An
Elegant
hotel booking experience
Introduction :
Redesigning the Travel Journey
As part of my UX Design course, I embarked on a project to reimagine the hotel booking experience. The goal was to create a platform that not only simplified the booking process but also engaged users with a personalised and intuitive interface. The project spanned several weeks, from research and analysis to design and testing.
Methodologies: User interviews, usability testing, affinity diagram, persona development, wireframing, prototyping, and interaction design.
Problem Statement :
The Chaos of Online Booking
In this crowded world of online travel, finding the perfect hotel can feel overwhelming, like navigating through an endless maze of options.
Travellers are often bombarded with irrelevant choices and complex navigation, leaving them frustrated and unsure. My mission? To transform this chaotic landscape into a streamlined experience—one that is intuitive, efficient, and clutter-free to leave the user with a sense of fulfilment.
Research :
Understanding the Problem
The first step was to dig deep into the user’s pain points. Using pre-recorded interviews and conducting my own, I observed users interacting with two existing hotel booking platforms: Barceló Hotel Group and The Doyle Collection. Open-ended questions were asked to maintain the natural flow of user thinking, and the focus was on gathering as much unfiltered feedback as possible.
Research :
User Interviews & Usability Tests
Using pre-recorded interviews and my own user interview, I observed how users interacted with two hotel booking sites to identify pain points and key insights for the new design. Open-ended questions were asked to maintain the natural flow of user thinking.
Research :
User Quotes
“It’s a little bit clunky”
“Okay, This is kind of hard to book”
“I don’t know how confident I feel, I feel like I don’t really have a summary, I feel like there was too little steps”
“Okay, that was really confusing”
“I did think I had to do a lot of rooting around”
* This initial research phase provided the foundation for the rest of the project,highlighting the key areas that needed redesigning and streamlining.
Research :
Key Insights
Overwhelming Options
Too many irrelevant hotel choices led to decision fatigue.
Positive Aspects
Users appreciated clear pricing and hotel visuals but wanted more structured, accessible information.
Frustration with Navigation
Users found it difficult to navigate through cluttered interfaces.
Analysis:
Making Sense of the Data
After gathering data, the next step was to organise and structure it using affinity diagrams and customer journey mapping. By mapping the entire user journey, I identified critical pain points at various touchpoints of the booking process. The user journey map visualised the hurdles users faced when navigating hotel booking sites.
Analysis :
Affinity Diagram
Taking notes and observations made from the user interviews, pain points and other observations were organised into appropriate categories to take to the next step in developing a customer journey map
Analysis :
Customer Journey Map
To better understand user interactions with the hotel booking platform, I created a journey map that visualised each step, from searching for a hotel to booking, highlighting key frustrations and areas for improvement.
Analysis :
Key Takeaways
The most significant drop-off occurred during the hotel selection phase, where users struggled to find relevant information.
Users required clearer visual cues and easier navigation paths to feel more confident in their booking decisions.
The booking process was fragmented and inconsistent, leading to user frustration.
Concept Development :
Crafting the Solution
Armed with these insights, I moved into the ideation phase. The goal was to address the core pain points by improving navigation and creating a more intuitive experience for users.
I sketched out several potential solutions, including simplified navigation flows and clearer, more personalised search results. This phase was all about problem-solving—revisiting the core question: What problem are we trying to solve?
Concept Development :
Sketches
After gathering insights from user research, I began sketching potential solutions, focusing on improving navigation, simplifying the interface, and introducing personalised features. These sketches laid the foundation for refining the user experience.
Concept Development :
Proposed Solutions
Personalised Recommendations
Added tailored hotel suggestions based on user preferences.
Visual Consistency
Improved the structure of the website with clearer layouts and consistent button placements to reduce confusion.
Simplified Search Interface
Designed a streamlined search bar with filters that allowed users to quickly narrow down options.
