Bringing clarity, efficiency, and timeliness to room preparation
with a new Housekeeping module
Project Outcomes
80%+ of early adopters used the mobile app to complete services
5 new customers through the Channels module link due to new hotel-like stays
Saved users time and effort tracking down room readiness
The Challenge
Our existing system lacked flexibility and visibility. Staff couldn’t:
Track room readiness in real time
Tailor cleaning services to specific requirements
Manage recurring schedules efficiently
Instead, they relied on manual workarounds, creating inefficiencies that:
Slowed down room turnover
Increased operational costs
Diminished the resident/guest experience
How might we empower housekeeping teams to manage cleans in real time, with flexibility and mobile access, so rooms are always ready when needed?
Discovery: Understanding the Problem
I started with a deep dive into customer workflows.
Key activities included:
Stakeholder interviews uncovering operational pain points across student accommodation and higher education
Competitor analysis reviewing market tools, pricing models, and adoption trends. I found that while competitors offered status tracking and task automation, few supported the level of customisation and mobile flexibility our customers needed
The insights was clear:
our solution needed to bridge the manual gap with a real-time, mobile-first approach
My Design Journey
I was the sole designer working day-to-day with a product manager and four engineers, I shaped the process into three phases, supported by design critiques with the wider design team
1. Research & Ideation
Through interviews and workshops, I mapped the housekeeping journey, and highlighted critical friction points
2. Wireframing & Prototyping
I sketched out low-fidelity concepts, dashboards, room lists, and mobile views, and tested multiple layouts. Feedback shaped the transition into high-fidelity Figma prototypes
3. Pilot Testing & user Feedback
We ran an Early Adopter Program, observing how real staff used the system. Their input pushed me to refine features like service categorisation and recurring schedules, and confirmed that mobile access was essential for adoption
The Solution: Housekeeping Management
The final module gave teams the tools to manage room preparation with clarity and speed
Key Features
Real-time status tracking Rooms marked as Clean, Dirty, In Progress
Customisable cleaning services Ability to create, modify, and assign multiple service types
Service scheduling Supports both recurring and one-off cleans
Mobile accessibility Staff update room statuses on the go, directly from the app
The design centred on simplicity and clarity, making it easy to see room readiness at a glance and take action immediately
The Impact
The module transformed how housekeeping was managed. Benefits to our users included:
Efficiency No more spreadsheets or manual updates
Flexibility Services tailored to different room types and needs
Timeliness Faster room turnover ensured guests weren’t left waiting
Adoption Staff embraced mobile updates, making the system part of their daily routine
