Route a Household Help Request
Design a service marketplace intake that identifies the right kind of local professional before asking a customer to compare providers.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
A person may know the symptom but not whether they need a plumber, appliance technician, electrician, tutor, or another specialist. Sending a poorly scoped request wastes time and may create safety risks.
User context
Bea reports that her washing machine stops mid-cycle and leaves water on the floor. She is unsure whether the problem is plumbing or appliance repair and needs help after work.
Product problem
The intake must narrow the service safely, identify emergencies, and gather useful evidence without claiming to diagnose technical or medical issues.
Objective
Create guided request triage, provider matching, quote comparison, and appointment booking across household service categories.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Symptom-led request setup
- Urgency and safety triage
- Provider category confirmation
- Quote and booking
Screens and states
- Help request entry
- Guided questions
- Safety instruction
- Provider matches
- Booking detail
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Bea describes the leak in plain language
- 02
The service checks for electrical danger
- 03
It routes the job to appliance repair with plumbing as a secondary skill
- 04
She compares two providers and books an evening visit
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Support plain-language problem descriptions
- Escalate immediate safety hazards
- Explain why a provider category was chosen
- Show verified credentials where required
- Keep scope and quote assumptions visible
Constraints
- The platform cannot diagnose from text or photos
- Credential rules vary by service
- Some requests need an in-person assessment
- Medical emergencies must leave the marketplace flow
Reality check
States worth considering
Ready-to-use content
Mock data
Use this content to test hierarchy and realistic data states. You can expand it when the concept needs more depth.
Request summary
- Appliance: front-load washing machine
- Symptom: stops during drain cycle
- Water present near outlet: yes
- Recommended category: appliance repair
- Earliest provider: today 18:30
Finish line
What to deliver
- Five responsive screens
- A routing explanation and safe escalation state
If you want more
Optional extensions
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.