Role
Product Manager
Team
Daniela Velazquez
Michelle Zhou
Noel Negron
Aishani Srikumar
Michelle Zhou
Noel Negron
Aishani Srikumar
Skills
Storyboard
Web Design
Visual Design
Scrum methodology
Web Design
Visual Design
Scrum methodology
Tools
Figma
Trello
Google Analytics
Trello
Google Analytics
Timeline
Jan - May 2025
Overview
A housing information platform that assists Columbia undergrads with housing application.
theShaft, one of Spectator’s portfolios, provides relevant and helpful information about the housing application. Primary users consist of undergraduates who are planning their future housing for the upcoming academic year.
theShaft, one of Spectator’s portfolios, provides relevant and helpful information about the housing application. Primary users consist of undergraduates who are planning their future housing for the upcoming academic year.
TL;DR
We successfully shipped everything we intended for this semester! Here’s a quick peek:
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Scope
With a specific needs that users visit our platform with, this platform has cyclical spikes in usage that alternates by semester. I relegated goals and sprints based on the urgency and bandwidth of an implementation.
I was not familiar with the existing dormitories because my school follows a different housing application timeline and options. Luckily, my twin sister (huge shout-out) also attends Columbia–asking her and other peers about their experiences using theShaft helped me envision user journey and narrow the pain points that active users share.
I was not familiar with the existing dormitories because my school follows a different housing application timeline and options. Luckily, my twin sister (huge shout-out) also attends Columbia–asking her and other peers about their experiences using theShaft helped me envision user journey and narrow the pain points that active users share.
Challenge
How do we make it easier for students to find their ideal housings?
Columbia housing isn’t the easiest to grasp at first. There are many different room types, like corridor-style or apartment-style, that are confusing even to seniors.
Upon asking students, we discovered that:
1. It’s hard to stay up to date with changes in the application process.
2. It’s annoying to compare the differences between the housings.
3. Room types, amenities, and location were the most important things they consider when choosing.
Upon asking students, we discovered that:
1. It’s hard to stay up to date with changes in the application process.
2. It’s annoying to compare the differences between the housings.
3. Room types, amenities, and location were the most important things they consider when choosing.
Storyboard
Based on our findings, we put ourselves into the shoes of a freshman trying to figure out where to live next year with their friends:
So what?
Navigating through different options and juggling them in their heads annoyed them.
Upon discussing with the Head of Product (HoP), I fleshed out the goals to tackle. She also requested that we refine our Housing 101 page because it was very outdated. Our goals looked like:
A. Easier way to compare multiple housings
B. Straightforward information
C. Update Housing 101
A. Easier way to compare multiple housings
B. Straightforward information
C. Update Housing 101
Meeting with Columbia Housing!
In our meeting, we learned that a dormitory is closed for the next academic year due to construction, and also that 3 new housings will be added to the portfolio. We needed to reflect these changes in our lottery predictor and inform the users of the changes.
Roadblock
Not enough bandwidth to execute initial plan...
Initially, the comparison feature required cookies and user profile. However, Head of Engineering (HoE) informed us that there wasn't enough bandwidth to implement profiles in theShaft this semester.
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Different path, same solution
Can we achieve the same feature, in a different way?
We asked ourselves–how can we approach this differently to still deliver the same functionality? Cookies and user profile were the reasons. We decided to add a 'compare' button in individual housing pages, which would lead to options listings where students can compare multiple options.
By finding a more direct path for comparison, we provide essentially the same functionality while following the constraints.
By finding a more direct path for comparison, we provide essentially the same functionality while following the constraints.
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Too much going on
Housing 101's previous design was clunky and hectic. Too much motion. I hated Housing 101's tab bar.
This page would have gotten a B- in a Web Development course...
This page would have gotten a B- in a Web Development course...
Solution: clarity
We felt that the zig-zaggy, gigantic numbers distracted readers. We decided to divide each section with dotted lines instead to ensure enough white spaces.
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Takeaways
Leading theShaft was like a growth injection. I got to lead a cross-functional product and make meaningful changes that impact the user experience directly, and faced a real constraint that we successfully maneuvered around.
And for my time at Spectator in general, I had a privilege to be a part of the best team in Spectator – Product! Not only did I encounter challenges that helped me grow further as a Product person, but also met many many friends that I hope to stay close throughout my life.
While the journey to our goals is super important, I believe the most thing is those you met along the way. As a transfer from USC, I can't thank my team enough for making me feel like home.
As for my journey with Spectator, I will be leading CULPA alongside theShaft next semester! You can think of CULPA as Columbia's Rate My Professor. I am unbelievably excited for what's ahead :)
And for my time at Spectator in general, I had a privilege to be a part of the best team in Spectator – Product! Not only did I encounter challenges that helped me grow further as a Product person, but also met many many friends that I hope to stay close throughout my life.
While the journey to our goals is super important, I believe the most thing is those you met along the way. As a transfer from USC, I can't thank my team enough for making me feel like home.
As for my journey with Spectator, I will be leading CULPA alongside theShaft next semester! You can think of CULPA as Columbia's Rate My Professor. I am unbelievably excited for what's ahead :)
