Class Project, Branding, App, Prototyping, User Experience, User Research
JOURNEASE
JournEase is a travel app that makes planning trips and vacations easier utilizing AI to generate personalized itineraries. I designed this app alongside my partner for this in-class project, taking part in every aspect of it.
1. Overview
The objective of this class project is to fully design and prototype an innovative app. My partner and I were given the creative freedom to develop the concept, with the specific requirement that the app must be futuristic or fantastical in nature, while addressing an everyday problem that has been largely overlooked.
This project challenges us to think beyond conventional solutions and explore how emerging technologies or imaginative concepts can be applied to solve persistent, yet often ignored, issues in daily life.
2. Brainstorming
CONCEPT
My partner and I developed an app concept that utilizes AI to automatically generate a personalized trip itinerary. Through our research, which included surveys and interviews, we identified that many people find the process of planning a trip to be tedious and overwhelming. The need to keep multiple tabs open, conduct extensive research, and customize a trip to individual preferences can make trip planning a daunting task—one that must be repeated for each new journey.
The challenge intensifies when planning for a group, as differing preferences, budgets, and goals make it difficult to finalize an itinerary that satisfies everyone. Our findings suggest that the complexity of the planning process often discourages people from traveling altogether. Our app aims to alleviate these frustrations by simplifying and streamlining the entire trip-planning experience.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
To effectively organize and visualize the structure of our app, we created a comprehensive information architecture (IA) graph. This graph serves as a blueprint, detailing the hierarchical relationships between the various components and features of the app. By creating this graph, we were able to refine the app's navigation structure, optimize the user journey, and ensure that the app's design is both user-friendly and efficient.
USER FLOW
To clearly define the user's journey through our app, we developed a detailed user flow graph. It allows us to visualize the decision points and possible pathways a user could take, ensuring that the app provides a seamless and intuitive experience.
By carefully designing and analyzing this graph, we were able to optimize the app's interface, reduce friction in the user journey, and ensure that each step logically progresses to the next, ultimately leading to a smooth and satisfying user experience.
3. App Design
DESIGN SYSTEM
HOME
Based on valuable feedback from our professor, we decided to incorporate a social media element into our app and redesign the home page to function as a user feed. This feed allows users to view posts from friends and people they follow, creating a more engaging and interactive experience.
The posts not only enable users to share photos from their trips but also allow them to attach their AI-generated itineraries. These itineraries can be saved by other users and rated, adding a community-driven aspect to the app. This feature enhances the app's functionality by encouraging users to share and discover new travel experiences, while also providing a platform for feedback and improvement. By integrating this social component, we aim to foster a vibrant user community that elevates the overall travel planning experience.
The search page in our app is designed to provide users with a versatile and powerful tool for discovering travel experiences tailored to their interests. Users can search for specific travel scenarios or use keywords such as location names or desired activities to find relevant content.
In addition to searching for destinations and activities, users can also search for other users and access AI-generated itineraries shared within the community. This feature allows users to explore and draw inspiration from the travel plans of others.
CREATE
The create page in our app is designed to enable users to input detailed information about their trip, such as the destination, travel dates, budget, number of travelers, food preferences, travel preferences, and must-visit spots. This input allows the AI to generate a personalized itinerary that is perfectly tailored to the user's specific circumstances.
To enhance convenience, the app saves the user's preferences, automatically filling them in for future itinerary creations. However, users always have the flexibility to make adjustments as needed. Additionally, users can add friends who are already on the app or simply indicate the number of travelers for those who do not have an account. The AI will consider the profiles and preferences of the other participants, accommodating their needs as long as they have an account on the app.
MESSAGES
The messaging feature in our app is designed to facilitate seamless communication between friends as they plan their trips. Through this feature, users can discuss trip details, coordinate plans, and share ideas in real-time.
In addition to standard messaging, the app allows users to send each other specific attractions, locations, and even other user profiles. This functionality enables friends to easily share what they are excited to do on their trip, fostering collaboration and enthusiasm.
PROFILE
The profile page in our app serves as a central hub where users can easily access all of their saved itineraries, attractions, locations, friends, and followers. It is designed to keep everything organized and within reach.
One of the key features of the profile page is the ability to pin a specific trip to your profile. When a trip is pinned, the app will actively track your progress and generate a personalized to-do list, along with notifications to help you prepare for your journey. Additionally, the app will provide reminders and alerts for tasks that need to be completed during the trip, ensuring that users stay on top of their plans and maximize their travel experience.