Travel Planning with Meta
responsive concept design
responsive concept design
responsive concept design
responsive concept design
Connecting the travel planning experience together.
Connecting the travel planning experience together.
Connecting the travel planning experience together.
Connecting the travel planning experience together.
view final prototype
Role
UI / UX designer
and researcher
Timeline
4 weeks
Tools
Figma
CONTEXT
Facebook (Meta) is the world's largest social media platform with consistent usage of Events and Messenger features. While its main features for social sharing have remained strong, there's an unmet need for facilitating travel planning among users.
Facebook is the world's largest social media platform with consistent usage of Events and Messenger features.
While its main features for social sharing have remained strong, there has been a need in travel planning between users that has yet been fulfilled.
PROBLEM
Many Facebook users utilize existing features to initiate group travel, but current feature limitations make the experience frustrating and disjointed.
SOLUTION BRIEF
A one stop platform that consolidates and organizes information online that is easy for users to navigate.
market research
Peripheral actions unveil real user needs and potential for improvement.
Users improvise through Events page to plan and organize travel ideas on Facebook.
Travel decisions made through posts, links, and comments
Plans and itinerary posted through screenshots
Travel ideas on external platforms are scattered and disconnected from the planning space.
Travel decisions made through posts, links, and comments
Ideas on different platforms shared through chat - difficult to organize and search
Saved lists are private and cannot be shared
user research
Opportunities for improvement through user insights.
To tailor my research to the needs of current Facebook users, I limited my selection of participants to those who had planned at least one trip on the platform within the past 12 months. 15 surveys and 3 interviews were conducted that revealed major insights for user needs.
user research
Competitive market lacks FB's userbase advantages.
The strengths gleaned from insights allow for significant impact on the platform as Facebook offers a distinct advantage over its competitors due to its extensive user base and partnerships with other major platforms i.e. Instagram and Airbnb.
competitive analysis
feature matrix
user persona
Improving the experience with current users in mind
Through interviews and research, a user persona was developed to encapsulate a collective experience, encompassing the frustrations and motivations of all users.
redefine & pivot
Redefining the problem
Initially I hypothesized that users' primary concern was the need for organization. However, further research proved this to be secondary, as users were able to work around these limitations despite its frustrations. What was really missing was a way for users to share their suggestions and ideas in a centralized location and collaborate on travel decisions.
updated problem
Facebook users that utilize FB to plan travel lack a centralized location to share suggestions and confirm travel details, making collaboration and planning between friends difficult and frustrating.
ideation
Ideation to solve the redefined problem
By strategically evaluating and prioritizing features, I streamlined efforts and aligned the project with its objectives. 3 main task flows were created to satisfy the travel planning experience.
priority matrix
task flow
user testing
Iterations and improvements through user testing
Initial user testing via mid-fidelity wireframes with 100% task flow completion via user testing. Updates were made prior to hi-fidelity prototyping.
Users had trouble posting new ideas directly from shared page
Users looked for indication of number of votes on each post
"Add New" was added for easy access
Voting buttons were updated to indicate number of votes
design solutions
A close look at the solutions for better planning and coordination.
Options to connect, share, and keep track with planning
Itinerary and organizational planning feature
Page to share, consolidate, and make decisions
HI-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
Getting started: Share directly from other platforms to Facebook integration i.e. instagram
Added itinerary for planning and organization, calendar, to do list, and link to messenger.
Consolidated page to share travel ideas and engage in planning.
user research
Competitive market lacks FB's userbase advantages.
The strengths gleaned from insights allow for significant impact on the platform as Facebook offers a distinct advantage over its competitors due to its extensive user base and partnerships with other major platforms i.e. Instagram and Airbnb.
competitive analysis
feature matrix
user persona
Improving the experience with current users in mind
Through interviews and research, a user persona was developed to encapsulate a collective experience, encompassing the frustrations and motivations of all users.
redefine & pivot
Redefining the problem
Initially I hypothesized that users' primary concern was the need for organization. However, further research proved this to be secondary, as users were able to work around these limitations despite its frustrations. What was really missing was a way for users to share their suggestions and ideas in a centralized location and collaborate on travel decisions.
updated problem
Facebook users that utilize FB to plan travel lack a centralized location to share suggestions and confirm travel details, making collaboration and planning between friends difficult and frustrating.
ideation
Ideation to solve the redefined problem
By strategically evaluating and prioritizing features, I streamlined efforts and aligned the project with its objectives. 3 main task flows were created to satisfy the travel planning experience.
priority matrix
task flow
user testing
Iterations and improvements through user testing
Initial user testing via mid-fidelity wireframes with 100% task flow completion via user testing. Updates were made prior to hi-fidelity prototyping.
Users had trouble posting new ideas directly from shared page
Users looked for indication of number of votes on each post
"Add New" was added for easy access
Voting buttons were updated to indicate number of votes
design solutions
A close look at the solutions for better planning and coordination.
Options to connect, share, and keep track with planning
Itinerary and organizational planning feature
Page to share, consolidate, and make decisions
HI-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
Getting started: Share directly from other platforms to Facebook integration i.e. instagram
Added itinerary for planning and organization, calendar, to do list, and link to messenger.
Consolidated page to share travel ideas and engage in planning.
Through this project, I've learned that a great product requires continual refinement, even after achieved success and a strong user base. The travel experience on Facebook is still in its nascent stage and holds immense potential for improvement, should FB choose to tap into the travel industry. However, businesses may not proceed if they fail to see a profit in feature additions.
The user journey is filled with tangential behaviors and indirect user feedback. Within these gaps lie untapped opportunities for new ideas and improvements that could lead to a better user experience. With more time, I'd love to continue to expand on:
• Integration with booking sites
• Custom generated suggestions
• Improved voting and polling experience
• Interactive planning for travel members
• Record keeping for budgets and expenses
Through this project, I've learned that a great product requires continual refinement, even after achieved success and a strong user base. The travel experience on Facebook is still in its nascent stage and holds immense potential for improvement, should FB choose to tap into the travel industry. However, businesses may not proceed if they fail to see a profit in feature additions.
The user journey is filled with tangential behaviors and indirect user feedback. Within these gaps lie untapped opportunities for new ideas and improvements that could lead to a better user experience. With more time, I'd love to continue to expand on:
• Integration with booking sites
• Custom generated suggestions
• Improved voting and polling experience
• Interactive planning for travel members
• Record keeping for budgets and expenses
final TAKEAWAYS
© 2024 Pamela Hsiung