Role: Senior Product Designer
Objective: Design a seamless, user-centered mobile experience for Itravelbudget, an app aimed at budget-conscious travelers and hobbyists, integrating AI-generated content with user reviews and recommendations.
Duration: 6 months
Platform: iOS and Android

Itravelbudget was envisioned to provide personalized, authentic travel insights, helping users explore popular destinations, activities, and foods within their budget. My role included user research, UI/UX design, interaction design, and usability testing to shape a cohesive, intuitive, and interactive app experience.

Challenge

The primary challenge was to design a platform that could deliver reliable, AI-powered travel content and balance it with authentic user-generated insights. The design needed to foster a sense of community, where user contributions enhanced the recommendations, and gamification elements drove consistent engagement. Additionally, the platform had to be optimized for easy navigation and efficient access to relevant travel information.

Key Goals

1. Seamless User Journey: Create an intuitive navigation structure, allowing users to explore countries, cities, and attractions with ease.

2. Engagement and Gamification: Develop an interactive, rewarding system that encourages users to rate, review, and share their travel experiences.

3. Authentic Information Delivery: Balance AI-generated data with user-generated content for credible, relevant, and diverse travel recommendations.

4. Efficient Content Interaction: Design interaction models that enhance user input while reducing friction and promoting meaningful contributions.

Process

1. User Research and Persona Development

• Interviews: Conducted interviews with frequent travelers to understand common pain points in travel planning and needs for budget-conscious insights.

• Persona Creation: Developed detailed personas focusing on budget travelers, adventure seekers, and digital nomads, using this to inform the app’s core functionalities and content.

• Competitive Analysis: Evaluated similar apps (e.g., TripAdvisor, Airbnb) to identify design patterns, unique features, and gaps in the market.

2. Wireframing and Prototyping

• Low-Fidelity Wireframes: Created initial wireframes to map the user journey from country selection to rating activities and foods.

• User Testing: Conducted A/B testing on navigation flows to ensure users could seamlessly move from one feature to the next without friction.

• Mid-Fidelity Prototypes: Advanced to interactive prototypes for testing with select users, validating the navigation and functionality of key screens.

3. UI and Interaction Design

• Visual Design System: Developed a modern, inviting design system, incorporating a vibrant color palette and consistent iconography to enhance usability and visual appeal.

• Gamification Elements: Designed a star-level system where user contributions increase their levels, fostering a community-driven approach.

• Accessibility: Ensured WCAG compliance, with adjustable text sizes, high-contrast modes, and screen reader compatibility.

• Micro-Interactions: Integrated subtle animations and haptic feedback, making interactions more engaging and guiding users intuitively.

4. AI and User-Generated Content Balance

• Content Strategy: Strategically divided content sources, using AI for general information (e.g., country and city details) and relying on user contributions for reviews and photos of local foods and attractions.

• Moderation Tools: Designed backend moderation tools to manage user content efficiently, ensuring the quality and relevance of information.

5. User Testing and Iteration

• Usability Testing: Conducted multiple rounds of usability tests with target users to gather feedback on navigation, content quality, and visual appeal.

• Iterative Improvements: Refined flows based on user feedback, enhancing accessibility, simplifying the content input process, and refining the gamification elements to maximize engagement.

Outcomes and Impact

• Increased User Engagement: Gamification led to a 70% increase in user contributions within three months of launch, with higher ratings and consistent review submissions.

• Improved Navigation and Retention: The intuitive flow from country to activity reduced bounce rates by 40%, helping users spend more time exploring destinations.

• Positive Feedback on Content Balance: Users reported high satisfaction with the credibility and relevance of travel recommendations, thanks to the blend of AI and user-generated content.

• Enhanced Accessibility and Inclusivity: The accessibility features widened the app’s reach, with users praising the adjustable UI elements.

Key Takeaways

• User-Centric Gamification: Creating a rewarding, gamified system encouraged continuous user engagement, proving effective for both user acquisition and retention.

• Intuitive Navigation and Flow: An app that intuitively guides users without overwhelming them enhances satisfaction and encourages deeper exploration.

• Authenticity Matters: Balancing AI-driven content with real user insights builds trust and credibility, making users feel valued and involved in the community.