Pickle.
iOS and Android product design for a platform that turns reactive homeowners into confident, proactive ones.
Native iOS and Android app design for Pickle — a home maintenance platform built around one insight: most homeowners aren't disorganised, they're just overwhelmed. Structured guidance, smart scheduling, and a calm interface turned that anxiety into confidence.
- Product strategy
- Native Android & iOS app design
- Information architecture
- Content optimisation
- Premium funnel design
- Marketing site
- User testing
- Desktop prioritisation
Changing reactive homeowners into proactive ones.
Pickle set out to change how people look after their homes. The ambition was to create the next generation of confident homeowners who protect and improve their property without stress or anxiety.
Research showed that many homeowners react only when something breaks or when season demands it. The language of "maintenance" felt dry and transactional. Pickle positioned themselves around care, wellbeing and reward.
The MVP revealed strong acquisition performance but weak engagement. Customer acquisition cost averaged $12.38, with 2,900 users signing up at a 25% conversion rate. However, monthly active users remained at 8.63% and returning user rate remained low at 16.87%.
Pickle needed to become the first thing homeowners opened when something broke or needed improving.
Strategy
The strategy shifted from simply assigning tasks to reducing mental load. Pickle was positioned as a personal home guide that delivers the right action at the right time, tailored to the homeowner's specific situation.
Rather than overwhelming users with a long to-do list, the focus became prioritisation, curation and customisation.
Understanding the problem
User feedback revealed that homeowners preferred easy, low-effort actions and wanted control over which recommendations applied to their situation. They wanted the ability to delete irrelevant items, create custom actions and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
The deeper issue became clear: homeownership anxiety is emotional, not operational. If the product felt like another management tool it would increase stress rather than reduce it.
Test or feature prioritisation
The roadmap prioritised building a native mobile app to drive engagement. Personal home reports, scoring systems and tailored notifications were introduced to create tangible progress indicators.
Content strategy evolved to include blogs, videos and "how-to" guidance inside the app. Easy entry actions were expanded to reinforce daily engagement. Campaigns were built around emotional connection rather than functional performance.
Visual design language
The interface began with clarity. Messaging focused on confidence, wellbeing and reward rather than obligation. The system adapted to different actions within the app, helping users focus on what mattered most at that moment.
Hierarchy reinforced calm. Progress indicators reinforced motivation.
Design system
The native Android and iOS experience was built around modular task components, personalised dashboards and scalable notification logic. Architecture supported Pickle's expansion into insurance, contractor referrals and financial services.
The system was designed to evolve into a one-stop resource for home care, suppliers and property history.
New features
Pickle introduced custom task creation, bookmarking, improved search and in-app video guidance. The interface was designed to remove anxiety from one of life's largest financial assets.
It was not designed to be a checklist. It was designed to be a companion.
