personal project
personal project
Designing a travel app prioritizing safety and creating meaningful connections for solo travelers
Designing a travel app prioritizing safety and creating meaningful connections for solo travelers
Designing a travel app prioritizing safety and creating meaningful connections for solo travelers
Designing a travel app prioritizing safety and creating meaningful connections for solo travelers
ROLE
ROLE
UX Design, UI Design, User Research, Prototyping
UX Design, UI Design, User Research, Prototyping
UX Design, UI Design, User Research, Prototyping
Tools
Tools
Figma, Zoom, Google Workspace
Figma, Zoom, Google Workspace
Timeline
Timeline
August 2021 - September 2021
March 2024 - May 2024
August 2021 - September 2021
March 2024 - May 2024
✦ the problem
✦ the problem
Solo travel offers a unique sense of freedom and adventure, however, navigating a new environment and culture can also be daunting. Safety concerns and social isolation deter travelers from going solo, and existing travel platforms struggle to facilitate safe and enriching connections.
Solo travel offers a unique sense of freedom and adventure, however, navigating a new environment and culture can also be daunting. Safety concerns and social isolation deter travelers from going solo, and existing travel platforms struggle to facilitate safe and enriching connections.
problem statement
problem statement
Travelers feel intimidated or apprehensive about traveling solo due to safety concerns and social isolation. However, finding compatible and trustworthy travel companions can be challenging.
Travelers feel intimidated or apprehensive about traveling solo due to safety concerns and social isolation. However, finding compatible and trustworthy travel companions can be challenging.
✦ our solution
✦ our solution
BuddyAbroad bridges this gap. Our app strives to empower travelers to explore with confidence and peace of mind by prioritizing safety. Users undergo an ID verification process to establish a safer travel network. Our travel style quiz also helps to connect like-minded adventurers through their travel styles and interests to foster meaningful connections, ensuring a fulfilling travel experience.
BuddyAbroad bridges this gap. Our app strives to empower travelers to explore with confidence and peace of mind by prioritizing safety. Users undergo an ID verification process to establish a safer travel network. Our travel style quiz also helps to connect like-minded adventurers through their travel styles and interests to foster meaningful connections, ensuring a fulfilling travel experience.
✦ discovering insights
✦ discovering insights
✦ discovering insights
Feeling unsafe and lonely deters people from solo traveling.
To understand the needs of solo travelers and existing solutions, we researched information and data online and analyzed other travel/matching apps.
Feeling unsafe and lonely deters people from solo traveling.
To understand the needs of solo travelers and existing solutions, we researched information and data online and analyzed other travel/matching apps.
research insights
research insights
Some top motivations for solo travel are self-discovery, cultural immersion, and meeting new people.
Feeling unsafe and lonely are some of the top reasons why adults would not consider solo traveling
A majority of solo travelers are women, but 76% of women travelers said they would feel unsafe on holiday by themselves
Current travel apps lack robust safety features, such as ID verification, and substantial compatibility matching
Some top motivations for solo travel are self-discovery, cultural immersion, and meeting new people.
Feeling unsafe and lonely are some of the top reasons why adults would not consider solo traveling
A majority of solo travelers are women, but 76% of women travelers said they would feel unsafe on holiday by themselves
Current travel apps lack robust safety features, such as ID verification, and substantial compatibility matching
✦ Defining our users
✦ defining our users
From our research on solo travel motivations, we identified two key users: the “Culture Seeker” and the “Social Adventurer”.
Culture Seekers want to connect with locals to get the most authentic travel experiences and gain a deeper understanding of other cultures. Social Adventurers thrive on new experiences but also seek out companionship and shared memories.
From our research on solo travel motivations, we identified two key users: the “Culture Seeker” and the “Social Adventurer”.
Culture Seekers want to connect with locals to get the most authentic travel experiences and gain a deeper understanding of other cultures. Social Adventurers thrive on new experiences but also seek out companionship and shared memories.
user story
user story
As a Culture Seeker, I want to connect with locals with similar interests to form meaningful connections, have authentic experiences, expand my perspective, and learn new languages.
As a Culture Seeker, I want to connect with locals with similar interests to form meaningful connections, have authentic experiences, expand my perspective, and learn new languages.
user story
user story
As a Social Adventurer, I want to search for trustworthy and compatible travel companions based on shared interests and travel style to have a fulfilling travel experience.
As a Social Adventurer, I want to search for trustworthy and compatible travel companions based on shared interests and travel style to have a fulfilling travel experience.
✦ designing buddyabroad 1.0
✦ designing buddyabroad 1.0
✦ designing buddyabroad 1.0
With safety and compatibility being the biggest challenges that solo travelers face, we designed BuddyAbroad around three core features.
With safety and compatibility being the biggest challenges that solo travelers face, we designed BuddyAbroad around three core features.
Invitations
Invitations
Users send other users invites to meet and have date, time, and location information automatically sent to an emergency contact.
Users send other users invites to meet and have date, time, and location information automatically sent to an emergency contact.
