Refugee Housing Flow
Creating a streamlined onboarding and search experience to support Ukrainian refugees during a crisis.
About the Project
In 2022, Wunderflats responded to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine by becoming the first housing platform in Germany to offer a dedicated flow for refugees. With thousands of people displaced and arriving under stressful, uncertain circumstances, we needed to act quickly to build a solution that would help them find safe and suitable housing.
This project wasn’t just about UX or product—it was about empathy and speed. Refugees arriving in Germany faced complex legal frameworks, including city assignments, government subsidies, and language barriers. Our goal was to design a flow that would simplify this process, reduce cognitive load, and respect the urgency of the situation.We created a lightweight onboarding experience that asked only the most essential questions, helping match refugees with available housing that met both their needs and government criteria.
Despite the time constraints, our solution delivered clarity and flexibility—ensuring that people could either search within their assigned cities or explore other areas while awaiting documentation.This project became a powerful reminder of how product design can play a direct role in supporting vulnerable communities.
Uncovering pain points through data and user feedback.
We reviewed user support tickets, analytics, and conducted user interviews.
Key findings included:
· Users didn't know where to upload documents or check their status.
· Manual document validation delayed the process by over 24 hours.
· Many users dropped off due to confusion about what was required and when.
Reimagining the flow to prioritize clarity and speed.
We sketched out new user journeys, aiming to:
· Combine ID and document steps into one cohesive page
· Introduce a visual progress tracker
· Integrate Klippa for real-time AI-powered validation.
· Wireframes and prototypes were created and tested internally to validate structure and flow.
Simple, intuitive, and flexible.
We designed a 3-step wizard that guided refugees through only the most essential questions—whether they had been assigned a place of residence, and if so, which federal state and city. This ensured search results aligned with government rules, allowing landlords to receive subsidies and offer rent-free housing.
If users hadn’t been assigned a city yet, we redirected them to the official government site for guidance—while still allowing them to search freely across Germany during the waiting period. The minimal interface and focused flow worked especially well on mobile, keeping things clear and accessible when it mattered most.
User testing to refine clarity and interaction.
We ran usability sessions with real users across desktop and mobile.
Findings included:
· Progress indicators reduced confusion and drop-offsUsers preferred seeing document validation states in real-timeF
· Feedback messaging needed clearer language for errors
· We iterated the copy, button hierarchy, and page layout based on this feedback.
Designing for speed, clarity, and impact in a time of crisis.
We were tasked with building a tailored housing search flow for Ukrainian refugees—balancing government restrictions with the real-life needs of displaced individuals.
Designing for Impact, Not Just Efficiency
Location-Sensitive Search Logic
Integrated a smart filter system based on government city assignments to show only relevant housing.
Flexible, Low-Stress Flow
Allowed users to search freely while waiting on documents or assignments—reducing feelings of restriction.
Key Metrics
Early results show positive user adoption and reduced verification time.
of users completed the search flow in under 2 minutes
successful matches within the assigned city
Key Takeaways
User Insights
Empathetic UX decisions helped reduce stress for users navigating an unfamiliar system
Design Process
Fast cross-functional collaboration enabled us to go from idea to launch in record time
Designing with Purpose in a Time of Crisis
This project showed how even a small, focused UX flow can have a big impact when built with care, clarity, and compassion.
Delivered a fully functioning flow in just weeks
Balanced complex legal requirements with user needs
A centralized page created a more cohesive and actionable experience