As part of my project to complete my professional diploma in UX design, I had to conduct research on websites from the hospitality industry and in the end create a website that placed focus on a smooth user experience and flow.
Project Description
Overview
Mountain Crest Lodge is a business created for the purpose of this project, the business’s branding and business model is that of high quality lodge accommodation across various cities. My main goal in this project was to create a website with intuitive flow, and implemented the most common and efficient booking methods used in the industry.
Conduct and Analyse usability research
Information Architecture and copy
Customer Flow
Customer empathy Map
Visual and Interaction design
Low and Medium-Fidelity Prototyping
Role - Lead UX Designer
Throughout the research that was conducted on the users for this project, there were certain common pain points that were visible within different businesses that I aimed to eliminate:
Lack of Imagery
A poor navigation calendar
Lack of clarity on the room’s amenities
Lack of information on the cancellation policy and in advance payments
Difficulty booking extras on the rooms
Problems
The first method of conducting research for the project was by utilising, usability tests with many different users, to get a better understanding of their pain points, search behaviours and preferences when it comes to booking Accommodation Online.
Usability Tests
Some of the most commonly spotted patterns within the usability tests were:
The users put a huge emphasis on the imagery provided by the website of both the rooms and the hotels. Many users described how that is the most important factor when it comes to their decision on whether or not they would actually book the accommodation.
The flexibility of the rates were also a big factor of what the user was looking for on the webpage. The users highlighted on many occasions that the knowledge on whether or not they can pay in advance for the room and the cancellation policy played a big part in their decision.
As a way to better organise the data collected from the usability tests, I have used an affinity diagram. The purpose of implementing the diagram was to:
Organise the data collected: Given the large amount of data and information that is collected through conducting usability tests, the affinity diagram is helpful in breaking down the information into manageable groups and making it easier to analyze
Identify patterns and insights: The use of an affinity diagram aided me in forming connections between seemingly unrelated information, leading to deeper insights on the patterns and preferences of the user
Improves decision making: The data that was collected and organised in the affinity diagram helped me in visualising and organizing the ideal structure and flow for the user
Affinity Diagram
To help better understand the data that was collected, I have created a empathy map, to help better visualise the customer journey but also get a feel of the emotions that the user goes through during the booking process.
Empathy Map
Using an empathy has allowed me to better understand information like:
User Pain points: The empathy map helped me better understand the areas of frustration and challenges that the user might face during the booking process. Especially for this project, it became clear to me, how important the visibility of the room and its different ammenities was for the users, and the negative reaction that could be seen when this aspect was overlooked.
Emotional Drivers: The insight on how a user thinks and feels throughout every step of the booking process was a priority for the project. Making the emotions visible on the map helped me better understand the emotions that the user would be going through during the booking process, and in the end helped me design aspects of the site that reduce the negative feelings associated and boost positive ones.
I utilized a flow diagram to map out the user's journey from start to finish, ensuring a clear understanding of each step users take to achieve their goals.
By visualizing the entire process, I was able to better understand and plan out the ideal user flow. Allowing me to optimise and simplify the interactions that the user would go through on the site
This helped in making the user experience more intuitive, ensuring that the journey was as seamless as possible
User Flow
Some of the benefits of utilising sketches in the project were:
With the general structure and work flow now established, I began sketching out ideas on what each page would look like on the website. These sketches went through many iterations and the main purpose of sketching out each page was to get a simple idea of what I wanted each page to look like and to sketch out each interaction that would occur on the page.
Sketches
Exploring Multiple Layouts: Sketching enabled me to experiment with different layouts and structures, making it easier to iterate and find the most effective page design.
Identifying Issues Early: Sketching made it easier to spot usability issues or inconsistencies in the layout early on, saving time and effort during later stages of development.
Maintaining Focus on Content: Sketching ensured that the content hierarchy and user flow were clear before adding visual details, keeping the focus on usability and functionality first.
In the final part of the process of Designing and Prototyping, I took the concepts developed through research, sketching, and flow diagrams to create high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes.
This stage allowed me to bring the ideas to life with a focus on visual design, branding, and interactivity.
The prototypes provided a realistic representation of the user journey and interface and from the prototypes, it was possible to see how users would interact with the site, ensuring that the layout, navigation, and overall experience aligned with user needs.
Designing and Prototyping
During this project I gained a better insight on all of the challenges and pain points that a user might face when they are looking to book accommodation at a hotel or booking platform
By conducting research and analysis I was better able to understand how to address these issues and find solutions that integrate good user experience principles and optimise the user flow minimising the pain points for the user in the process.
Apart from conducting research and analysis, I have contributed greatly to the design library for the project, creating intuitive designs and creating assets that helped better understand the flow while maintaining an attractive user interface. In addition I ensured that all of the designs were consistent with the branding and personality of the business, ensure it told not only a story of convenience and adventure but also luxury.