Improving Client Connection with Web Apps: CreatingWE

Real estate transactions are akin to a game of Jenga but with high stakes and life-changing decisions. Multiple agents, buyers and sellers, lawyers, financial professionals, and inspectors, each with specific needs and responsibilities, work together simultaneously—and on a relatively short timeline. One missed email or delayed report can send the transaction tumbling. Fidelity National Financial (FNF) is a monolith in real estate finance, with a decades-long history of serving home buyers and sellers through 52 disparate brands. FNF leadership understood the inherent chaos of the real estate transaction process and knew there was a better way—one that simplified the process for buyers, sellers, and professionals. With the expert support of InspiringApps—a renowned app development company celebrated for crafting stunning and functional digital experiences—the inHere platform is redefining transparency, user-friendliness, and security standards. Digital Solutions With a Personal Touch Residential real estate is a personal transaction in a relatively small circle. Real estate agents find clients through word of mouth, referring other parties to professionals in their circle. An escrow agent may work closely with a specific title person who knows a lender who works with the same lawyer during each transaction. The process is local, personal, and intimate, which can be challenging to duplicate in the digital space. “What’s unique about the real estate industry and what’s unique about inHere is it’s not a simple two-party transaction. It’s not, “I order something online on Amazon, and I get it.” It’s not, “I order my pizza, and I track it, and I get it,” Jason Nadeau, Chief Digital Officer and Chief AI Officer at FNF, explains. The FNF and InspiringApps teams approached the project by answering this question: “How do we build more transparency and mitigate risk while maintaining a personal touch?”  Building software at scale for all these transactions, and software that can help facilitate these transactions more transparently, has to capture that friendly or familiar relationship you’re used to. That person-to-person relationship has to carry over to the technology. At the same time, technology must simplify complex processes and catch fraud, an increasingly common problem in real estate transactions. Building the Future of Real Estate Despite their drive to innovate, FNF is still, at the core, a real estate company.  “In [searching for a partner for the inHere experience platform], we sought somebody with extensive experience outside the real estate industry. Someone who could bring us ideas and innovation from other industries that we may not have considered,” Jason said. InspiringApps was crucial in developing the inHere platform, bringing fresh perspectives and asking critical questions that enhanced the user experience. InspiringApps developers and designers are known for their up-to-date knowledge of UI and UX best practices. This expertise was instrumental in creating a platform that meets and exceeds FNF’s and its users’ high standards. A collaborative development process marked the partnership between Fidelity and InspiringApps. This synergy ensured that the platform was built to meet the exacting standards of both companies and the needs of real estate transaction stakeholders, from “Your offer has been submitted” to “Congrats—here are the keys to your new home!” The result is a robust, user-friendly platform that addresses the unique challenges of real estate transactions while providing a seamless digital experience. An Award Winning Partnership The inHere platform was rolled out to title partners within FNF, touching millions of transactions and mitigating early-stage risks. Its successful implementation is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of keeping the project focused on end users.  The tech industry also took notice. In August 2023, Fast Company awarded the inHere app an honorable mention in the Security category of their Innovation by Design Awards, one of the most sought-after awards in the design industry. inHere joined an impressive roster of peers—including Adobe, PepsiCo, and Canva—in a celebration of functionality, originality, beauty, sustainability, user insight, and business influence.   “If you’d asked me when we started this journey if this software would be award-winning, I would have never believed you. I thought we built great, fit-for-purpose software, but it was not award-winning compared to other cool things. But frankly, I can see why it did,” Jason explains. Fidelity and InspiringApps continue their commitment to innovation and excellence by continually refining and improving the platform. Designing Digital Futures Transforming real estate transactions from a local, personal, in-person process to a seamless digital destination has been both challenging and rewarding. The development of the inHere platform, supported by InspiringApps, showcases how advanced technology can transform complex business processes. By focusing on end users’ needs and leveraging a trusted partner’s expertise, Fidelity has set a new standard for the real estate industry. As we look to the future, the inHere platform will continue to evolve, driving efficiency, transparency, and security in real estate transactions. This case study is a powerful example of how digital solutions can revolutionize traditional business practices. Are you ready to join the digital revolution? Partner with InspiringApps to transform your business processes and achieve new heights of efficiency and innovation.

