Hoptale

Hoptale is an all-in-one content platform for travellers

  • Plan activities, accommodation, restaurants, etc for a trip

  • Document memories via trip photos and itineraries

  • Explore new places to visit

  • Share with others

The app is currently available for download in the iOS store. This is what the app looks like.

Defining The Scope

The first step was identifying the features to be worked on with the stakeholders. The selected scope included
improving the current browsing experience and introducing a new trip planning feature.

My Process

Using the user-centered UX process helped curating a methodical solution for the identified scope.

Identifying My Role in the team

Below is my contribution to the team and the project.
Working and collaborating with a team is key in attaining the most optimum UX solutions. The first step is to
identify the role each member plays and mapping out the responsibilities for the team.

User Research

Observational Interviews

As a team we conducted 20 observational interviews. Below is the breakup of my 5 interviews.

All the notes and observation generated from these interviews were used to create insights that helped in identifying the main user pain points to solve for. A few insight examples are blow

User Segmentation

After identifying WHAT the problem is. We moved on the picking out WHO are we solving for. Based on user data given to us by our stake holders and interviews, users were grouped into the 4 main user segments below. Since most of the users could fit the ‘Planner Penny’ segment, solving for one type of user would make the design strategy targeted thus more effective.
As a team we pooled in all our insights. Picked the most common and relevant ones to highlight the
3 main problems that we would be solving for.

User Persona

The user persona represents all user research and insights

User Journey Map

After summarizing the user, their interaction with the app at step helped to identify main pain points. Below is the map that recorded the “Planner Penny” user journey through the app

Creating Designs

It started with sketching wireframes and some rough ideation. This was the starting point to build new screens and flows for the 3 identified problem statements. Below is the process for solving for problem no. 3 – Flexibility

Concept Iterations

Below are the reasons for selecting on concept 2 over the rest.

Digital Wireframes

Translating sketches into digital wireframes. Highlighted below are the new standout features of the new proposed designs

The existing style guides from the stake holders had to be implemented into our new designs. So, while the colors remained the same elements like the title, comments and bookmarked were altered to be more UX friendly.

Bookmarks

Problem: Cannot find pinned images / trips to refer back.
Recommendation: Make the save to list more apparent and allow someone to pull up the list when planning a trip

Quick Access

Problem: Don’t know here to start planning a trip.
Recommendation: Make the all the main features easily discoverable on the homepage

Templates

Problem: Have to manually search and add places. It’s too time consuming.
Recommendation: Include a trip planning template and give user the option to either plan a trip manually or edit a template.

Setting Time

Problem: Have to manually search and add places. It’s too time consuming.
Recommendation: Include a trip planning template and give user the option to either plan a trip manually or edit a template.

Feedback

Problem: I don’t know if the activity is added to my trip plan or not.
Recommendation: Having checkmarks next to attractions so they could see what had already been added and what was still available.

User Testing

Below is the process followed to test our current designs with Hoptale’s existing user database

Test Findings

Finding: For itinerary, when adding activities to plan, the checkboxes are confusing.
Recommendation: Change checkbox to button and provide obvious feedback on what activities have been added
Finding: For itinerary, when adding activities to plan, the checkboxes are confusing.
Recommendation: Change checkbox to button and provide obvious feedback on what activities have been added
Finding: For browsing, destination needs to be bolder.
Recommendation: Change bold formatting to highlight the location of post and not the name

Our feedback from the founder herself.

“All recommendations are very relevant and moreover so easy to implement. This collaboration went beyond my expectations.
”Sisi Liu, Founder Hoptale