Project overview
The product:
Solo is a travel app that helps solo travelers coordinate travel plans and navigate new cities. With Solo you can travel at your own pace, do the things that interest you, eat where you like, when you like, and splurge where you want to splurge. Solo targets traveling young adults and retired folks between the ages of 22 and 65.
The problem:
Rather than spending time planning your trip, amidst the hustle and bustle of your regular busy day and chores, why not let Solo do the planning while you cross your legs on the beach, sipping a cup of mohito basking in the hot sun and having fun experiences on your trip.
The goal:
Design an app for Solo that allows travelers easily coordinate travel plans and navigate new cities.
My role:
Research, UI/UX design, Visual Design
Responsibilities:
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
Understanding the user
User research: summary
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m
designing for and their needs.
designing for and their needs.
A primary user group identified through research was young adults and retired folks who love to travel and experience new destinations as well as those who would love to travel but do not have the resources to do so.
This user group confirmed initial assumptions about Solo, and research
also revealed that accessibility, planning and time are indeed major factors restricting users from easily coordinating travel plans and navigating new cities.
also revealed that accessibility, planning and time are indeed major factors restricting users from easily coordinating travel plans and navigating new cities.
Other user problems included obligations, interests, or challenges that make it difficult.
User research: pain points
1. Functionality
Platforms for solo travelers do not help users coordinate travel plans and navigate new cities.
2. Time
Young adults are too occupied to spend time planning.
3. Information Architecture
Text-heavy menus in apps are often difficult to read and navigate.
4. Accessibility
Users who use screen reader technologies have complained about not being able to use other similar apps.
Starting the design
Paper wireframes
Taking the time to draft iterations of each screen of the app on paper ensured that the elements that made it to digital wireframes would be well-suited to address user pain points. For the home screen, I prioritized a quick and easy navigation process to help users save time.
Digital wireframes
Usability study: Findings
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Findings from the first study helped guide the designs from wireframes to mockups. The second study used a high-fidelity prototype and revealed what aspects of the mockups needed refining.
Round 1 findings
1. Users want to select tourist attractions to visit
2. Users want a simpler approach to navigating
3. Users want the add to calendar button to be accessible to them
Round 2 findings
1. Users want a feedback after selecting a restaurant option
2. Users want a feedback after booking a restaurant
3. Users want to be able to see pictures of destinations while navigating through the booking process
Refining the design
Typeface Choice
Nunito creates a friendly, approachable feel for travelers. It's a well-balanced, visually appealing, highly legible sans-serif typeface with a modern touch. It offers various weights and styles for typographic hierarchies.
Font weights - Extra Light, Light, Normal, Medium, Semi Bold, Bold, Extra Bold, Black
Defining Characteristics - Nunito is a rounded soft font that conveys a sense of friendliness, warmth and approachability. It is a well balanced, highly-readable sans-serif typeface. The characters have thin, uniform and lively stroke widths that work well for both body and display copy.
High-fidelity prototype
The final high-fidelity prototype presents cleaner user flows for easily coordinating travel plans and navigating new cities. It also meets user needs for exploring tourist attractions and restaurants.
Experience the Solo Travel App high fidelity prototype below
Accessibility considerations
1. Good use of color combinations to ensure everyone can read and interact with the Solo travel app.
2. Included descriptions with every icon so everyone can easily understand what the icons mean and I adapted all content for screen readers and other assistive technologies.
3. Used detailed imagery for restaurants and tourist attractions to
help all users better understand the design.
help all users better understand the design.
Going forward: Takeaways
Impact
The app makes users feel like Solo really thinks about how to meet their needs.
One quote from peer feedback:
“The app made it so easy and fun to organize my trip! I would definitely use this app as a go-to for easily coordinating my travel plans and navigating new cities.”
What I learned
While designing the Solo travel app, I learned that the first ideas for the app are only the beginning of the process. Usability studies and peer feedback influenced each iteration of the app’s designs.
Next steps
1. Conduct another round of usability studies to validate whether the pain points users experienced have been effectively addressed.
2. Conduct more user research to determine any new areas of need.
Thank you!
