Research
To kick off the research, I started with competitive benchmarking. I analysed existing hotel booking websites, noting the main pain points, established industry patterns and any possible improvements.
I conducted user testing of competitors booking platforms, where I created a testing script and interviewed participants, analysing their booking process. We conducted three tests from participants who had a range of needs when booking a hotel - one for work, one for leisure holidays, and one for visiting family abroad. I noted their behaviour, blockers and confidence using the platform.
Key findings
Succeeds when:
Summaries are clear before booking
Users feel the excitement and luxury of experience throughout the platform
Available options are disclosed immediately
Nearby attractions are available as an option
Accessible or specific needs are up-front rather than left till the end
Fails when:
User loses confidence if a room type is not intuitive and consistent with established patterns
Maps are difficult to find or location of hotel is not shown in context with the wider area and travel links.
Room options are not comparable at a glance
Extra costs are added only at the confirmation stage
Analysis
I synthesised my research and usability notes into an affinity diagram and customer journey map. This would help ground and keep the users in mind during the subsequent design stages. This allowed me to have a high level map of the Primary/Secondary User Goals, Pain Points and Mental Models, User Context and quotes.
User flow
To focus the ideation process, I defined a Problem Scenario and simple Persona who would be completing the booking process.
Booking a double room for two nights
Wants a five star stay
Near the train station
Requires pet friendly
Vegan option preferable
I then created a 'user flow' that would help structure the IA of the website.
Lo-fi design & wireframing
I went through rounds of iterations for the final screens in the booking process. I wanted to highlight the key user needs uncovered in my research;
Clear call to action on the landing page to begin the search
Clarity of location - the map would be viewed alongside the results. This would be interactive and relative to the search results to avoid confusion.
Filters were accommodating and inclusive, and clearly available
Room selection would be clear and follow industry patterns
Add ons were clear, not overwhelming and be easy to add or remove. The final price would reflect the add ons instantly.
Considerations
Digital Affordances
Calendars would stay open until all details have been added. This reduces friction when inputting vital information.
Smart defaults
Common options would be pre-selected, i.e. 1 room & 2 guests, to ensure a seamless process.
Linear Flow
Filtered options and selected dates only show available options, this simplifies decision making and prevents conflicting choices.
Design
With a wireframe in place, I started designing some components for the prototype library. These helped keep the prototype consistent and allow me to consider potential patterns at an early stage of the design process.
I created a prototype that followed the user journey. View the prototype here.
Annotations and handover
As a final deliverable, I produced a set of annotations and spec sheets for the flow and components. These notes detailed interactions, controls, feedback, and some early detail on states, fonts and colours. The next steps would be to user test the prototype, gather client feedback and iterate as needed. This project was a valuable insight into best practices and a dive into understanding user needs with thorough research.
