quarto
made for the UX diploma course at UX Design Institute
UI / UX design
This was a project developed for the professional diploma at the UX Design Institute
Based on the Hotel App brief, we were tasked to focus on the hotel booking process - to create an online experience that is simple and accessible, based on a deep understanding of their users.
UX CHALLENGES:
The hotel and hospitality industry is one that can benefit from UX. booking accommodations online should be simple but, sometimes, it can feel complex.
Hotel aggregators like booking.com, Agoda, or Trivago have already become the mental models for travelers. During the usability test, I found that the apps we tested (Marriot Bonvoy & World of Hyatt), were constantly compared to the aforementioned three. How could I design the UX for another booking app that solved the identified issues yet does not stray too far from this mental model?
RESEARCH METHODS:
COMPETITIVE BENCHMARKING
USABILITY TESTING
ONLINE SURVEY
During this discovery phase, I conducted competitor benchmarking and usability tests - exploring popular hotel aggregators and awarded hotel booking apps such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, World of Hyatt, and Marriot Bonvoy. I also looked at AirBnb, as this is also a popular choice for travelers.
Across the research methods, these are the key takeaways and pain points of the booking process that came up:
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The booking process is overwhelming
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Before making the final booking, users go through multiple apps, websites, and aggregators multiple times to make comparisons regarding price, location, and hotel facilities.
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Users may be hesitant to use an app that required them to create an account before getting access. They would rather look around an app before "fully committing to another platform.
METHODS:
AFFINITY DIAGRAM
CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP
All the research data were organized in an Affinity Diagram and Customer Journey map. The action insights and consistent patterns between user's experiences emerged.
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Photos and reviews are top priority when choosing a hotel. Images must be easily accesible
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Users access 4-5 different platforms to compare and whittle down a hotel that best fit their needs and budget.
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TripAdvisor was the benchmark to find user reviews. One app had TripAdvisor integrated and was highly notable to users.
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Scrolling to select booking dates were found to take longer than necessary
These pain points became the focus areas for improvement, expecting to induce positive interaction and a friction-free experience so users are free to be excited for their trip sooner.
The wireframe and high fidelity prototype went through several iterations, with three rounds of usability testing until I was able to create a refined solution to the identified UX challenges.
Since the focus of the project is the user experience, the user interface was made to be simple and elegant, with a minimal color palette.
The final high fidelity prototype showcases a simple and minimal design, pulling focus on to the user experience.
MY LEARNINGS:
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UX is a process and each step is key. From user research to numerous rounds of usability testing, each part of the UX process helps create a refined product by clearly defining the problems. This, in turn, helps find a clear solution
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Maintain focus. The final product should be able to answer key problems, there is no need to provide the solution for every user need.
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Keep improving. It’s highly plausible that you won’t get it right the first time and the only way to create better products is if you’re able to get real feedback. Doing the proper research will lead to understanding what really matters to the user. Don’t assume anything!
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Expand the touch points! Thumbs are fumbly. Expanding touch points beyond a check box or radio button allows for smoother user interaction