Enhancing VisitSingapore application
Trippin' in minutes
Overview
Summary: Enhancing existing Live Singapore app with a customisable itinerary and in-app navigation.
Note: This is a personal side project and is not affiliated with Live Singapore.
My Role: From idea conceptualisation to fruition, I handled it single-handedly.
Method and Tools: User and Market Research, Persona and Scenario, Wireframing, Low-fidelity Prototyping, High-fidelity Prototyping, Sketch, Invision, User Testings
The Problem
Planning a trip itinerary is harder than it should be.
The joy of travelling is often marred by practical concerns. The chore of planning a robust itinerary to maximise the limited time abroad, navigating from point A to point B and many other issues take away from the travelling experience.
Existing Solution
The existing app, VisitSingapore, presents tourists with a pocket-friendly guide of all the various attractions in Singapore and comes with suggested themed itineraries.
However, I felt it could be further enhanced to propel user needs to the forefront, such as the ability to plan an itinerary and navigate on the app.
Features prioritisation matrix
Given the number of existing features on the VisitSingapore app, it is important to see how my proposed enhancement will fit into the product road map.
A customisable itinerary and in-app navigation is a 'good to have' with 'high impact' but I understand that it not an essential. Nonetheless, I feel this would make the app more competitive compared to other travel apps.
Aligning user and business goals
User Goal: Create an itinerary easily, and explore the country confidently
Business Goal: Increase the attractiveness of Singapore as a tourist destination
Impact: By meeting user goals, we can successfully grow the attractiveness of Singapore as a global destination, hence, meeting the business goal.
Objective
To make the process of creating a personalised itinerary more intuitive and efficient on VisitSingapore app
User Journey
User Research
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Travelers search via TripAdvisor (43.8%) and Travel Vlogs (62.3%)
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They compile searched travel information via WhatsApp (51.2%) and Google Docs (43%)
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Competitors’ services are too complicated and undelightful to use
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Trip-planning sites lack travel contents to choose from
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85% of people make use of travel apps while planning for a holiday trip
Ideation
Discovery: How might we encourage users to plan their itinerary on the app?
Management: How might we enable users to easily manage their itinerary?
Solution
Creating an end-to-end user experience.
This means designing for the moment user decides to create an itinerary to the moment the user has ended his/her vacation.
1. Creation of Itinerary:
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Provide users with helpful info in context and feedback after performing an action
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Easy access to relevant info
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Provide suggested itineraries
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Easy organization of itinerary
2. Use of Itinerary
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Well-integrated technology to enable in-app navigation
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Easy sharing of itinerary with fellow travellers
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Highly responsive interface, can edit itinerary on the go
Wireframing
The wireframe sketches made several directions clear:
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UI of new function has to be intuitive and follows the layout of existing travel planning tools to make it highly usable for first-time users which are majority of users
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New ‘itinerary’ function needs to be highly integrated — with navigation tools, and existing app offerings — to synergise
Beta Testing
I sent out beta version to 5 friends for feedback.
People loved the idea of a pocket-friendly itinerary and in-app navigation.
Actionable feedback:
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Categorise the activities based on their category - ie. F&B, Entertainment
Design Principles
1. Intuitive and Smart
The itinerary function of the app should straightforward and easy to use for first-time users. It should be responsive and enable travellers to make smart decisions with their itinerary.
ie. Create a 'best-fit' shortest route to go about the different attractions
2. Helpful
The function should provide useful and accessible information for tourists constantly to ease their experience of travelling in a foreign land.
ie. Navigation routing, provide information on nearby restaurants to check out.
Design System
While sketching for design solutions, I studied the existing VisitSingapore app design system to find existing patterns and UI components to ensure consistency and clarity. Where there were no pre-established patterns, I worked on new ones.
VisitSingapore 2.0
Guiding users to create itinerary
These screens can be used as a tutorial for first-time users.
Add New Activity Layout
Itinerary Builder
Given the robust data base of the 'Search' tab, I propose integrating the function into the itinerary. This builds upon its existing capabilities and allows it to be better utilised. With the listings already neatly segregated into different categories, data sorting is not required for this integration.
In the UI, below the 6 major categories, a list of popular locations are included to guide users along in building their itinerary.
'My Trip' tab functions as a full-fledged itinerary builder with a modular system that allows users to customise accordingly
Navigation Layout
The hardest part about travelling overseas is the navigation. To simplify the process of getting from Point A to Point B, I propose integrating Google Maps onto the app. In one tap, users get directions to their destination (as in gif) and can choose their mode of transport.
This would greatly improve the travelling experience.
Search Attraction Layout
When users are browsing attraction, enable them to add chosen locations and its nearby attractions to itinerary easily, instead of simply favouriting them previously.
This facilitates the creation of an efficient itinerary.
Bucketing attractions to reduce cognitive load
Rather than getting users to select each destination, we can facilitate their decision-making by proposing several themed itineraries that they can customise. This reduces the complexity of the app.
Select from recommended places of attraction
Review new itinerary, undo changes if needed
The snack bar assures users that their itinerary is safely stored
System Feedback
By providing suggested actions and system feedback along the way, this increases users' confidence and ease when using in the app.
Impact
Tourists can create an itinerary with guidance from the app.
I asked my friends again for a feedback:
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An app itinerary and in-app navigation is exactly what they needed. They feel like this will definitely increase their chances of using a travel app instead of relying on other informal methods
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They like the simplicity of the itinerary editing and they thought it’s really easy to use
Areas for Improvement
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More user research
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Live user testing
Due to limited resources, I wasn't able to conduct user interviews in person and witness users interacting with the mock-ups. This would provide better user insights and enhance the design of the app.
Learning Points
I learned that I love this. I love thinking and making my thoughts come to life. I love designing critically and every step of making apps from conception to completion.
