Redesigning FSV (Fondo Social para la Vivienda) housing app to simplify mortgage access and make service discovery clearer

FSV (Fondo Social para la Vivienda) is a public housing platform that allows citizens to explore housing programs, simulate mortgage quotas, and track application progress. The original mobile experience presented all services together with limited guidance, making it difficult for users to complete key actions confidently.

This redesign focused on structuring tasks, improving information hierarchy, and guiding users through complex decisions in a clearer, more intuitive experience.

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Understanding the Core Problem Behind the Redesign

Reducing confusion in complex housing and mortgage-related tasks

Users struggled with basic actions such as finding suitable housing options, calculating monthly quotas, or knowing what documentation was needed to apply. The experience lacked clear guidance and prioritized information poorly, leading to frustration and abandonment.

Key questions helped guide the redesign:

• What makes quota calculation confusing or overwhelming?
• Where do users drop off during the exploration or simulation process?
• How can steps be broken down to help users make sense of requirements without heavy cognitive load?

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Initial heuristic reviews and flow mapping confirmed:

• Important tasks were hidden behind layers of content
• Navigation lacked predictability
• Financial details were presented without enough context

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Constraints & Context

Designing within institutional rules and diverse user needs

• The app operates in a government-regulated environment, requiring strict adherence to branding and content accuracy
• Users range from first-time digital users to more tech-savvy individuals, requiring designs that support both ends of the spectrum
• Financial and legal rules could not be simplified at a data level, only through presentation and guidance
• Existing backend processes and validation rules could not be altered

These constraints demanded a solution that improved understanding without changing the underlying service logic.

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Process & Solution

Structuring financial information into guided, manageable steps

The redesign centered around clarity and progressive guidance:

• Reorganized screens to lead with the most critical actions (e.g., explore programs, calculate quotas)
• Structured content to reduce cognitive load and show context progressively
• Simplified task flows with clear step progression and visual cues
• Improved labelling to match user intent and reduce ambiguity

Wireframes were validated early with internal stakeholders to refine flow and content structure before visual refinement. Accessibility checks ensured that typography, contrast, and interaction patterns supported readability and clarity.

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Business Impact & Operational Value

How improved task clarity strengthens the product and operations

The revised experience helps citizens understand their housing options and mortgage commitments without feeling lost or overwhelmed. By breaking down tasks into understandable steps and reducing information noise, users are less likely to make errors or abandon the process midway.

From a business and operational standpoint, clearer guidance reduces repeated user inquiries and support requests triggered by misunderstood steps. This improves internal efficiency and positions the mobile experience as a reliable digital entry point to broader institutional services.