Project Background
Adventure Bound is an innovative travel itinerary app designed to address the challenges of planning and organizing vacations. We understand that creating a well-planned itinerary can significantly enhance the overall travel experience. Still, the process can often be time-consuming and overwhelming, especially when multiple travelers' preferences need to be considered. Adventure Bound aims to simplify this process by providing a user-friendly platform that enables travelers to collaboratively create, customize, and manage their vacation itineraries.
My Role
Solo Project
Tools Used
Figma
Google Forms
Miro
Zoom
Time Frame
2 Months
Identifying the Problem:
I recognized that many travelers need help planning their trips efficiently due to various factors. Traditional methods, such as researching and manually organizing travel details, often lead to disorganized plans and misunderstandings within group travels. Additionally, coordinating preferences among multiple travelers can be challenging, leading to disagreements and compromised experiences. There was a need for a streamlined solution that would centralize travel planning and encourage collaboration among travelers.
The Challenge
Project Goals
Discover people’s end-to-end journeys when planning trips
Pinpoint the competitive landscape of what other applications customers currently use and why
Uncover the most desirable features and functionality when planning a trip using an app.
Determine pain points when planning a trip using an app.
Design a user-centered travel itinerary app based on research results
Discovery
Competitive Review & Heuristic Analysis
A competitive and Heuristic analysis was conducted to kickstart the research phase to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experience of travel application users.
The competitive analysis purpose was to better to understand the strengths and weaknesses of competitors' services. By analyzing competitors' offerings, opportunities for improvement can be identified for this product, as well as areas where this product can differentiate from the competition.
The heuristic analysis aimed to evaluate this application against established usability heuristic guidelines. This analysis helps identify usability issues and areas where the user experience could be improved. It provides a framework for evaluating the design from the user’s perspective and highlights potential pain points in the user journey.
The reviews focused on 3 of the 10 UX Heuristics and how the apps adhere to those usability principles.
#2: Match between the system and the real world
The design should speak the users' language. Use words, phrases, and concepts familiar to the user, rather than internal jargon. Follow real-world conventions, making information appear in a natural and logical order.
The way you should design depends very much on your specific users. Terms, concepts, icons, and images that seem perfectly clear to you and your colleagues may be unfamiliar or confusing to your users.
The use of the word trip vs using journey, excursion, tour, or retreat is easily understood by most. The icon use of a suitcase for TripIt, and a calendar for trip scout was understandable as well, however, the use of what seems to be a deck of cards for Kayak may cause a bit of confusion.
#6: Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user's memory load by making visible elements, actions, and options. The user should not have to remember information from one part of the interface to another. Information required to use the design (e.g. field labels or menu items) should be visible or easily retrievable when needed. Humans have limited short-term memories. Interfaces that promote recognition reduce the amount of cognitive effort required from users.
The below demonstrates the trips icon placed on the navigations bar that is easily accessible from any screen.
#7: Flexibility and efficiency of use
Shortcuts — hidden from novice users — may speed up the interaction for the expert user so that the design can cater to inexperienced and experienced users. Allow users to tailor frequent actions. Flexible processes can be carried out in different ways so that people can pick whichever method works for them.
The below demonstrates this by allowing users to create and edit trips from two locations.
Research Participant Profiles
The targeted participants were recruited through a screener survey and have all used travel apps and are a mixture of light, moderate, to heavy vacationers. This range will allow feedback and provide valuable insight into how various users interact with the app, and what pain points need to be addressed to make it usable for all. The methodology used was user interviews via zoom video conferencing.
User Interviews
Participants
Gender
- 5 femalesRace
- 3 African American
- 1 Caucasian
- 1 Latino
Age
- 4 Gen Z
- 1 MillennialEmployment
- All full-time employmentMarital Status
- 2 single
- 3 married
“Itinerary based on what was the best days to do certain activities”
Summary
During the project’s discovery phase, user interviews were conducted over zoom to gather qualitative data about users' attitudes, beliefs, and experiences related to travel plans and products used and feedback on specific features or design concepts. These interviews gave insights into their needs, goals, pain points, and preferences. Also gained was a deeper understanding of users' motivations, behaviors, and expectations and validation of design decisions or identifying areas for improvement.
