Duration: 4 weeks
Platform: Mobile
Design tool: Figma, Google
Institution: Maryland Institute College of Art - Prototyping (Spring 2025)
Role: UX Designer / Researcher / Prototyping Lead
Project Overview
I created a conceptual travel app. designed to simplify the process of discovering and booking travel experiences based on user personas, family needs and adventure preferences. Referencing Airbnb (no affiliation), I saw the opportunity to streamline search, enhance map-based navigation and improve trust in reviews.
Problem Statement
Many travelers—especially families and last-minute travelers—find existing travel platforms overwhelming and impersonal. Generic filters and rigid itineraries fail to address targeted filtering based on user personas resulting in poor user engagement and incomplete bookings.
Target Audience
Based on preliminary travel behavior surveys and heuristics, I developed two proto-personas:
Adventure Traveler Sophia
“As an adventure enthusiast, I want to find affordable places to stay in remote areas, so I can enjoy outdoor activities.”
User story: User arrives on the landing page, clicks “map view” for locations and prices, swipes through categories for off-the-grid/work remotely, then selects “start your search.” After specifying options, the user sees a screen with a map and prices.
Family Traveler Brian
“As a family traveler, I want to confidently find a suitable place for my family by reading reviews and recommendations, so I can plan a safe and enjoyable trip.”
User Story: User arrives on the landing page, selects "family friendly," and filters for specific attributes tailored for family travelers. They choose a location to read reviews and can sort and filter to show “reviews by parents.”
Design Exploration
Low-fidelity wireframes helped quickly test layout options with peers. I focused on clarity, intuitive icons, and grouping content by persona context while outlining Search, Filter, and Map functionalities.
Usability Testing and Findings
Using Google meet and direct walkthroughs, I tested 5 key tasks across 6 participants:
Finding a Remote Adventure Stay
Viewing Accommodations on a Map
Reading Reviews & Booking a Stay
Finding a Family-Friendly location/stay
Checking Nearby Activities & Bundled Bookings
Metrics focused on:
Task completion
Time on task
Click accuracy
Verbal feedback
Design System
To speed up iteration, I created a mini design system using:
Color-coded mood tags (inspired by cognitive psychology)
Soft-rounded UI cards for accessibility
Button and icon variants for responsiveness
Test and Iterate
Research Summary
Users struggled with map toggling & filtering
2 of 6 participants couldn’t find the reviews
4 of 6 users wanted bundled bookings.
90% found the mood filter easier than traditional genre filters
80% completed the task in under 20 seconds
70% preferred the trip card interaction over a calendar view
Feedback included:
“The color-coded moods felt intuitive—it’s how I decide what I want to do.”
“Finally, a travel app that isn’t rigid and overwhelming.”
Outcome & Reflection
Notable Design Decisions:
Prioritized map usability due to repeated user struggles
Refined category-based filtering for user relevance
Iterated review presentation for better trust and engagement
One Major Consideration that I believed was as important was the accessibility feature of having this UI felt in Dark mode
This project showcases how I:
Quickly ramped up on Figma's prototyping features
Designed, tested, and iterated under pressure
Applied human-centered design and behavioral principles
Built an interface that feels both modern and deeply usable
