Navian Digitizing the Real Estate Capital Lifecycle

Date

2023 – 2024

Location

Sweden

Services

Product Design UX Strategy Design System

Role

Lead Product Designer

Timeline

14 months

Platform

B2B SaaS (Web)

The Brief

Overview

Navian is a real estate development platform for Swedish developers navigating the complex 80/20 funding split (80% Bank loans, 20% Private Equity). Small and mid-sized developers were operating in chaos — managing deals across WhatsApp, email threads, and fragile Excel files that only one person understood.

Challenge

The task was to create a unified operating system that could digitize the entire deal lifecycle — from Land Sourcing through Financial Modeling, Bank Tendering, Construction Bidding, and Equity Fundraising. The system needed to serve 9 distinct user roles, each viewing the process from a different angle, while replacing a 50-sheet Excel monster.

Solution

I designed a modular B2B SaaS platform with role-based dashboards, a Deal Calculator wizard that tames complex Python-powered financial modeling, and a Presentation Engine that auto-generates investment brochures. Building on MUI rather than a bespoke component library is what made that scope reachable in the time available.

My Role

UX Strategy

Mapping user journeys across 9 distinct roles — Land Owners, Project Managers, Brokers, Analysts, Financiers, Equity Managers, Investors, Investment Bankers and Construction Partners.

UI Design

Designing a data-dense, professional interface with generous spacing and refined typography for complex financial workflows.

Design System

Implementing MUI with Storybook customisation — a component library chosen for delivery speed, then themed to stop looking like one.

Product Strategy

Leading the Desktop-First decision based on user research — these users work on large screens with complex documents, and nowhere else.

Discovery & Architecture

The system had to serve 9 distinct user roles, each viewing the "elephant" from a different angle. Designing for this interconnected complexity was the main challenge.

The User Ecosystem

Project Manager

• • Oversees entire deal pipeline
• • Manages construction tenders
• • Signs Term Sheets

Broker

• • Finds & logs land plots
• • Initial deal screening
• • Passes approved plots to Analyst

Analyst

• • Deep financial modeling (IRR/NPV)
• • Uses custom calculation tool
• • Creates investment report

Financier

• • Requests docs from landowner
• • Sends applications to banks
• • Collects & compares offers
• • Signs Letter of Intent

Equity Manager

• • Creates equity pitch report
• • Sends to investment funds
• • Runs tender, signs with multiple funds

Investment Fund

• • Publishes deals to investor network
• • Uses white-label portal
• • Tracks fundraising progress

Investor

• • Reviews deal presentation
• • Decides investment amount
• • Tracks portfolio ROI

Bank Officer

• • Reviews project presentation
• • Inputs bank's offer terms
• • Sends offer back to Financier

02 / Strategy & Logic

Co-Architecting the Business Model

The product vision was ambitious but abstract. We had a complex ecosystem with 9 distinct user roles—from Land Owners to Investment Bankers—but no clear definition of who sees what, or how monetization would actually work.

I stepped out of the traditional design role to partner directly with the CEO and CPO. In a series of "War Room" workshops, we reverse-engineered the business goals into a concrete system.

01

The Monetization Matrix

We broke down the platform into specific sellable modules ("Packaging Labs", "Collaboration Hubs"). This allowed the business to create flexible pricing tiers instead of a "one size fits all" model.

02

RBAC Architecture

I mapped permissions for every stakeholder. This massive matrix (see below) became the Single Source of Truth for the Backend team to build API security gates.

03

Adaptive UI

Instead of building separate apps, I designed a Morphing Sidebar that dynamically rebuilds itself based on the user's license.

The Solution

A Unified Real Estate OS

I engineered a comprehensive Operating System that replaces fragmented tools (Excel, Email, Dropbox) with a synchronized digital pipeline. The platform serves as a Single Source of Truth for 9 distinct user roles, orchestrating the entire lifecycle—from land acquisition to the final exit.

01 / The Core

The Command Center

Designed for: Project Managers & Admins

At the heart of the system is the Master Pipeline, giving the Project Manager full control over the deal flow.

• •Orchestration: As a deal moves from Acquisition to Construction, the system automatically triggers tasks for the next department.
• •Role-Based Access: The interface morphs based on the user. A Broker sees map pins; a PM sees the Gantt chart; an Investor sees ROI.
• •Smart Presets: "Developer Presets" automate 40% of the manual setup for new deals.

02 / The Brain

The Intelligence Engine

Designed for: Analysts

I replaced the legacy "50-sheet Excel" with a specialized microservice—the Deal Calculator.

• •Wizard Flow: Guides analysts through hundreds of variables (Rent Rolls, OPEX, Taxes) without overwhelming them.
• •Python Backend: Communicates with a Python engine to calculate IRR/NPV in milliseconds.
• •Dual UI: Internal tool is minimalist; output is a board-ready investment brochure.

03 / The Execution

The Tendering Hub

Designed for: Financiers & Project Managers

This module handles the execution phase, managing external negotiations securely.

• •Bank Tender: Send brochures to multiple banks instantly. Compare offers (Interest Rates, LTV) side-by-side.
• •Construction Bidding: Issue RFPs to construction firms. Platform standardizes bids for easy comparison.
• •Digital Term Sheets: Winning offers lock budget data directly into the project model.

04 / The Network

The Growth Engine

Designed for: Equity Managers & Private Investors

The final stage connects developers with private capital. I built this as a scalable B2B2C solution.

• •White-Label: Partner Funds can "skin" the platform with their own branding (Logo, Colors, Domain).
• •Marketplace: Public-facing gallery where investors browse vetted projects and commit funds.
• •Investor Portal: Dashboard to track portfolio, view construction progress, and download tax documents.

Key Challenges

Taming the Logic

The Deal Calculator

Problem

The model was too heavy for the browser, so the maths had to live in a separate Python service — and the interface had to stay usable while waiting on it.

Solution

Designed a Linear Wizard Flow that guides analysts step-by-step through assumptions, validating data in real-time.

Result

A tool that feels as powerful as Excel but is impossible to "break."

Speed vs. Vanity

Leadership Moment

Problem

The CEO wanted a fully custom, unique UI design to stand out.

Solution

Convinced stakeholders to adopt the MUI Design System with Storybook customization.

Result

Shipped the MVP months earlier than a bespoke component library would have allowed.

The Dual UI

Personality Split

Problem

Internal workspace needed to be data-dense; external reports needed to look like investment brochures.

Solution

Created a "Presentation Engine" that auto-generates beautiful, white-labeled web reports.

Result

Same data, two perfectly tailored experiences.

Results & Learnings

The platform launched in Summer 2025, after my engagement had ended.

Structured the Chaos

Transformed disjointed chats into a transparent digital pipeline.

Efficiency

Reduced report generation from days to minutes.

Smart Resources

MUI decision saved huge amounts of budget and time.

Reflection

"Designing for Navian taught me how to handle Operational Complexity. I learned that in B2B, 'Clarity and Data Density' always beat 'Creative Visuals.' If I were to do it again, I would involve developers even earlier in the process."

Want to see more?