Overview
Have you ever stayed in a stylish Airbnb and wanted to buy the same heavenly couch or cozy robe? Airbnb has noticed that many customers reach out to their hosts post-stay to inquire about the items in their homes and where they can purchase them. I created a feature that may be able to bridge that gap. This feature will allow customers to inquire about the items in their hosts' homes and where they can purchase them.
Airbnb is a global hospitality company that allows users to book short-term rentals for their stays. Many users have found items during their stay that they are interested in purchasing, but can't find them online.
To create a more personalized and memorable travel experience for guests by offering the option to purchase items in units, and potentially generate additional income for hosts.
Design a feature within the Airbnb interface that allows hosts to include where items in their unit can be purchased, allowing guests to purchase them on their own.
Process
For the design process I chose to use a simple and effective method. I decided to follow this design process to allow me to create decisions based on the user’s insights, motivations, and frustrations. Below is the visualization of the process.
Discovery
I conducted user interviews and surveys to determine what people thought about Airbnb. I interviewed 5 people and surveyed 15 people aged 18-50 to gain a better understanding of their thoughts and experiences. With that information, I was able to create user personas and problem statements.
My Assumptions:
Users don’t care enough for an added feature like this.
The feature has to work visually with Airbnb’s current style guide so everything is cohesive.
Items should be in sections and easily accessible to allow quick search for users.
User Interviews Revealed:
Most users enjoy booking Airbnb’s when traveling because it reminds them of their own home.
Some users have inquired about items in units with hosts during or after their stay.
Stays at Airbnb’s are much more cost effective than a hotel, especially for people traveling together.
Guests have taken pictures of items of interest to search for at a later time.
62%
Of users surveyed were females.
36%
Of users surveyed travel for work duties and obligations.
23% Of users surveyed have inquired about purchasing an item or SEVERAL items seen during thier stay at an Airbnb.
88%
Of users surveyed would be interested in purchasing items if a direct link was provided.
Survey Results:
29%
Of users surveyed were between the ages of 18 and 25.
57%
Of users surveyed usually travel alone when traveling.
43%
Of users surveyed preferred to stay in an Airbnb, rather than staying at a hotel.
43%
Of users rarely pay attention to items in thier Airbnb unit during thier stay.
DEFINITION
The definition phase of this project was used to define the problem by asking two questions: "What is the problem?" and "Why does it matter?". This allowed me to create user personas and problem statements to illustrate users' motivations, pain points, and goals. that can be carried throughout the design process and anticipate concrete solutions.
User Personas:
Problem Statement:
“As a frequent Airbnb guest I always find items while visiting units that I would love to purchase for my own home.”
Problem Statement:
“As a long time Airbnb host, I often get questioned from guests regarding the furniture and items in my units and where they can be purchased.”
DEVELOPMENT
I created user flows to visualize how users would navigate through the app. I then sketched out multiple iterations of screens for the tasks. Utilizing the UI requirements document as a guide, I created Low fidelity wire-frames that included all of these elements together in one cohesive format.
User Flows:
Low-Fidelity Sketches:
Low-Fidelity Screen mock-ups:
DESIGN
The design phase of this project involved creating prototypes and mock-ups to integrate the new feature with Airbnb's branding, assets, and existing language. The goal was to enhance the mobile experience for new and existing users while retaining a coherent design structure. The style guide was applied to mock-ups and prototypes to complete the design portion of the app.
Style Guide:
Final Screens:
USABILITY TESTING
After the design portion of this project, I had to test my designs by conducting a usability test. I tested 5 different users to determine if the new feature would work within the Airbnb app. The results showed that users were able to complete their tasks without any issues or confusion, and they had enough time on their hands. I also asked a few questions to understand how the user will felt while navigating through the app with the new feature implemented.
Questions asked during Usability Testing:
Did the experience of purchasing items in the unit enhance your overall experience with Airbnb?
Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for improving the feature to purchase items in Airbnb units?
Would you recommend the feature to purchase items in Airbnb units to others?
Takeaways from project
Adding a feature to sell items in Airbnb units has the potential to create new business opportunities and to foster a vibrant marketplace for unique items. With the right approach and attention to detail, Airbnb can help to make this feature a success for both hosts and guests. Hosts have an opportunity to create a new revenue stream, and guests have the opportunity to purchase unique items.