Rating system
Rating system
Users can rate their experience with other users they've met up with, so they feel safer when meeting up with strangers on the internet
Users can rate their experience with other users they've met up with, so they feel safer when meeting up with strangers on the internet
Interest tags
Interest tags
Users can add tags to their profiles and filter users by tags to easily find and connect with like-minded individuals.
Users can add tags to their profiles and filter users by tags to easily find and connect with like-minded individuals.
To gather early insights into our design and rapidly assess core functionalities, we built a low-fidelity prototype for user testing.
To gather early insights into our design and rapidly assess core functionalities, we built a low-fidelity prototype for user testing.
Through moderated user testing, we observed five participants as they navigated our prototype to complete specific tasks.
Through moderated user testing, we observed five participants as they navigated our prototype to complete specific tasks.
key insights
key insights
All participants liked the premise of our app and see it being a valuable tool for solo travelers
Most participants found our design simple, clean, and easy to use
A few participants thought the home page was confusing and didn’t have enough context
A participant felt like the invitation feature wasn’t unique from regular messaging
A participant felt uneasy about the aspect of rating travel buddies
All participants liked the premise of our app and see it being a valuable tool for solo travelers
Most participants found our design simple, clean, and easy to use
A few participants thought the home page was confusing and didn’t have enough context
A participant felt like the invitation feature wasn’t unique from regular messaging
A participant felt uneasy about the aspect of rating travel buddies
Based on user testing feedback, we implemented the following design refinements:
Enhanced the homepage with additional context to clarify its purpose
Created a more intuitive invitation system to streamline the process and reduce errors
Based on user testing feedback, we implemented the following design refinements:
Enhanced the homepage with additional context to clarify its purpose
Created a more intuitive invitation system to streamline the process and reduce errors
before
after
before
after
additional screens
✦ designing buddyabroad 2.0
✦ designing buddyabroad 2.0
To address the broader range of concerns identified in our testing and provide more robust solutions to our users' challenges, I redesigned the app and reimagined its features.
Our previous testing revealed user discomfort with the rating system. This feedback sparked a broader discussion on how to enhance BuddyAbroad's functionality to more effectively address our users' pain points.
This led me to brainstorm new solutions for BuddyAbroad and create a sitemap to organize the new structure and content.
To address the broader range of concerns identified in our testing and provide more robust solutions to our users' challenges, I redesigned the app and reimagined its features.
Our previous testing revealed user discomfort with the rating system. This feedback sparked a broader discussion on how to enhance BuddyAbroad's functionality to more effectively address our users' pain points.
This led me to brainstorm new solutions for BuddyAbroad and create a sitemap to organize the new structure and content.
The MVP focused on delivering a robust core experience, including search, messaging, trip planning (adventures), and profiles. Community features will be incorporated in future iterations.
The MVP focused on delivering a robust core experience, including search, messaging, trip planning (adventures), and profiles. Community features will be incorporated in future iterations.
ID verification
ID verification
For enhanced security, we replaced our user rating system and integrated Plaid's ID verification system. Users now have their identities confirmed through government ID and facial detection, creating a credible travel network where users can confidently connect with fellow travelers.
For enhanced security, we replaced our user rating system and integrated Plaid's ID verification system. Users now have their identities confirmed through government ID and facial detection, creating a credible travel network where users can confidently connect with fellow travelers.
Adventures
Adventures
I evolved the invitation feature to become a more comprehensive itinerary builder. This allows users to easily create travel plans with other users and provides an effortless way for travelers to share their travel plans with friends and family.
I evolved the invitation feature to become a more comprehensive itinerary builder. This allows users to easily create travel plans with other users and provides an effortless way for travelers to share their travel plans with friends and family.
Compatibility matching
Compatibility matching
I enhanced BuddyAbroad's compatibility matching by moving beyond basic interest tags. Now, users complete a travel style quiz during signup, creating a detailed profile that informs our matching algorithm. This boosts the visibility of like-minded travelers, simplifying the search for compatible travel buddies.
I enhanced BuddyAbroad's compatibility matching by moving beyond basic interest tags. Now, users complete a travel style quiz during signup, creating a detailed profile that informs our matching algorithm. This boosts the visibility of like-minded travelers, simplifying the search for compatible travel buddies.
registration screens
identity verification screens
travel style quiz
adventure screens
search + profile screens
✦ next steps
01
01
Conduct user testing
Conduct user testing
Conduct moderated user testing with a prototype to validate design decisions and identify areas for improvement.
Conduct moderated user testing with a prototype to validate design decisions and identify areas for improvement.
02
02
Design community
features
Design community features
Design community features
Implement community-driven features like forums and photo sharing to enhance user engagement and create deeper connections among travelers.
Implement community-driven features like forums and photo sharing to enhance user engagement and create deeper connections among travelers.
˚ ༘♡ ·˚ Thanks for reading ₊˚ˑ ˚
˚ ༘♡ ·˚ Thanks for reading ₊˚ˑ ˚
Wanna see more? View some of my other projects!
Wanna see more?
View some of my other projects!
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