If Disney Did Housing, Higher Education and Homebuilding – What Experience Design Really Looks Like
If Disney launched a university, managed social housing, and built new homes, how would the world look different? Not with castles or fireworks, but with something more intentional: experience design.
Disney doesn’t just build rides. It engineers moments. From anticipation to arrival, surprise to reflection - everything is designed with care. It’s grounded in data, systems, and consistency.
Let’s explore how that kind of thinking could apply to housing, higher education, and homebuilding.
New Homes Designed as Narratives, Not Transactions
Buying a new build should be exciting. It rarely is. Clunky portals, slow replies, generic showrooms. Disney would reframe the whole thing.
Discovery becomes a guided journey. Instead of “3-bed semi in zone 5", buyers choose from lifestyle paths—nature-seeker, family adventurer, remote work nomad—and homes are matched to fit.
The purchase becomes a clearly defined process. A visual dashboard tracks progress, flags delays, and celebrates each milestone. Real-time updates replace silence.
Move-in day is planned like an arrival moment. A countdown app, a personalised welcome pack and an AR tour to explain how the home works.
Belonging starts before move-in. Buyers meet future neighbours through digital groups. Street names reflect local heritage. Community spaces come with a purpose.
With Microsoft Power Platform—Power Apps, Power BI, Power Automate - these touchpoints are fully possible. Crimson is working with developers to create these journeys now. The tools are here to personalise communication, surface live updates, and reduce friction throughout the process.
A University That Works Like a World-Class Experience
Universities have the space and the ambition. But the student experience is often fragmented.
Disney would start with onboarding as a story. Freshers week becomes a guided digital experience where students complete mini quests such as getting their ID, joining a society and meeting a mentor. Each step builds confidence. Personalisation becomes continuous. The app tracks interests and suggests opportunities: "You liked the sustainability lecture—there’s a panel on climate careers this Friday."
Courses become guided paths, with badges, learning trails, and themed journeys. Students can see how modules fit into a wider story. When something goes wrong, support is already in motion. Not surveillance - just empathy, built into the system. A missed deadline might trigger a friendly check-in: "Need a hand? Here’s who can help."
Graduation closes the loop. A digital scrapbook, a message from a lecturer and an invitation to support the next cohort.
Crimson is helping universities use Microsoft Power Platform to unify data across academic systems, wellbeing services, and student engagement tools. It’s how institutions can move from reactive admin to proactive support
Social Housing That Starts with Dignity
Social housing carries high stakes. The way services are delivered matters.
Move-in day is simple but thoughtful. Instead of a stack of paperwork, tenants receive a digital guide stating the heating works, local services are highlighted and there's a welcome message from the housing officer.
The app helps people manage day-to-day life. It’s easy to book repairs, ask questions, or access support. No jargon and no jumping through hoops. Maintenance is proactive, using data from IoT devices and service records. Issues are fixed early with no delays and no unnecessary stress.
Support is timely. When patterns suggest someone is struggling, a gentle check-in is triggered and staff then respond with empathy, not escalation. Ownership journeys are visible and shared owners can track their equity. They know what to do next and every milestone is acknowledged.
These services are already being built. With Dynamics 365 and Power Platform, Crimson is working with housing associations to automate routine tasks, visualise risks, and engage tenants more meaningfully.
Final Thoughts: Experience Is the Differentiator
Digital transformation isn’t just about speed or automation. It’s about clarity, confidence, and care. Disney shows what happens when every detail is designed to support the human journey. Whether it’s a student, a tenant, or a homebuyer - everyone wants to feel understood.
With the Microsoft Power Platform, that kind of experience is achievable and Crimson is helping organisations turn fragmented journeys into connected ones. Let’s move past systems thinking and start building services people remember.
Do you want help designing something that feels more human? Let’s talk.
