Small Houses, Big Stories
Utilize findings and insights based on in-depth user research to address the needs of ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) builders and position Hayward Lumber as a trusted partner.
Industry
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Client
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Timeline
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Role
Construction
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​Hayward Lumber
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5 Weeks, Part-Time​
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Needfinding
First, what is an ADU?
ADUs are individual residential units with limited dimensions that can be built on the same lot as a pre-existing home. ADUs can be built as stand-alone units in a homeowner’s backyard, basement conversions, or as additions to the pre-existing home. ADUs have been identified as a new tool to tackle the California housing crisis if utilized as long term rentals.
The Challenge
Hayward Lumber sells directly to general contractors, but has a limited understanding of the tradespeople that those contractors depend on. Because of this, Hayward is unable to best support some of the biggest players in the homebuilding industry.
What did I do?
Examine the unmet needs of the tradespeople building ADUs, then used those insights to create new products, services, or business ideas to propose to Hayward.
Solutions
1. Small Houses, Big Stores Marketing Campaign
Video campaign to be shared via advertisements and hosted on Hayward’s website, reframing how people think of ADUs: as homes rich with love and stories that can work to solve the housing crisis.
Digital collection of stories from ADU homeowners hosted on Hayward's website.
2. Suite of ADU-related resources
‘Ask an ADU Expert’
Hayward can hire ADU builders to directly answer client questions about unique challenges that come with building ADUs. This would expand on the current ‘Ask an expert or get a quote’ from Hayward’s website by including ADU builders’ expertise.
ADU Builders as Advisors
Hayward can hire ADU builders to create a guide to equip Hayward design consultants to answer client questions about ADUs, giving Hayward design consultants the level of expertise needed to guide clients throughout their ADU building process and give recommendations on potential builds.
User Interviews
We traveled around the Bay Area to interview several ADU builders, gaining a better understanding of their unmet needs and the way they frame the world around them.
“I give them a fuck you price”
ADUs as rental properties for additional income
“You lose your backyard, your view, your privacy, for what? $800 a month?! I talk people out of it, I tell them it isn’t worth it”
Describing the Housing Crisis
“Dramatic mismatch of supply and demand in housing units”​
Commonly seen use cases
“I would say most clients do it for family members. I would say 80%, and only 20% is for investment”
Key Finding
ADU builders advertise ADUs as rentals, but view this use as a bad investment, and will even “talk [potential clients] out of it”.
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In order to explain this finding, frameworks were created to analyze our observational data.
Framework
For ADU builders, building an ADU is also about purpose, not only “building good buildings”. ADU builders see ADUs as solutions to intimate human needs.
ADU builders came into this new industry due to the promise of being able to help people by creating products that can solve the housing crisis.
They continuously spoke about their love for their customers and love what they are doing.
Key Insight
ADU builders view themselves as protectors, thereby opposed to building ADUs that create problems for their customers, rather than solve them.
Needs
What stood out as especially important to ADU builders are their needs to:
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Feel confident that their work positively impacts customers
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See the positive impact that their work has on customers after the build is complete
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Prevent customers from making risky decisions before they start building
Design Principles
To ensure our solutions address the needs of both the ADU builders and Hayward:
Reframe the narrative surrounding ADU usage to make ADU builders feel confident their work will positively impact their customers
Share stories of ADU dwellers so ADU builders can see positive impact of their work after the build is complete
Provide resources to prevent customers from making risky decisions before they start building
Presentation
View the slide deck we presented to Hayward Lumber executives below!