NESTMATE
Project Background:
Canada’s international student population continues to soar. The IRCC paper forecasts that only in Canada the number of international students will reach 949,000 in 2023 and just over a million next year. The number is projected to rise to 1.1 million in 2025, 1.28 million in 2026, and 1.4 million in 2027. This trend leads to huge market impact. Serviceable Available Market specifically focuses on Canada's international student population, exceeding one million, with a projected revenue potential of $374 million dollars. They contribute more than $22.3 billion annually to the Canadian economy, not just through tuition but also as vital members of the workforce. The number of affordable student housing options falls far short of matching the ever-growing group of international students, making finding rental accommodations a challenge that every student in Canada must face.
Problem Statement:
In the rental market targeting international students in Canada, the lack of user-friendly, transparency, and practical Rights and Benefits information creates information barriers, hindering the transition to a international student friendly, accessible renting market.
“---How might we help international students avoid future disputes about their rights before and after move in.”
Target Audience:
Canada’s international student population continues to soar. The IRCC paper forecasts that only in Canada the number of international students will reach 949,000 in 2023 and just over a million next year. The number is projected to rise to 1.1 million in 2025, 1.28 million in 2026, and 1.4 million in 2027. This trend leads to huge market impact. Serviceable Available Market specifically focuses on Canada's international student population, exceeding one million, with a projected revenue potential of $374 million dollars. They contribute more than $22.3 billion annually to the Canadian economy, not just through tuition but also as vital members of the workforce. The number of affordable student housing options falls far short of matching the ever-growing group of international students, making finding rental accommodations a challenge that every student in Canada must face.
Problem Statement:
In the rental market targeting international students in Canada, the lack of user-friendly, transparency, and practical Rights and Benefits information creates information barriers, hindering the transition to a international student friendly, accessible renting market.
“---How might we help international students avoid future disputes about their rights before and after move in.”
Target Audience:
Media Scan:
Primary User Research:
We conducted further primary research on the international students around us, including surveys and interviews. To date, we have identified four key pain points for international students in the Canadian rental market:
- Opaque information
- Lack of knowledge
- Poor communication
- Unsatisfactory support
Competitive Landscape:
Stakeholds Analysis:
1. Renter:
Lack of understanding of the paperwork and legal requirements for renting an apartment, and inability to access open and transparent information about the market and properties. The status of international students further limits their access to resources. For them, without local common sense and knowledge of personal rights in Canada, the main question is not "paperwork" itself.
2. Landlord:
Regardless of whether tenants and landlords share the same cultural background, mutual understanding is always difficult, and the different living habits of international students largely contribute to the conflict. Landlords need tenants who match their requirements, but there is a lack of a strong supervisory platform.
3. Real estate agent:
The competition between different real estate agents for profit and the resulting monopolization of resources is one of the reasons for an opaque market. At the same time, a large number of private real estate agents do not provide services effectively but instead undermine integrity.
4. Government:
The rental data of the international student group is mostly unable to be recorded in the public housing transaction databases, with the collected data often being fragmented. On one hand, an increasing number of international students are entering the market, while on the other, the government's inability to collect relevant data results in numerous gaps in the database that cannot be filled.
The competition between different real estate agents for profit and the resulting monopolization of resources is one of the reasons for an opaque market. At the same time, a large number of private real estate agents do not provide services effectively but instead undermine integrity.
4. Government:
The rental data of the international student group is mostly unable to be recorded in the public housing transaction databases, with the collected data often being fragmented. On one hand, an increasing number of international students are entering the market, while on the other, the government's inability to collect relevant data results in numerous gaps in the database that cannot be filled.
Research Outcomes:
By integrating all primary and secondary research findings, we have identified four main features centered on risk assessment, ultimately helping international students create a safe, secure, and trustworthy rental environment.
Prototyping & Testing:
After completing the Low-Mid fidelity prototype, we organized a user testing session and interviewed the participants to identify the design changes that were needed.
Final Outcomes:
By integrating all primary and secondary research findings, we have identified four main features centered on risk assessment, ultimately helping international students create a safe, secure, and trustworthy rental environment.
Prototyping & Testing:
After completing the Low-Mid fidelity prototype, we organized a user testing session and interviewed the participants to identify the design changes that were needed.
Final Outcomes: