Ottr

A mobile app allowing users to create pods for easy group travel and even expand their pod, or match with pods of any size to meet new fellow travelers. Users can customize their search for a tailored experience that guarantees the perfect match, or matches every time.

role

design lead

duration

sep - nov 2022

team

Pauline D.; Daniel J.; Danny L.; Vimala M.

tools

Google Drive, Figma, Zoom, Trello

overview

the context.

As the world began to open up again following COVID, many people are now acutely aware of their desire to travel. Now more than ever, young adults of various backgrounds are eager to explore the world. For adventurous travelers, forming new friendships with like-minded individuals on the go is a top priority. However, they often lack a place to connect with other explorers who share similar interests and identities.

How might we design an experience that allows travelers to meet others with similar likes and demographics, create unforgettable experiences, and form new friend groups to take on travel safely together? 

research

the current state.

As the design lead, I determined that the first step to take was a competitive analysis. My teammate analyzed some of the most popular platforms available for group travel among users today to gain a deeper understanding of current competitor solutions and gaps. Our analysis showed that few products focus on the intersection of affordability, convenience, and fun in group travel.

research

a kink in the plan.

To collect qualitative data, our team recruited mutual friends and fellow young adult travelers through Instagram, Reddit, and word of mouth. Vimala, Daniel, and I collaborated to create a 20-question survey. After gathering 105 responses, the survey provided valuable insights for the research phase.

Our team's user survey revealed that we needed to pivot directions. Our original goal was to help young travelers connect with other traveling groups to take advantage of wholesale, bundle prices. However, our research showed that young travelers of different identities valued connection far more than price. This led us to the pod ideation and a new and improved problem statement.

If I am traveling with new people, I prefer traveling with ...

82.1% (23) people preferred traveling with people who share the same interests, 78.6% (22) people preferred traveling with people around the same age, and 25% (7) people preferred traveling with someone of the same gender

I like to meet new people when I am traveling to a new place.

64.3% (23) people said they like to meet new people when traveling, whereas 35.7% (10) people did not like to meet new people when traveling

research

understanding the user.

Based on the survey results, my team and I conducted five user interviews with young adults aged 18-24. We each conducted one interview over Zoom, and I was responsible for creating the user interview guide. Here are some of the questions I asked to learn more about our users:

Can you describe your process for the most recent trip you planned?

What factors prevent you from traveling/traveling more often?

What about traveling with a group of people who have similar travel goals interests you?

ideation

our personas.

Sabrina

Sabrina is a newly hired full stack software developer. She graduated from university about a year ago and has been working for about 6 months now. After living in New York City for her entire life, she moved to Irvine, CA for work. For the first time since she moved, she had a free weekend and decided she wanted to explore other parts of California. The only thing holding her back from planning a trip is that she has no one to travel with since all her friends and family are across the country.

Henry

Henry is a first-year student at UC Berkeley. During summer and winter breaks, his family’s go-to activity is traveling together. However, because his parents and older sister work remotely during the weekdays, Henry is left with a lot of alone time in new and unfamiliar destinations he wants to explore. Henry hopes to take advantage of this time to tour the many places he visits with new friends, while his family is busy. He is especially interested in finding someone with local knowledge to introduce him to new eats, discreet spots, and novel experiences.

ideation

affinity mapping.

My teammate and I built this map using the most outstanding data from our interviews and surveys. With these inputs, we identified several categories that highlighted user pain points, needs, and actionable features. 

ideation

empathizing.

Our team utilized an empathy map to immerse ourselves in our users’ mindset. This chart was vital in helping me and my teammates externalize our research and prioritize the most fundamental features.

ideation

user flow.

My team and I created a user flow to map out the user journey, including the onboarding process, and the swiping and matching process shown below. In this step, it was essential we pinpoint the precise sequence of actions and carefully map out a logical flow given the complex nature of the matching system.

wireframe

bringing designs to life.

Using our user flow and research data, we began with paper sketches that were translated into medium-fidelity wireframes.

After garnering feedback and finalizing Ottr’s style guide, we brought our product to fruition with high-fidelity wireframes, starting with the home page/swiping and matching feature.

From medium to high-fidelity, we focused on design heuristics including consistency, contrast, and minimalistic design. These ideals are highlighted in the frames for Ottr’s messaging function, which features the unique ability to allow travelers to poll each other for quick, efficient decision-making.

visual design

Style guide.

Ottr’s style guide was centered around minimalism and unity as its core values. Using a calming and aesthetic ocean-themed palette along with a sleek and simple typeface, my team and I were able to capture the best of our product without taking away from its functionality.

prototype

making concepts into reality.

After the nine-week long competition, my team and I were honored to be named the 1st place winner amongst 10 competing teams!

find your pod

Allow users to create and match with groups of travelers for a tailored group travel experience with pods of any size.

leverage mutuals

Connect with your known mutuals and prioritize primary and secondary connections to enjoy a safer and smoother travel experience, reduce the risk of potential conflicts, and build a network of reliable travel partners for future adventures.

catered for travel

Utilize tools such as budget settings, activity preferences, and polls to foster a comfortable and compatible travel experience for all parties involved.

conclusion

what’s next?

If given the opportunity to revisit Ottr, I would prioritize:

  • Conducting more extensive usability testing on users to inform future iterations of design

  • Implementing deeper research into users through interviews, surveys, and heuristic evaluation to bolster design decisions

  • Improving upon UI design, including contrast, designing for inclusivity, and ensuring standardization across our product

conclusion

takeaways.

Diving head-first into my inaugural UX project was no easy feat, but I’m incredibly proud of myself for taking on this opportunity and excelling beyond my expectations. It was an exciting chance to put the months of knowledge I gathered burning the midnight oil to the test. My biggest takeaways from this experience:

Progress Over Perfection

For a raging perfectionist like myself. The time constraint of this project was actually a blessing, as it taught me to focus on function rather than dwelling on the details. I was reminded of the importance for designers to recenter their focus towards the big picture and pull away from the desire to nit-pick at every pixel.

Trust Your Research

On day one of week one, it felt like I had to climb Mount Everest. However, I channeled my energy and knowledge towards developing a robust and thorough research phase. This meant that in times of doubt while wireframing, I was able to trust that my research would lead the way. Suddenly, Mt. Everest felt more like a mole hill.

Project Management

Through this project, I learned the underratedness of management in design. As the project lead, I juggled spearheading the design process, teaching my team members Figma tools, assigning tasks weekly, as well as research, wireframing, and more. However, the extra hours spent on management were what allowed our team to ultimately edge out our competitors.

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