Localize is a mobile app designed to connect US travelers with locals for authentic, personalized travel experiences. This app tackles language barriers and unfamiliarity, enhancing safety and cultural immersion during travel abroad.
Research Design Prototyping Testing
Many Americans are deterred from traveling abroad due to language barriers and a lack of knowledge about navigating unfamiliar locations. This results in missed opportunities for personal growth, cultural exchange, and economic stimulation for the travel industry.
My Claim:
US Travelers expressed frustrations while traveling abroad due to language barriers such as: getting lost, not being able to order food and even feeling safe abroad.
-ThePointsGuy
Fact Check:
In my role as the UX/UI Designer for the Localize app, I spent eight weeks developing it specifically for iOS mobile devices. Throughout this period, I utilized a range of tools including Pen & Paper for initial sketches, Google Workspace for collaboration, Figma and Illustrator for design and prototyping, and Otter.ai to assist with transcribing user interviews.
Here's a quick walkthrough of the app before I dive into my process. This takes the user through the journey of adding a tour to an existing trip using the app.
Challenge
The main challenge was addressing the language barriers and unfamiliarity that deter US travelers from fully enjoying international travels, which hampers cultural exchange and personal growth.
Objective
To develop a mobile app that provides an intuitive platform for US travelers to connect with locals, making travel safer, more enjoyable, and culturally immersive.
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They struggle with language barriers
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Find translation apps unreliable
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Seek experiences beyond typical tourist activities
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Feel unsafe abroad
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Are deterred by language challenges
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Easily get lost
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Prefer solo travel to deeply explore new cultures.
From initial research, I formed these assumptions about US travelers:
Given this information, it begs the question:
How might we leverage technology to connect travelers with knowledgeable locals who can provide personalized recommendations and insider tips for exploring a new destination, enhancing the overall travel experience?
Invite-only interviewee requirements:
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Travels internationally at least twice a year
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US adult between 24-49 years of age
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Not travel to the same place each time
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Traveled to places beyond their native country
To validate my initial assumptions about US travelers, I conducted interviews with five of them, using 20 targeted questions to deeply explore their experiences and challenges in unfamiliar cultural and linguistic settings.
Let's 're-beg' the question:
How might we leverage technology to connect travelers with knowledgeable locals who can provide personalized recommendations and insider tips for exploring a new destination, enhancing the overall travel experience?
Research Design Prototyping Testing
75% of Americans consider visiting new places important in their future travel plans.
34% of US travelers find "authentic local experiences" more important now than pre-pandemic.
30% of US travelers want to pack in more activities into their holiday travel plans.
41% of US travelers prioritize visiting new destinations over past trips
The Key Theme was 'Interaction with Locals'. From the interviews, I found out that having a local helps make the trip a better experience.
Utilizing Affinity Mapping, I analyzed feedback from five travelers, revealing their challenges and desires when interacting with foreign cultures. This approach highlighted five crucial themes: Interaction with Locals, Cultural Exploration, Connecting with Other Travelers, Language Importance, and Navigability. The standout theme, Interaction with Locals, demonstrated that meaningful local engagement significantly enhances travel experiences, influencing everything from app functionality to user engagement strategies.
Based on the feedback gathered from interviews with US travelers, I synthesized common themes and insights to develop a persona, Stef Walters. This persona embodies the typical needs, preferences, and challenges of the US traveler, serving as a crucial reference for refining our app's design to enhance their overall travel experience.
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Participant Interviews
Based on identified themes, I developed an experience map for Stef, capturing her emotional and practical journey as she planned a trip abroad focused on deep cultural immersion. This map reflects her experiences from initial booking to real-time interactions, highlighting moments of excitement, confusion, and discovery.
For many travelers, understanding and navigating cultural differences and language barriers are daunting.
Many participants noted that translation apps often fell short in effectively handling real-life, stressful situations.
