Drey

Our processes within the project consisted of: Discovery & Product Definition: The project began with deep problem exploration, focusing on user behaviour, trust, and emotional friction within shared living. The key activities that I carried out alongside the founder were: - Mapping real-world flatmate journeys - Identifying trust and safety pain points - Defining clear user types and use cases - Translating insights into a focused, buildable MVP This ensured the product addressed real user needs rather than assumptions. UX & Product Design: I designed the platform to feel human and intentional, placing people at the centre rather than leading with listings. Clear signals around compatibility and user intent help users make more informed decisions, while thoughtful onboarding sets expectations early and builds confidence. A clean, modern interface reinforces trust and ensures the experience feels approachable. All user flows were designed with scalability in mind, allowing the product to evolve naturally as new features and capabilities are introduced. Development & Technical Delivery: The platform has been fully developed, with technical decisions made to support long-term growth and flexibility. Flexible data models were implemented to support discovery and matching, alongside a modular architecture that allows features to evolve without major rework. A clear separation was maintained between MVP functionality and future roadmap items, ensuring the product could launch lean while remaining extensible. The platform was also prepared for analytics, iteration, and optimisation post-launch. Throughout development, close collaboration ensured that product intent and UX decisions were preserved through to implementation. Key Decisions & Trade-offs: A key decision was to avoid over-engineering social and matching features in the initial release. Rather than introducing complex automation early, the focus was placed on strong onboarding, clear user intent signals, and simple, meaningful interactions. This resulted in a clear, testable MVP that reduced risk and supported faster learning. The approach allows the product to adapt based on real-world usage after launch, rather than assumptions made too early in the process. Current State & Rollout: Drey has been fully built and is now entering its rollout phase. Current focus areas include launch sequencing, onboarding strategy, early user acquisition, and establishing feedback loops to capture meaningful insights. Engagement and behavioural signals will be closely monitored, with features iterated based on real usage data. The platform is well-positioned to launch with confidence, supported by a clear and structured roadmap for post-launch improvement.