For hosts:
There was no dedicated tool to manage listings, pricing, and guest communication in one place.
Manual processes and unverified bookings often led to loss of income and frustrated guests.
Both sides of the marketplace were losing time and trust. It was time to build a platform that brought everything — and everyone — together in one seamless flow.
Designing Two Seamless Mobile Experiences
The Solution
We launched two mobile apps — one for customers, one for hosts — with a focus on clarity, ease of use, and mobile-first speed.
Customer App:Users could browse verified listings, filter by location and amenities, see real-time availability, and complete bookings with a few taps.
Host App:Hosts could upload and manage listings, update availability, adjust pricing, and handle bookings — all in one place.
To support this, I designed a scalable design style guide that made it easy to scale new features quickly without compromising visual consistency.
Together, we crafted an experience that felt as smooth as Airbnb, but locally tailored and optimized for speed.
Designing Two Seamless Mobile Experiences
The Solution
We launched two mobile apps — one for customers, one for hosts — with a focus on clarity, ease of use, and mobile-first speed.
Customer App:Users could browse verified listings, filter by location and amenities, see real-time availability, and complete bookings with a few taps.
Host App:Hosts could upload and manage listings, update availability, adjust pricing, and handle bookings — all in one place.
To support this, I designed a scalable design style guide that made it easy to scale new features quickly without compromising visual consistency.
Together, we crafted an experience that felt as smooth as Airbnb, but locally tailored and optimized for speed.
Designing Two Seamless Mobile Experiences
The Solution
We launched two mobile apps — one for customers, one for hosts — with a focus on clarity, ease of use, and mobile-first speed.
Customer App:Users could browse verified listings, filter by location and amenities, see real-time availability, and complete bookings with a few taps.
Host App:Hosts could upload and manage listings, update availability, adjust pricing, and handle bookings — all in one place.
To support this, I designed a scalable design style guide that made it easy to scale new features quickly without compromising visual consistency.
Together, we crafted an experience that felt as smooth as Airbnb, but locally tailored and optimized for speed.
Designing Two Seamless Mobile Experiences
The Solution
We launched two mobile apps — one for customers, one for hosts — with a focus on clarity, ease of use, and mobile-first speed.
Customer App:Users could browse verified listings, filter by location and amenities, see real-time availability, and complete bookings with a few taps.
Host App:Hosts could upload and manage listings, update availability, adjust pricing, and handle bookings — all in one place.
To support this, I designed a scalable design style guide that made it easy to scale new features quickly without compromising visual consistency.
Together, we crafted an experience that felt as smooth as Airbnb, but locally tailored and optimized for speed.
The Outcome & Impact of the Solution
Real Revenue. Real Users. Real Results.
What started as a blank slate quickly became a high-performing product — proving that great design can unlock both growth and trust in a new market.
$1M+ revenuegenerated within 5 months of launch.10,000+ Bookings Made:Rapid user adoption driven by an intuitive booking flow and mobile-first experience.85% Host Retention Rate: Most property hosts continued listing after their first booking, highlighting trust in the platform’s performance and ease of use.Positive user feedbackon ease of use, speed, and modern design.
The Outcome & Impact of the Solution
Real Revenue. Real Users. Real Results.
What started as a blank slate quickly became a high-performing product — proving that great design can unlock both growth and trust in a new market.
$1M+ revenuegenerated within 5 months of launch.10,000+ Bookings Made:Rapid user adoption driven by an intuitive booking flow and mobile-first experience.85% Host Retention Rate: Most property hosts continued listing after their first booking, highlighting trust in the platform’s performance and ease of use.Positive user feedbackon ease of use, speed, and modern design.
The Outcome & Impact of the Solution
Real Revenue. Real Users. Real Results.
What started as a blank slate quickly became a high-performing product — proving that great design can unlock both growth and trust in a new market.
$1M+ revenuegenerated within 5 months of launch.10,000+ Bookings Made:Rapid user adoption driven by an intuitive booking flow and mobile-first experience.85% Host Retention Rate: Most property hosts continued listing after their first booking, highlighting trust in the platform’s performance and ease of use.Positive user feedbackon ease of use, speed, and modern design.
The Outcome & Impact of the Solution
Real Revenue. Real Users. Real Results.
What started as a blank slate quickly became a high-performing product — proving that great design can unlock both growth and trust in a new market.
$1M+ revenuegenerated within 5 months of launch.10,000+ Bookings Made:Rapid user adoption driven by an intuitive booking flow and mobile-first experience.85% Host Retention Rate: Most property hosts continued listing after their first booking, highlighting trust in the platform’s performance and ease of use.Positive user feedbackon ease of use, speed, and modern design.
$1M+
Revenue generated within 5 months of launch.
$1M+
Revenue generated within 5 months of launch.
$1M+
Revenue generated within 5 months of launch.
$1M+
Revenue generated within 5 months of launch.
10,000+
Bookings completed within 6 months of launch.
10,000+
Bookings completed within 6 months of launch.
10,000+
Bookings completed within 6 months of launch.
10,000+
Bookings completed within 6 months of launch.
85%
of hosts continued using the platform after their first listing.
85%
of hosts continued using the platform after their first listing.
85%
of hosts continued using the platform after their first listing.
85%
of hosts continued using the platform after their first listing.
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