This information can help validate design decisions or identify areas for improvement.
5 participants were asked several questions related to this research. Below are some interview questions asked:
What are your reasons for travel & expectations?
How much time do you typically spend on itinerary planning?
When planning, are you having to plan with others or consider what other travelers may want?
Walk me through planning out your last trip, including the itinerary from start to finish.
What is the hardest part/biggest pain point related to using apps & websites when planning/creating a vacation itinerary?
What are some things that would make your planning simpler/easier when creating your vacation itinerary?
“Base reason to travel is is to experience different cultures, customs, foods and to participate in whatever traditional common things are popular in that area.”
“If it’s a group, a way to split payments and have them pay their own deposits”
“Would love a central command center that linked to the main websites of these places booked as well…with the ability to keep coming back to that central hub”
Affinity Map
An affinity map was created to organize and synthesize the qualitative data collected. This allowed me to identify patterns, themes, and insights that were not immediately obvious from individual user interviews.
Overall, the affinity map was grounded in user feedback and allowed me to make informed design decisions, validate assumptions, and prioritize features and design elements important to user needs.
Define
The Solution - Adventure Bound:
Adventure Bound was developed as a comprehensive travel itinerary app to address these pain points. Its core features include itinerary creation, customization, collaboration, and real-time synchronization.
By leveraging technology and user-centered design principles, Adventure Bound aims to revolutionize how travelers plan and manage their trips.
Key Features and Functionality:
Itinerary Creation: Adventure Bound allows users to create a detailed itinerary by inputting their travel dates, destinations, and points of interest. Users can easily browse a vast database of popular attractions, restaurants, activities, and landmarks. The app provides relevant information, such as opening hours, ratings, and reviews, to assist users in making informed decisions.
Customization: Adventure Bound understands that travelers have unique preferences and priorities. The app enables users to customize their itineraries based on interests, time constraints, and travel styles. It offers personalized recommendations and suggests optimized routes, taking into account factors like travel duration, proximity, and peak hours
Collaboration: Adventure Bound facilitates seamless collaboration between travelers. Users can invite fellow travelers to join their trips and contribute to the itinerary planning process. Group members can add, modify, or remove items, ensuring everyone's preferences are considered. Real-time updates and notifications keep the group informed and engaged throughout the planning phase.
Real-Time Synchronization: Adventure Bound synchronizes itinerary data across multiple devices, ensuring all travelers can access the most up-to-date information. Users can access their itineraries anytime, anywhere using smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers. The app also allows offline access so travelers can view their plans without an internet connection.
Persona Creation
After completing the affinity map, personas were built to provide a human-centered perspective and a means to emphasize with the users throughout the design process.
The personas also helped better understand the target users’ needs, goals, motivations, and behaviors.
User Flow
Next, a user flow was constructed to map out the steps a user takes to complete critical tasks and prioritize features and functionalities.
Potential roadblocks or friction points that may hinder the user's progress can be identified by mapping out the user's flow. These obstacles can be eliminated, creating a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
Situation: Abby has already created an account and is signed into the app. She wants to add a destination and search for events/activities to add to her trip itinerary.
Design
Sketches
Based on my research, and user flows, I created low-fi paper sketches to bring the user flow to life and determine the application's information architecture.
Wireframes & Wireflow
Next, after deciding on a path forward. Wireflows were created in Figma. This flow followed the user’s task of adding an activity to the iteniary.
Usability Testing
Moderated usability testing was conducted over zoom from the participant’s homes to portray a realistic environment while they completed tasks. The test would reveal possible usability problems before creating an interactive prototype.
The test subjects were familiar with using various travel apps. The users could access a link to the wireframe and were asked follow-up questions. The goal was to test if users could complete one task: to share a playlist. Post-test results revealed issues that needed to be addressed before moving forward with the interactive prototype.
Task 1: Add a nearby activity to your trip itinerary
Scenario: You are on your Africa trip and want to search for nearby activities to add to your itinerary.
Participants
Participant 1 – Female, Gen X, Full-Time Employment
Participant 2 – Male, Gen Z, Student
Participant 3 – Male, Gen X, Full-Time Employment
Participant 4 – Male, Gen Z, Student
Participant 5 – Female, Gen X, Retired
Test Objectives
Determine the ease at which users can navigate through the app to accomplish their task, which will be to add an activity to the itinerary.
Test the overall ease of use of navigating through the application.
Observe any frustrations or obstacles users may have that impede their ability to complete their tasks.
Analyze post-task and post-test questions.
Findings
Overall, the testers found the navigation clear and understood what the icons would do. They liked the upcoming trips page showing the number of days until and the ability to see their past trips underneath.
However, the users found the end confusing with taking you from the book site’s page to the activity on the itinerary. The expectation was to be directed to an external site or have a call now option before the itinerary page. With the nearby places section, the users were unclear if GPS was enabled, if you had to type in a destination to trigger nearby places, or if it was tied to a trip. The users suggested the following:
Fixing the flow from the booking page to the itinerary page.
Clarifying how the nearby places are selected (GPS or typing in address)
Adding colors and photos & activating more buttons concerning the tested flow.
They wanted the explorer page and the ability to see all categories, with a separate section for what’s nearby.
High Fidelity Prototype
Wrap-Up
Conclusion
User-Centered Design Approach:
Throughout the development process, Adventure Bound prioritized a user-centered design approach. Extensive user research, including interviews and surveys, helped identify travelers’ pain points and preferences. This information guided the design decisions, resulting in a simple, intuitive interface that appeals to tech-savvy and casual users. Usability tests and feedback loops were conducted to refine the app's functionality and ensure a seamless user experience.
Adventure Bound offers solutions to travelers’ everyday challenges when planning vacation itineraries. By providing a user-friendly platform for itinerary creation, customization, collaboration, and real-time synchronization, the app simplifies the planning process, reduces conflicts, and enhances the overall travel experience. Adventure Bound allows travelers to confidently embark on their journeys, knowing their itineraries are well-planned, tailored to their preferences, and shared with their fellow adventurers.
What I Learned and Would Do Differently
Lessons Learned Throughout the Adventure Bound project, several key lessons have informed the design process and provided valuable insights for future iterations. These lessons include:
User-Centered Design: The importance of putting the user at the center of the design process was evident. By conducting user interviews and usability testing, valuable feedback and insights were gathered, allowing for the creation of a more user-friendly and intuitive travel itinerary application.
Clarity and Consistency: Clear and consistent design elements, such as icons, terminology, and navigation, are crucial for users to understand and navigate the application easily. The heuristic analysis highlighted the importance of using familiar language and real-world conventions to enhance user experience.
Iterative Design: The usability testing phase required continuous iteration and refinement. Users' feedback and observations provided valuable insights into areas of improvement and potential pain points, allowing for adjustments to create a more seamless and intuitive user experience.
Future Directions While the Adventure Bound project has reached a significant milestone, several potential future directions could further enhance the application and provide additional value to users. These future directions include:
Build out Additional Pages: The current prototype focuses on the core functionalities of adding activities to an itinerary. However, expanding the application to include additional pages and features like accommodation booking, transportation options, and restaurant recommendations would provide a more comprehensive and holistic travel planning experience.
Incorporate Augmented Reality Technology: Integrating augmented reality (AR) technology into the application could offer users an enhanced experience by providing real-time information and interactive elements related to their travel destinations. AR could display historical facts, highlight points of interest, and offer immersive experiences, adding a new dimension to trip planning.
Incorporate Geo-location and Landmark Information: Leveraging geo-location capabilities, the application could provide users with information about the history of the area, important landmarks, and nearby attractions. This feature would allow users to learn more about their destination and make informed decisions when planning their itinerary.
By considering these future directions and prioritizing user feedback and testing, Adventure Bound can evolve into a robust and user-centric travel itinerary application, providing travelers a seamless and personalized experience.