PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project was a collaborative class assignment aimed at addressing real user needs by designing and developing a fully functional mobile travel app. We aimed to apply our knowledge of mobile design, user interface (UI) design, and information architecture to create an intuitive solution for travelers. In response to an authentic challenge posed by the instructor, we were tasked with creating a travel app that helps users quickly discover new destinations, book accommodations, and organize experiences—all within one platform.

My team and I were committed to a user-centric approach, considering context, needs, and content throughout the project. This ensured that the app met functional requirements and offered a seamless and intuitive experience. This app features original graphics, responsive buttons, and a well-structured information architecture. Upon completion, we presented our work to our classmates, detailing the creative and development processes we undertook and highlighting how the app addresses the core needs of spontaneous and organized travelers alike.

PROBLEM & THE CHALLENGE: TRAVEL APPS

There are a lot of places to search for new travel ideas. Searching around the internet can be time-consuming; eventually, the user can lose track of their findings. Also, users tend to use different apps for different tasks, for example, booking a hotel (booking.com) and experiences or things to do on the trip (video platforms like Instagram or TikTok), so it becomes a problem when the user needs to gather all that information to create an itinerary for their trip, so they end up getting lost. The challenge is to build a simple and easily navigable app that helps the user find new travel ideas, book their stay, and find new experiences so they can save their findings all in one place whiteout losing track and features to be able to share their findings with friends and being able to come back and edit their trip (stay and experiences).

SOLUTION

Our solution is designed to simplify and enhance the travel planning experience. It allows users to gather all the content related to their stays and experiences for their travel journey in one place, thereby saving significant time and effort. With unique features such as video features to find new things to do, a “map view” for the location, a directory of places around the globe for travel, and a 360-degree camera view, creating an immersive virtual tour to give a realistic sense of the property, our app is a practical and efficient tool for travelers

RESEARCH METHODS:

For this project, we focused primarily on the UI aspects, as instructed by our professor. While we did not conduct formal surveys or user interviews, our instructor encouraged us to perform online research into similar travel businesses. This allowed us better to understand the target market and the competitive landscape. By analyzing the user experience and design strategies of comparable apps, we identified common pain points and opportunities for differentiation, which helped guide our design decisions.

USER PERSONAS:

After researching, we developed user personas to help visualize the understanding of users.

PAIN POINTS:

1. Searching in different places is time-consuming, and it becomes harder to plan the trip.

2. Unlikely to get ideas from only one source, going to a different platform to find “things to do” on the trip.

3. Not being able to save their findings for later.

4. Not video in stay listings or experiences. Videos are proof of being more engaging and clearly illustrating your point without reading any text, making it easier for the user to find experiences.

DESIRABLE FEATURES:

1. Directory of places around the globe for travel.

2. Save ideas and findings for later.

3. Video features to find new things to do, also illustrating a “map view” for the location.

4. Share findings with other friends.

5. 360-degree camera view, creating an immersive virtual tour to give a realistic sense of the property.

6. Book hotels and experiences in one place.

USER FLOWCHART

After researching, we had an idea of how the app should flow for this user persona. To start with this case and eliminate any assumptions, we made a user flow of how the user will use the application and identified the screen flow of the app so the user can reach a solution or satisfaction.

SKETCHES AND WIREFRAMES

Keeping all these things in mind, we started making the sketches for the layout of our app. We created the sketches after brainstorming all the ideas and layouts from the sketches and then created our first version of low-fidelity wireframes.

COLOR PALETTE

We chose this color palette to create a welcoming and natural atmosphere. Blue was selected as the primary color because it conveys a sense of trust, dependability, and serenity, making it an ideal fit for the app’s overall tone and experience. The app also features bright, lively images paired with playful illustrated characters designed to appeal to many users.

CONCLUSION & KEY TAKEAWAYS

This group project has been a journey of discovery, leading us to create a mobile travel app that stands out in its functionality and user-friendliness. Our focus on UI/UX design, coupled with in-depth research into the travel industry, has enabled us to develop an app that not only addresses key pain points in travel planning but also simplifies complex tasks for users. The app’s integrated features, such as the ability to find travel ideas, book accommodations, and organize trips, all within a single app, are a testament to our user-centric design and problem-solving skills.

Through this project, I learned the importance of balancing aesthetics with functionality. From choosing a color palette that evokes trust and calmness to selecting fonts that enhance readability and appeal to our target market, each design decision directly impacted the user experience. Additionally, collaborating with my team taught me the value of communication and iteration in the design process. Overall, this experience deepened my understanding of how thoughtful design choices can simplify complex user tasks and create more intuitive digital solutions.