localguide

online learning platform · 2015

role: ui / ux design  ·  client: designation  ·   process: design-thinking approach

Everyone likes to travel differently — some have detailed itineraries printed out before they board the plane. Others prefer to wander and discover hard-to-find local gems. I worked with Designation to design LocalGuide, an app that helps travelers tailor their trips to fit their own preferences, whatever they may be.

LocalGuide was my first opportunity to practice user-centered design research. Instead of considering the project a visual design challenge, I focused primarily on the research-oriented aspects of the design process. I wanted to create a product for a user, and so had to get to know who that user would be, and what they would want and expect from an app like LocalGuide.

tasks

exploratory research  ·  personas

journey maps  ·  sketches

wireframes  ·  prototype

branding  ·  style tiles

style guide  ·  hi-fidelity mockups

research

I studied eight previously-conducted user interviews to understand what users would want in a travel app.

takeaways

• Some travelers avoid tourist destinations, others welcome tourist attractions that help take the guesswork out of planning a family trip
• Some participants travel frequently, but mostly for business, while others take a family vacation once a year
• International travel is no less prevalent than domestic travel
• Budget constraints vary widely

personas

I created two personas using my findings from the interviews:

sketches

I sketched out two different designs and conducted my first round of user testing with the paper prototypes below. One design was map-based, for the wandering Adventurer, while the other design had a more traditional keyword-search feature.

After a round of usability testing I found that the map-based design catered too strongly to the Adventurer persona, at the expense of overall usability. The keyword-search function is a familiar pattern that works for both personas. I incorporated this feedback into Axure wireframes and a high-fidelity prototype.

branding

I began to explore brand styles for LocalGuide. I knew I wanted the app to feel young and hip without alienating older, more family-oriented travelers. I created two style tiles to pinpoint the right direction for the LocalGuide brand.

I chose the style on the left after deciding it better represented my desired brand attributes. Though the righthand style had a more light, family friendly look, other travel apps have a similar look-and-feel. I wanted LocalGuide to stand out visually from existing competition.

mockups

After incorporating feedback from my last round of usability testing, I created a series of high fidelity mockups that represented my final interface and branding choices for the LocalGuide app.

results

I took a user-centered approach to the LocalGuide project, and so was able to hone my ux skills–creating personas, prototyping, and iterating based on user testing results. Because I was also in charge of the visual design for LocalGuide, I learned the unique challenge of balancing usability with aesthetics.

By taking sole ownership of this project I gained appreciation for each step in the design process and realized the important roles research and strategy play in effective, beautiful user interfaces.