House of Travel - Activity Booking Tool Design
House of Travel is New Zealand’s largest Travel Agency.
Role in project: Solo UX Designer
Methods: Competitor/market research and user testing
Tools: Figma, Figjam, pen and paper
Project Overview
In this project, I was responsible for designing a new activity booking tool to replace an existing one used internally by travel consultants. The objective was to integrate a more intuitive, streamlined solution into an existing booking management platform, improving usability based on feedback from travel consultants who frequently navigate a busy, complex workflow.
My Role
As the sole UX Designer at House of Travel, I led the design efforts for this project, handling everything from research and stakeholder engagement to wireframing, concepting, prototyping and usability testing. I worked closely with cross-functional teams, including stakeholders, suppliers and developers, to ensure the new tool met both travel consultant and business needs.
Problem Statement
Travel consultants needed a new activity booking tool that would allow them to efficiently book activities for customers without challenges. The existing system required multiple steps to make a booking and there was frequent switching between systems, which affected overall productivity. Designing a new tool provided the opportunity to reassess and streamline existing workflows for greater simplicity.
Target Audience
The primary users of this tool were travel consultants. Travel consultants are typically busy, have demanding schedules, and need quick, easy access to a tool that integrates seamlessly into their existing systems and workflows. They often juggle multiple systems throughout the day and need a solution that minimises time spent on repetitive tasks.
Process
1. Initial Research & Discovery
The project began with gathering a deep understanding of the problem space. This involved:
Stakeholder Interviews: I had meetings with key stakeholders and suppliers to understand their needs, goals, and constraints. Why do we need this new tool?
Competitive and Market Analysis: I researched existing activity booking tools to gather insights into industry standards, identify potential areas for improvement and understand activity booking tool design patterns.
API Capability Research: I explored the API capabilities to ensure the new tool would integrate seamlessly with existing systems and meet user needs.
2. User Flows & Wireframing
To ensure the tool would be intuitive and efficient, I mapped out user flows based on feedback and observations from internal staff. These flows helped define the essential tasks users needed to complete and how best to guide them through the booking process.
User flows were matched with low-fidelity wireframes to visualise the layout and flow of the tool. These wireframes served as a foundation for discussion and feedback with stakeholders and for building the early-stage prototypes.
3. Prototyping & User Testing
I developed interactive prototypes in Figma to demonstrate the new tool's functionality. User testing was a key part of this stage, where I conducted usability tests with travel consultants to gather feedback and ensure the design met their needs.
During testing, we focused on understanding whether the new tool:
Reduced the time spent booking activities.
Improved navigation and reduced friction between workflows.
Provided a more intuitive user experience than the current system.
The feedback from users was overwhelmingly positive, with most users noting that the new design was much easier to use compared to the old tool. They particularly appreciated the streamlined process and the simplified interface.
Challenges
Despite the positive feedback and successful user testing, the project did not proceed as planned due to business decisions that led to a shift in priorities. While this was disappointing, I ensured that the designs and user testing feedback were documented and shared with other teams, providing valuable insights for future projects.
Outcome
Although the project was not implemented, the new design concept showed strong potential to improve internal workflows. The user testing results indicated that travel consultants would be able to complete bookings more efficiently, with a more intuitive and less time-consuming process. The feedback has been passed on to guide future product initiatives, and the insights gained will influence future designs.
Key Takeaways
User-Centered Design: By focusing on the needs and pain points of travel consultants, the design simplified their workflows and reduced cognitive load.
Iterative Testing: Although the project discontinued, the user feedback would have allowed us to refine the design and ensure that it would provide real value before development began.
Business Impact: Even though the project didn’t go ahead, the design process and user testing results have provided invaluable insights that will shape future products and initiatives.