Case Study Capegrace.

Project Synopsis

During my tenure with the UX Design Institute, I embarked on a project to design a mobile application. This project was inspired by my homeland, New Zealand, a globally renowned travel destination celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes.

This case study will delve into my user experience design process for “Cape Grace”, a hotel booking app exclusively featuring accommodations in New Zealand.

Identifying the Challenge

This research project was born out of the need to address the difficulties users face when booking hotels through websites. The inspiration for designing a new app came from the experiences of my friends who had encountered various challenges while trying to secure accommodations online.

In the era where platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com dominate, a significant number of users still resort to traditional websites or rely on word-of-mouth recommendations to book hotels. It has been observed that many web applications lack user-friendliness, making it a daunting task for users to find suitable accommodations swiftly. Users often grapple with filtering search results, comparing prices, and making informed decisions.

Research & Discovery

Groundwork Research

The groundwork research kicked off with the extraction of problem statements from reviews left by users of various hotel booking applications. These reviews were gathered from a diverse range of online platforms including YouTube channels, Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and Google reviews on hotels and their services.

This process led to the identification of potential competitors in the market such as Booking.com, Accor, IHG, and Hilton. A detailed analysis of their applications was carried out, followed by a heuristic evaluation to establish a competitive benchmark.

In-depth Investigation

In the stage of in-depth investigation, I conducted an online survey involving both structured and unstructured questions across various social groups. This method provided a rich source of quantitative data on user objectives, goals, and experiences.

The insights derived from competitive benchmarking and the online survey were instrumental in shaping the user experience. The key findings were:

1. A significant majority, over 57% of respondents, preferred mobile apps over websites for hotel booking.
2. 65% of respondents reported frequent use of hotel booking mobile apps, at least once every six months.
3. The option of free cancellation emerged as the top preference for 88% of respondents while booking a hotel.
4. Location preference during the hotel search was a priority for 80% of respondents.
5. Over 84% of respondents preferred to compare prices.
6. More than 60% of respondents expressed a dislike for cluttered user interfaces.

Additional key findings

In addition to the key findings, I also gleaned several techniques that could enhance the user experience of a hotel booking app:

1. Implementing a specific search context on the home screen to assist users in narrowing down their search for a destination, dates, and number of guests.
2. Encouraging travelers with enticing deals, offers, or features.
3. Ensuring a seamless journey during the date selection process.
4. Engaging users with a comprehensive map search and efficient filter/sorting options.
5. Providing concise yet informative hotel or room search results.
6. Utilizing captivating images to facilitate quick selection of desired location/hotel/room.
7. Implementing a helpful Information Architecture.
8. Facilitating tangible contact with hotel staff.
9. Ensuring proper micro-interactions with reviews.

User Interviews: Diving Deeper

Prior to the design phase of the application prototype, I conducted in-depth interviews with a select group of users. These interviews were carried out in various social groups, with the objective of gaining a comprehensive understanding of user goals, behaviors, and contexts. I sought to identify the pain points customers encounter during the booking process and to discover the most effective features competitors offer to enhance user experience and digital business operations.

The insights gathered from these user interviews were instrumental in crafting personas representing different types of travelers. These personas, along with a customer journey map and an affinity diagram, greatly facilitated the design process.

Crafting the Prototype and Ensuring Usability

The journey towards the creation of the prototype began with the development of a user-flow diagram. This diagram served as a roadmap, guiding the design of an interactive prototype that was rooted in the user flow and the insights gathered from my research.

Upon the completion of the prototypes, I reconnected with the users I had previously interviewed during the discovery phase. Their participation in usability testing was invaluable. The feedback received led to two rounds of ideation and refinement, ensuring the final design was user-centric and intuitive.

In addition to these steps, I also incorporated a few more strategies based on my experience:

1. Heuristic Evaluation: Before initiating usability testing, I conducted a heuristic evaluation of the prototype. This helped identify any potential usability issues that might have been overlooked during the design phase.
2. A/B Testing: I used A/B testing on certain features of the prototype to determine which version provided a better user experience.
3. Accessibility Check: Ensuring the app is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, is crucial. I used various tools to check the color contrast, font sizes, and other accessibility features in the prototype.

Establishing the Design System

Upon receiving positive feedback and expressions of satisfaction from the users during the testing phase, I proceeded to establish a design system. This system was built in collaboration with the developers, incorporating their wireframes to ensure a seamless transition into the development phase. This design system serves as a comprehensive guide for the development team, facilitating the accurate translation of the design into a functional application.

Low Fidelity Prototype

High Fidelity mock-ups

Hi Fidelity Screens

Ket takeaways

1. Importance of User Research: The case study underscores the importance of conducting thorough user research before starting the design process. Understanding user needs, preferences, and pain points is crucial to creating a product that truly serves its intended audience.

2. Iterative Design Process: The iterative nature of the design process was a significant learning point. User feedback was instrumental in refining the app, demonstrating the value of usability testing and iterative design.

3. User-Centric Features: The case study highlighted the importance of developing features that directly address user needs. From the specific search context to the seamless date selection process, each feature was designed with the user in mind.

4. Visual Appeal: The use of appealing images and a clean, uncluttered interface highlighted the importance of visual appeal in user experience. A visually pleasing app can enhance usability and user satisfaction.