BAYCATION APP
OVERVIEW
THE ASK
People in the Bay Area are really busy and planning trips can take up a lot of time, and some people don’t want to deal with the hassle of catching a flight.
There are lots of tour/experiences sites out there but it would be nice to have one that’s focused on this region just for weekend trips. A lot of people in the Bay are super busy and would love to see more of the region. The aim is to take the stress out of planning trips and cut the amount of time it takes to plan one.
OVERVIEW
Baycation is an app for weekend trips aimed at young working professionals (20s-30s) living in the Bay Area who want to explore more of the greater Bay Area/Northern California region (like Sonoma/Napa, Monterey, Tahoe etc.). Trips will be led by local guides (independent or from local tour companies). It’s also a great way to meet like minded people in your area. The groups would be small and tours will have a range of price points. The goal is to have something for everyone. Users have the option to go on a day trip or a two day trip.
THE FOCUS
I didn’t have time to develop an entire app in ten weeks, so I focused on two activities, selecting a trip/activity and then booking it.
STRATEGY
Started by interviewing stakeholders, used guerrilla style interviews, and then found a common activity and tested it.
You may also view the deck here.
PROCESS
PROCESS
FIVE KEY PHASES
Product Definition - sets the stage for the success of the project
Product Research - provides the other half of the foundation for a great project
Analysis - take a look at the data collected during the research phase
Design - happens once user expectations are clear, begin sketching
Validation - user testing begins with paper prototypes and then with the mid/high-fidelity prototypes
Outlining the SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
DESIGN BRIEF
WHAT I DID
To get things rolling, I created a design brief which outlined the scope of the project.
WHAT I LEARNED
By working with the client, I was able to figure out who the target audience was and the design goals for this product.
TOOLS USED
Google Docs
UNDERSTANDING THE TARGET CUSTOMER
USER PERSONA
WHAT I DID
I started with a porto-persona to create someone who would represent the target customer for Baycation.
WHAT I LEARNED
By conducting research, persona Naomi allowed me to understand the behavior patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, and background information, as well as the environment the target customer operates in.
TOOLS USED
Pencil and paper
Sketch
understanding the user experience
CUSTOMER JOURNEY
WHAT I DID
I created a journey map to visually represent an individual’s relationship with a product over time and across different channels.
WHAT I LEARNED
Journey mapping is a great way to understand the experience from the user’s perspective.
TOOLS USED
Sketch
mapping out product features
STORY MAP
WHAT I DID
Using Post-It notes, I conducted a simple story mapping session with a team to help define the user’s journey through the app.
WHAT I LEARNED
By participating in this exercise, I learned what product features would be the most valuable. It is also useful for visualizing the system roadmap.
TOOLS USED
Post-It Notes and pen
Miro
early testing
PAPER PROTOTYPE
WHAT I DID
From the user flow, I had enough information to start sketching out the design of the app.
WHAT I LEARNED
Doing this was a great way to get feedback very quickly and I feel like it put less pressure on the user and get really honest feedback since it’s a sketch.
TOOLS USED
Pen and paper
Marvel app - https://marvelapp.com/5ijga10/screen/66562353
taking the early design into the digital space
LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
WHAT I DID
Working on the paper prototype gave me the foundation to start working on digital wireframes, which demonstrated the elements on each screen.
WHAT I LEARNED
Like the paper prototype, it is easy to make changes and get really honest feedback from users.
TOOLS USED
Sketch
making the app look more realistic
MID FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
WHAT I DID
Once I got feedback on my low fidelity wireframes it was time to evolve it into a more finished product.
WHAT I LEARNED
By having a prototype that looked more finished, I was able to get a better sense of how users would interact with the product in real life. Also it was beneficial to test out specific UI components.
TOOLS USED
Sketch
realistic testing through interactive elements
CLICKABLE PROTOTYPE
WHAT I DID
The next step is to test it in a realistic fashion, and have users play around with the features.
WHAT I LEARNED
By having users interact with it I was immediately able to discover any issues with the flow of the app.
TOOLS USED
InVision https://viviancruickshank189088.invisionapp.com/overview/Baycation-ck7pei9j20ngf016wbkjfyybb/screens