Boulder CO—Good Nutrition Inc. & InspiringApps Partnership Creates an Accessible Meal-Planning App Meal-planning apps present unique accessibility challenges for users with disabilities. Ensuring apps are designed with accessibility in mind is not only the ethical and legal responsibility of brands—it also makes good business sense. “Accessibility has a clear ROI. With accessible apps, you attract a larger user base.” —CLARA BEAR, IOS ENGINEER, INSPIRINGAPPS The Good Nutrition Ideas app, My Meals, My Way, stands out in the saturated market of food and calorie tracking by focusing on enabling users to become their own nutritionists. Applying a science-backed, fun “plug and play” approach, it offers personalized meal planning for individual health management. Client Background The client, Good Nutrition Ideas, is a nonprofit organization committed to promoting healthy lifestyles. Their mission is to empower people with disabilities and older adults with nutritional support needs. The mobile app My Meals, My Way was created in collaboration with InspiringApps to aid in this mission, streamlining meal planning and responding directly to diverse and complex dietary needs. Project Goals & Challenges The primary objective of this project was to create a digital platform that makes meal planning accessible to everyone, including users with disabilities. Embracing WCAG, W3C, and Apple Accessibility for Developers, the team followed a strict and comprehensive list of standards, which included the POUR principles: Perceivable: Information is presented in multiple ways (for example, text descriptions for images, captions, good color contrast). Operable: Users can navigate and interact with the app using various methods (e.g., clear structure, descriptive links, and keyboard accessibility). Understandable: The app’s interface and content are easy to comprehend (in other words, clear instructions, consistent design, and plain language). Robust: It is compatible with various assistive technologies and user needs (e.g., descriptive metadata and accessibility testing). A key challenge involved structuring the founders’ extensive knowledge of food types and meal portions into a back-end data system that could be translated into a clear and accessible UI for users with assistive technologies. Design & Development Process The InspiringApps team—comprised of development, design, and project management professionals—worked hand-in-hand with Good Nutrition Ideas to bring the My Meals, My Way app to life. The success of our development process was driven by weekly check-ins with the client from start to completion, with design and development teams working closely together. The team used wireframes early on and conducted regular accessibility audits of the codebase and user interface, using cutting-edge Apple tools to ensure a comprehensive, efficient, and repeatable testing process. The app’s development was characterized by its iterative nature, allowing for ongoing improvements. Key questions were addressed throughout, such as the design and development approach stressing a user-focused methodology and regular pivot points to integrate feedback, including accessibility feedback. Inclusive Design Features The app development and design were driven by a commitment to both accessibility and user feedback. Inclusive features include: Custom Profiles: Users can create profiles unique to their dietary and eating needs, which adds a sense of personalization. Animated Tutorial Videos: Embedded videos guide users through using parts of the app. They include AI-generated voiceovers and captions for added accessibility. Dynamic Type: Compatible fonts and scalable UI elements give users the ability to set preferred reading sizes. Text Descriptions & Captions: All images include text descriptions for users with visual impairments, while closed captions and transcripts accompany video content. High Color Contrast: Additional tones have been added for higher color contrast, in case a user has that accessibility setting turned on their native phone. Operable Navigation: The app features a clear structure with headings and descriptive links and is fully navigable via keyboard inputs. Intuitive User Experience: The app is crafted to be understandable, with clear directions, consistent design, and plain language throughout the platform. “The content presented in the app is highly dependent on the user’s unique profile and needs, and there are clear actions that are suggested based on the time of day. I also implemented animated tutorials that guide the user on how to use certain parts of the app. So the storytelling piece is brought into that as well.”—BECCA COLLINS, UI/UX DESIGNER, INSPIRINGAPPS Rigorous Accessibility Testing To ensure the app’s accessibility for all users, the team employed a comprehensive testing approach that combined automated tools, accessibility audits, user feedback, and quality assurance (QA) across multiple platforms and teams. Results & Impact Empowering users to take control of their dietary needs, My Meals, My Way concentrates on nurturing self-sufficiency in nutrition and fostering support systems by enabling users to effortlessly share their dietary plans with caregivers, enhancing compliance and enjoyment of meals. Currently available for iOS and iPad devices, My Meals, My Way extends its reach with a free month trial, encouraging users to experience comprehensive support for healthy living first-hand. “Working with the InspiringApps team of designers and developers was an excellent first app experience for us. They were already familiar with accessibility issues in apps and app development, and they continued to learn and deliver on this app directed at people with disabilities. We anticipate working with them again, which is the best recommendation there is!”—GOOD NUTRITION, INC. The app’s development was partly supported by a notable grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), underscoring its commitment to accessibility and empowerment for individuals with disabilities. Get the App Improve your health and quality of life by simplifying healthy, balanced eating with My Meals, My Way. Download My Meals, My Way here, on the App Store.