How it started

Once upon a time

Meet Deepika, a friend with a travel experience similar to what you'll see in our storyboard. Her story resonated with us and inspired us to solve the travel planning problem using our newly found UX knowledge.

aim

We wanted to address

The frustration of planning a trip and more importantly what to do on reaching the destination.

vision

By creating

An all-in-one travel app that provides personalized recommendations, builds custom itineraries and fuels the explorer in every one of our users.

process

Mapping our trip

This was the main categorization of how we got to the end

Research

Secondary research
Survey
Interviews
Competitor study
Data analysis

Ideation

User persona
Empathy map
Brainstorming
Information Architecture
‍

Design

Low fidelity
Branding
High fidelity
Prototype
User feedback

Target users

Those who matter the most

Travel enthusiasts who understand how a smartphone application works.

Research

Plotting Our Course

Before diving into designing the app, we wanted to understand how users approach trip planning and what challenges they face. To gather insights, we conducted a survey and interviews, asking questions such as:

1. Do users like to meet new people on a trip?
2. What platforms do they use to plan their trips?
3. How do they search for places to visit in their destination?
4. How do they feel about automatic itinerary building?
5. What are the challenges they face when planning a trip?
6. What kinds of trips do they go on?

Competitor analysis

Mapping the Terrain

findings

Discovering the treasure

What we majorly learnt from our survey of 84 responses and 5 interviews:

Itinerary building is just SO TIME CONSUMING
92% would be open to meeting new people on a trip
Many users struggle to plan within their budget.
Users want to plan trips meticulously but often lack time and patience.
Inaccurate information can lead to wasted time and money.
There should be a sweet spot between reels and blogs

What we learnt from studying our competion

Most top travel apps are solely focused on booking and neglect the overall user experience at the destination.
Personalization is a key aspect in today's world, yet many travel apps fail to make users feel special by providing personalized recommendations.
Some apps have valuable features, but their complexity and lack of user-friendliness limit their effectiveness and accessibility.

Empathy Mapping

Walking in their shoes

User Persona

Meet our travel-hungry personas

Ideation Process

Building the bridge between travellers and their destination

After truly understanding what our users would need, we began listing down all the features we could think of, followed by a detailed discussion on each one of them
We also kept revisiting all our research and the 500+ screens we had studied from direct and indirect competitors
We then shortlisted the features and started thinking about their structure and importance in the app

Information architecture

Mapping our route

We then did the information architecture of the app. This was a crucial practice we followed as it helped our team stay aligned and work towards a unified vision.

Design process

How we got stuff done

Low fidelity: Structuring the path

We started picking screens and did a crazy 8s exercise for the major screens. Here, each of us took 8 minutes to sketch out 8 different variations of a particular design

Branding: Making a Name for Ourselves

Next, we brainstormed on the name of the app, its meanings, colours to go with it.
We finalized the app name, "Vista," which means "a pleasing distant view through an opening." This reflects our goal of encouraging users to explore beyond their horizons.
Then we ideated on its logo
Finally, we designed a style guide to help us understand the overall essence of the brand and app

High fidelity: Colouring the scenery

We then started implementing colours, images and icons into the low fidelity
Once done, we got quick feedback from our users and implemented the changes

Prototyping: Point A to Point Z

We took a lean approach to prototyping and focused on a single flow to streamline our vision for the app's functionality.

The key elements of the design

Onboarding

Decide destinations: Before the debate starts

Discover new destinations through a personalised quiz or through other categories like: trending, type of vacation, nearby and explorer itineraries.

Trails: Where reels and blogs meet

Discover new places through short, engaging videos. Swipe up to learn more about them in a blog and add them to your wish list.

Automatic itinerary builder: Our hero feature

Instant itineraries: Personalized and ready to go based on your wishlist, you can also create them from scratch
Coupons & deals according to your current destination: Save money on your trip in real time.
Stay on budget: Get cost estimates for each part of your trip.
Customized: Everything is customizable to your preferences.

Ongoing

While at your destination, don't miss out on these key features:

Connect with locals and other travelers: Expand your horizons, meet new people, and make unforgettable memories with this feature. Plus, it's a great way for locals to monetize their expertise.
Stay up-to-date on events: Never miss out on the hottest events happening near you with this feature.
Rentals: Say goodbye to overpriced cabs and hello to affordable rentals near you. Cut the hassle and save money with this feature.
Audio Guide: Want to learn more about a specific location? Use our digital audio guides, now available in local languages.
And much more!

Memory wrap

Cherish your memories forever with our gift to you

Create a video journal of your trip to show off on Instagram or keep it to yourself
Relive your favorite moments later with it
Our memory wrap is the perfect way to end your adventure on a high note