Online Travel Experience

Project overview

Company

Expedia

Product Owner

Self-directed

Date

2023

My Role

User Research
Information Architecture
Product Design

Design Tools

Figma

Axure RP

Adobe Photoshop

UX Deliverables

User Research
Competitive Analysis
Information Architecture
Site Map design
Low fidelity Interactive Prototype/Wireframe
High Fidelity Mockup Design

Introduction

This UX design challenge applies a user-centered, design thinking approach to e-commerce mobile applications. After initial user research, I decided to explore the online travel booking industry. During my research, I found that there are two main reasons for travelling:

1. Business
2. Pleasure/Personal

Focusing on personal travel, I found that there are different categories of people and interests. Some are tourists, others are on family vacation, some are adventurers exploring the world, others are groups of people seeking a shared experience etc. There is also a wide demographic range in terms of age and income level.

Design Problem

Develop a new type of online travel booking experience, that will be a key differentiator for travel fare aggregators like Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and Booking.com

Design Process

The design process started with both primary and secondary user research. This lead to competitive analysis of 6 travel related web platforms. As a result I selected Expedia.com, and proceeded to redesign their mobile app. Initially, I created a site map to better understand the services provided and then skipped ahead to pencil sketches and UI mockups.

User Research

Identify the types of people who travel, their interests, goals and motivations and demographic information

1. Business Traveller
2. Family Trips/Vacation
3. Solo Adventure
4. Group Tours
5. Activity Based Travel

Competitive Analysis

Competitive research and analysis is a crucial step when designing an ecommerce application. It helps you understand the existing market for your service and also leads to better insights from user research. Another advantage is that it helps to uncover gaps in the competition’s services which can lead to developing profitable key differentiators.
The following travel related platforms were selected:

• Couchsurfing.com
• Couchers.org
• WarmShowers.org
• TripAdvisor.com
• BeWelcome.org
• Expedia.com

Competitive Research Findings

The initial research was conducted using social media to discover the types of services that potential customers need. One of the key findings was that some people are interested in travelling with people they might have never met in person. Another important discovery was the “couchsurfing market”. Similar to AirBnB except that in this case, the host is more friendly with the guests and they share a common space. People literally sleep on the host’s couch sometimes and may not have a private room.

Information Architecture

Creating a site map for the current Expedia.com platform allowed me understand the strengths and weaknesses compared to the competition. It also helped in identifying the gaps in the platform’s UX strategy. Consequently, I was able to determine which areas need improvement and design a solution that would better meet user needs.

Design Solution

The design solution would leverage the power of social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, to build a user community. This will enable users to share their travel experiences and advice. A new “Find your travel buddy” feature would also be integrated with Expedia’s search functionality.

High Fidelity UI Mockup

A few sample UI mockup screen designs can be seen below. Expedia’s brand colors and design language have been adapted to create a familiar yet different user experience.

Credits and Sources