Plan & Book a Multi-City Trip

Persona Development

Primary Persona: Jeff Smith

Demographics: 30-year-old male pharmacist from Dallas, TX.
Goals: Efficiently plan a multi-city vacation within budget.
Frustrations: Overwhelmed by options and managing budget constraints.
Behaviors: Tech-savvy, adventurous, budget-conscious, and efficient planner.
Needs: User-friendly interface, effective filters, comparison tools, and seamless multi-platform access

Problem Statement

Travelers face an overwhelming and complex process when planning multi-city vacations due to the plethora of choices and the need to manage various aspects such as flights, local transportation, lodging, and activities within budget constraints.

Vision Statement

Create an innovative tool that simplifies multi-city vacation planning, offering personalized and budget-friendly itineraries. The tool should streamline the selection of points of interest, flights, and transportation options, making the process effortless for travelers

Project Overview

This case study revolves around designing a user-friendly and efficient tool for planning multi-city vacations. The challenge was to simplify the complex process of creating an itinerary that connects multiple points of interest while considering budget, desired length of stay, and low-cost transportation options.

Objective

Develop an intuitive and comprehensive tool that facilitates the planning of multi-destination trips, considering user preferences for travel duration, costs, and activities, thereby enhancing the overall user experience.

Research and Analysis

Theme & User Group Criteria

– Theme: Planning a multi-city vacation.

– User Group: Technically literate individuals aged 25-54 with moderate income levels.

Competitor Analysis

I analyzed three established travel booking platforms: Kayak, Expedia, and Priceline. The objective was to identify features that facilitate multi-city vacation planning. The analysis focused on:

Filtering options for user preferences
Multi-city booking capabilities
Ease of use
Sorting by cost
Filtering by number of stops, airline preference, and price range
Current offers and ease of date selection

Competitive Analysis

Kayak - Expedia - Priceline

User Research

User Research Study Questionnaire

1. How frequently do you use travel booking platforms?

a. How frequently do you use travel booking platforms to book multi-city trips?

2. Can you describe the process you go through when planning a multi-city trip?

3. What factors are most important to you when planning on booking a multi-city vacation?

4. What features or filters do you find most useful when searching for flights, hotels, or other travel services?

a. What features or filters do you find most useful when searching for flights, hotels, or other travel services?

b. Are there specific factors that influence your choice of accommodation or transportation in each city?

c. Would you appreciate personalized recommendations of new or unique experiences based on your multi-city itinerary?

5. Do you prefer using a mobile device or a desktop computer when booking travel on an online platform? Why?

6. Are there specific features, tools, or services you wish you had access to on your previous tour?

7. How easy or challenging do you find it to modify bookings once your multi-city tour is underway?

8. Can you share a particularly positive experience you’ve had with a travel booking service?

a. Has there been any memorable negative experience? If yes, what happened?

9. If there’s one thing you can change or improve about your experience with travel booking services, what would it be?

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AFFINITY ANALYSIS: SINGLE CASE ANALYSIS

AFFINITY ANALYSIS: SINGLE CASE ANALYSIS CONTINUED

AFFINITY ANALYSIS: CROSS CASE ANALYSIS

ACTIVITY DIAGRAM

DECISION TREE DIAGRAM

Key Findings

Primary Goals: Efficient planning and cost-effectiveness.
Pain Points: Overwhelming choices and managing budget constraints.
Feature Usage: Preference for filters, budget tools, and ease of modifying bookings.
Device Preference: A mix of mobile and desktop usage, with reasons varying based on convenience and accessibility.

Design and Ideation

Brainstorming Solutions

AI-Generated Itineraries: An AI tool that creates customized itineraries based on user inputs such as dates, interests, budget, and accessibility needs.
Budget Tracker: A feature to help users stay within their financial constraints.
Personalized Recommendations: Tailored suggestions based on user preferences.
Real-Time Alerts: Notifications for any travel disruptions.
Automated Reminders: Optional reminders related to booked travel itineraries.

User Flow and Wireframing

I developed user flows for planning and booking a multi-city trip, ensuring a seamless experience from inputting travel dates to confirming bookings. High-fidelity wireframes were created to visualize key screens such as the homepage, transportation options, accommodation selection, itinerary review, checkout, and booking confirmation.

Prototyping and Testing

Interactive prototypes were built and tested with users to gather feedback. Adjustments were made to improve usability, streamline navigation, and enhance the overall user experience.

Outcome and Impact

The final design provided an intuitive and efficient tool for planning multi-city vacations. Users appreciated the simplified process, personalized recommendations, and comprehensive budget management features. The case study demonstrated our ability to identify user needs, conduct thorough research, and deliver a solution that addresses complex challenges with a user-centric approach.