Zillow Redesign:
Simplifying the Search for Home
Team
Navyaa Taneja | Jordan McMorris | Keerthi Ginuga | Hazel Do | Qi Luo | Aarushi Pohnerkar
Role
UX Research Lead, Lead Moderator, UX Design
A usability-focused redesign of Zillow’s mobile app to simplify search, filtering, and saved listings for renters making critical housing decisions.
Goal
To identify and analyze usability issues within Zillow’s in-app rental experience through user testing, and develop design solutions that help users search smarter, save confidently, and navigate with ease.
Why Zillow?
Key Objectives
We aimed
to achieve...
Clarity
Structure
Simplicity
Our Initial Assumptions
Insights from
Secondary Research
Confusing Architecture
The same functions are presented in different ways, causing confusion.
Disconnected Maps and Lists
The two views are not linked, making operations cumbersome.
Easy-to-Misuse Filters
No undo option, hidden options, and easy to reset.
Abnormal Navigation Logic
The back button does not
function as expected, causing
workflow disruptions.
Cluttered Interface
Buttons are too densely packed, leading to frequent accidental taps.
Trust Issues
There are disputes regarding fake listings and inaccurate valuations.
We Put it to Test !
How We Recruited?
Who We Recruited?
Screener Survey
To ensure our usability testing reflected real-world rental experiences, we distributed a screener survey to find participants who aligned with Zillow’s typical renter profile —making our findings more focused, reliable, and actionable.
A tree test was carried out to evaluate how intuitively users could navigate Zillow’s app, focusing on finding “Saved Searches,” understanding the “Updates” section, and accessing saved listings effortlessly.
Tree Testing
We deliberately
chose people not familiar with Zillow to see how intuitive the navigation really is.
Usability Testing
A usability test involving seven participants was conducted to evaluate Zillow’s in-app rental experience through three main tasks: search behavior, filter usage, and saving listings. The 72% completion rate highlighted notable pain points in navigation, filter labeling, and the saved search experience.
Task 1
Explore listings using the draw tool
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Use the Zillow app to explore homes only within those two neighborhoods.
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Try to avoid listings from other areas of Savannah, since you're not interested in those right now.
Task 2
Apply Filters to Search for Listings
-
For rent
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Under $3,500/month
-
With 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
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That have on-site parking and A/C
-
Does not have a pool
Task 3
Save Searches and Homes to review them later
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Save the search so Zillow can notify you about new listings.
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Find at least one home you like and save it.
-
Go to your saved searches, and browse similar listings.
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Then, review the home you saved.
Documentation
Observations
System Usability Score
61.0
According to the views of Usability Testing Participants
175
Qualitative Data Points
From Chaos to Clarity
We synthesized insights from qualitative data points gathered during usability testing by organizing them into four key themes — Struggles, Likes, Needs, and Behaviors. This affinity mapping process helped us uncover recurring patterns, prioritize usability issues, and translate raw user feedback into actionable design opportunities.
Key
Insights
Saved Items Are Disorganized
Key filters are hard to find, and exclusion options are missing.
Terms like “Updates” mislead users and disrupt flow.
Inconsistent layout causes confusion and extra navigation.
Problems Identified
Saved Items Are Disorganized
Filters Are Hard to Find and Inflexible
Navigation Labels Are Confusing
Information Architecture Is Inconsistent
How Might We...
Redesign Zillow’s saved items, filters, and navigation structure to help users easily find, organize, and control their home search experience?
Solution 1
Re-Think Navigation Labels
Solution 2
Redesign the Saved Items System
Solution 3
Revamp Filters for Organization & Discoverability
Impact
The redesign delivered measurable improvements in usability, clarity, and efficiency.
+ Navigation Clarity
Clearer labels such as “Saved” minimized misclicks and hesitation.
+ Task Efficiency
Real-time tag previews and organized filters sped up search completion.
– Cognitive Load
Collapsible filter sections enhanced scannability and reduced the need for excessive scrolling.
– Errors
Simplified flows reduced back-and-forth actions and confusion around saved searches.
Enhance Map
Draw Tool
to improve precision
and usability.
Future Considerations
Addressing additional priority areas:
Enable
Saved Home Comparison
to support better
decision-making.
Introduce Onboarding & Contextual Help
to guide first-time users and reduce confusion.
Our redesign refined Zillow’s mobile rental experience by making navigation more intuitive, filters easier to use, and saved content more accessible. By aligning the interface with real user behaviors, we reduced friction, boosted task efficiency, and increased user confidence throughout the search journey.