I utilized Affinity Mapping to pinpoint common motivations, pain points, and behaviors among five travelers, focusing on their challenges with language barriers while exploring different cultures. This led to the identification and categorization of key themes and insights from the data.
I was able to extract five different themes from the data I received from the interviews:
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Interaction with Locals
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Cultural Exploration
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Connecting with Other Travelers
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Knowing the Language is Important
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Navigability is Key
Research Design Prototyping Testing
Here we are, back at the beginning, now with a deeper understanding of the motivations and processes behind the creation of this app.
In the second round of testing, I identified only a few design issues. However, the main concerns centered on the small size of filter options and the Tours list on the Guide Profile page.
In the second round of testing, I identified only a few design issues. However, the main concerns centered on the small size of filter options and the Tours list on the Guide Profile page.
I decided to do all of these changes since they coincided with one another and also seemed pretty easy. The pictures were still an issue, so I chose better pictures.
To attract and engage potential users, I developed a dedicated marketing website for the Localize app. This site serves as a central platform to showcase the app's features, user benefits, and testimonials, effectively communicating its value and encouraging downloads.
Given that Stef uses her laptop to search for and book trips, I wanted to include a desktop website to better fit her needs whenever she's not on-the-go. Here's a mockup of the desktop version of the localize app:
Lessons Learned
Formulating solid interview questions is essential for gathering useful data. Taking breaks and disconnecting can rejuvenate creativity and focus. Feedback is crucial to the success of any project, providing necessary insights for improvement. It's important not to suffer in silence; sharing struggles can lead to support and solutions.
Next Steps
Ensure a smooth handoff to developers by providing comprehensive documentation and design specifications. Focus on designing for Android devices by adhering to Android design principles and guidelines. Conduct thorough research and design the Guide side of the app to enhance usability and ensure it meets user needs effectively.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to explore my case study on Localize. This project holds a special place in my heart, mirroring my own experiences and challenges with cultural barriers while traveling. It has been a profound journey of discovery and improvement, not just for the application but also personally. I am grateful for your interest and hope this study offers you valuable insights into the impact of effective communication in enhancing travel experiences.
Here are my final high-fidelity designs, which include detailed visual elements and a user-friendly interface. These designs are the result of extensive feedback and testing, aimed at ensuring a smooth and engaging experience for the user. They are crafted to be visually appealing and functionally robust, ready for the next steps toward deployment.
I initially set up a task flow for the app, but something felt off—perhaps it was too simplistic, which caused a sense of disconnection between Stef and the app. This prompted me to reconsider the complexity and engagement level of the design to better meet Stef's needs.
I reevaluated the initial task flow, integrating several user stories to better align with Stef's needs. This revised task flow guides Stef through locating her current booking, adding a tour, selecting a guide, and completing payments using Apple Pay, her preferred method. This adjustment improved the integration with Stef's experience map, making the app more intuitive and aligned with her typical usage patterns.
After finalizing my prototype, I conducted two rounds of usability tests with participants who met the criteria. Each participant performed five specific tasks, and I closely monitored their interactions to identify any uncertainties or difficulties.
In the initial round, I found a few design issues that needed attention. Participants had difficulty with filtering, legibility of images and carousels, and finding the guide due to unimplemented filter chips.
Research Design Prototyping Testing
Prioritization Matrix
Through these observations, I made a list of possible changes that would make the user flow more cohesive and eliminate some of the areas where participants struggled. I also took some suggestions into account and added them to the prioritization matrix.
These will be grouped into four categories on the Prioritization Matrix:
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High Effort; High User Value - Maybe
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High Effort; Low User Value - No
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Low Effort; High User Value - Yes
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Low Effort; Low User Value - Maybe
In developing the task flow, I drew inspiration from established apps like Airbnb, TripAdvisor, and Kayak. I integrated features, icons, and animations that users like Stef are accustomed to, ensuring my app's interface feels familiar and easy to navigate.
