Transforming Tenant Experiences

In 2019, Johnnie Johnson Housing set out to transform their digital infrastructure, making a bold commitment to enhance the experience for their tenants. This commitment was driven by their mission of “living longer, living better” and aimed to introduce digital solutions that empowered residents with greater independence. By 2020, the urgency for digital transformation increased dramatically due to the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing the organisation to fast-track its vision of a customer-first, digitally enabled future. 

Creating a User-Centred Digital Ecosystem 

The project was comprehensive, encompassing a new corporate website, a resident portal, and a mobile app. These tools aimed to improve communication, enable self-service functionality, and ensure accessibility for a diverse resident demographic, where 56% of households included residents aged 65 or older. 

The journey began with an in-depth immersion session involving internal stakeholders to define a unified vision. From there, tenant interviews and call centre data helped create detailed personas, which guided the iterative design process. Focus groups, analytics, and screen recordings provided valuable insights into user behaviour, informing every step of the development. 

Building Solutions That Empower 

Working collaboratively with Johnnie Johnson’s team, we broke down the project into agile sprints, each focused on specific objectives across the website, portal, and app: 

• The Website: Built on WordPress to offer flexibility and autonomy, allowing the in-house team to manage layouts and handle enquiries with ease. 

• The Portal: Developed using React and integrated with ActiveH, the portal empowered residents to pay rent, report and track repairs, access information, and manage their accounts. 

• The Mobile App: Using React Native, we delivered a solution for both iOS and Android platforms, mirroring the portal’s capabilities for seamless user experiences. 

Each sprint concluded with stakeholder reviews, where the outcomes were demonstrated, and feedback was incorporated into subsequent phases. This collaborative approach ensured that the solutions aligned with Johnnie Johnson’s goals while meeting the needs of their tenants. 

Delivering Measurable Impact 

The results of this transformation were immediate and impactful: 

• Within three months of launch, over 2,700 users accessed the portal. 

• New housing applications increased by 82%. 

• Adoption by users who had never previously engaged with digital services skyrocketed by 732%. 

The initiative also supported key corporate objectives, including becoming a more responsive, data-driven organisation, offering 24/7 service, and equipping both colleagues and customers with essential digital skills. 

A Collaborative Path to Success 

The project, with a total budget of £700,000, was delivered over 24 months, with a minimum viable product (MVP) achieved in just seven months. Key learnings from the process included: 

• Early engagement with tenants was critical to shaping solutions that met their needs. 

• Agile methodologies enabled regular check-ins and the flexibility to adapt priorities. 

• Addressing legacy system complexities early reduced challenges later in the timeline. 

• A structured adoption plan ensured successful uptake of the new digital tools. 

Empowering the Future of Housing 

This digital transformation has positioned Johnnie Johnson Housing as a forward-thinking organisation committed to improving the lives of its tenants. By creating an accessible, user-focused digital ecosystem, they have enhanced independence for residents while building a more resilient, high-performing organisation. 

Johnnie Johnson Housing is now better equipped to meet the evolving needs of their tenants, ensuring they can “live longer, live better” in a digitally connected world. 

Are you ready to embark on your digital transformation journey? Let’s talk.