Design & Iteration :
Building and Refining the Prototype
Once the concept was established, I began designing the prototype. I created user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes that captured the user’s journey from start to finish. The design focused on making the navigation intuitive, simplifying the user interface, and ensuring that booking was a seamless process.
Design & Iteration :
User Flow
As part of the Design & Iteration phase, I developed User Flows to visually map the steps a user would take while navigating through the redesigned hotel booking platform. These flows helped ensure that the user’s journey was logical, intuitive, and efficient.
Design & Iteration :
Interaction Design
During the Design & Iteration phase, I focused on Interaction Design to ensure every element of the hotel booking platform responded intuitively to user actions. The goal was to create a seamless, engaging experience with clear feedback for users at every step.
Design & Iteration :
Bringing the vision to life
The design evolved from rough sketches, focusing on layout and navigation, to a mid-fidelity prototype that refined functionality and usability. With feedback and iteration, it developed into a polished high-fidelity prototype, incorporating final visuals, interactions, and branding. Each stage brought the design closer to a seamless, user-friendly experience.
Design & Iteration :
Prototype Annotations for Developers
For the Prototype Annotations for Developers, I provided detailed guidance on the functionality and interactions of each element in the design. These annotations included specifications for button states, responsive layouts, and error handling to ensure the development team could implement the design accurately and efficiently.
Design & Iteration :
Annotation Notes Included
Responsive Design
Guidelines for adapting the design across different devices (mobile, tablet, and desktop).
Error States
Defined error messages and validation rules to ensure users were guided through the process effectively.
Interactive Elements
Instructions on how buttons, links, and interactive components should behave.
Solution :
A User-Centric Booking Experience
The final solution was a sleek, user-friendly hotel booking platform that addressed the frustrations users faced. With a cleaner interface, personalised recommendations, and simplified navigation, users could now enjoy a more seamless booking experience.
Solution :
Final Prototype
The Final Prototype of the solution brought together all the refined design elements, featuring a clean, intuitive interface, seamless interactions, and personalised features. This fully polished prototype was tested and ready for implementation, offering users a streamlined hotel booking experience that addressed the core pain points identified during research.
Solution :
Key Features
Tailored Recommendations
The platform offered personalised hotel suggestions based on user preferences, enhancing the relevance of search results.
Visual Clarity
Clean, intuitive layouts ensured that users could quickly access the information they needed without feeling overwhelmed.
Clear Navigation Paths
The new design provided a simplified booking flow, allowing users to easily find hotels, view details, and make reservations.
Testing the Solution :
Usability Testing and Feedback
Usability tests were conducted on the prototype to assess how well it addressed the initial pain points. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with users noting a significant improvement in ease of navigation and the overall booking experience.
Testing the Solution :
Improvements Identified
Increased User Satisfaction
Users reported a 30% improvement in satisfaction due to the intuitive design and easier navigation.
Booking Time Reduction
The average time taken to book a hotel decreased by 40%.
Outcome :
Quantifying the Impact
The redesign led to measurable improvements in both user satisfaction and booking time.
* These quantitative results clearly demonstrated the success of the redesign, as users found the new platform more efficient and enjoyable.
Booking Time: Reduced from
15 minutes to 9 minutes.
User Satisfaction: Increased from
60% to 90% after the redesign.
Lessons Learned :
Conclusion
This project not only enhanced the hotel booking experience but also reinforced the importance of user-centred design. Throughout the process, I learned the value of balancing aesthetics with functionality and the importance of validating design decisions through research and testing.
Lessons Learned :
Reflection
In the future, I would explore additional personalisation options to further enhance the user experience and continue refining the visual hierarchy to ensure even quicker decision-making.
Thank you for exploring this project!
You've reached the End
I hope it has provided insight into my design process and the thought that goes into crafting effective solutions. If you’re interested in collaborating or have any questions, feel free to reach out—I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re seeking design expertise or simply want to connect, I’m just a message away. Let's create something great together!