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From Fear to Freedom
How Odyssey transforms the solo travel experience
Mobile/App
Interaction Design
UX Gamification
Academic Project
Project Context
Solo Design Project
Fall 2023- Spring 2024
HCI/d Capstone Project
My Role
UX Research
Concept Sketching, Wireframing, High-Fidelity Prototyping
Tools Used
Figma
Miro
Pen/Paper
Usability Testing
Visual Design
Documentation
tl;dr
Odyssey is a mobile app concept that transforms the fears and uncertainties of first-time solo travelers into confidence and excitement. My design solution leverages gamification to build user confidence and make solo adventures accessible and fun.
Key Features
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Personalized Onboarding
Customized Challenges
Rewards & Badges
Travel Community
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The Design Challenge
To help first-time solo travelers gradually gain confidence through their adventures and perceive solo travel as fun and rewarding.
The Process
let's dig a bit deeper...
Understanding the problem
"When the traveler goes alone, he gets acquainted with himself."
Imagine standing alone in a bustling city or at the edge of a serene landscape, feeling the world come alive through your senses.
This is where solo travel begins—a journey into the unknown, filled with self-discovery, growth, and the thrill of independence.
Yet, for many, like Emily, the thought of solo travel can be intimidating. The idea of being in your own company often feels lonely and daunting.
Sadly, many people like Emily miss out on the incredible experiences that solo travel offers due to their hesitations and fears.
phase 01
Research
Secondary Research
White Paper Research
Behavior Analysis
Primary Research
User Surveys
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
exploring the landscape
Insights from Secondary Research
Like Emily, I've always been hesitant about traveling solo, and I wanted to understand why people like us feel this way. To get a clearer picture, I started by looking into existing research and data on solo travel.
81%
of first-time solo travelers say that they are eager for another adventure within the next year.
It can feel daunting when you embark on something new for the first time. It's always the first solo trip that seems intimidating, but it ultimately builds the confidence for more exhilarating journeys.
The worst aspect of solo traveling was the lack of human conversations and not being able to share their experiences with others.
While personal growth and reflection were major motivations for solo trips, autonomy and checking off bucket list destinations also played significant roles.
Let's delve deeper into the psyche of a solo traveler through white paper research.
Solo travelers face unique challenges and have distinct preferences and thought processes. To create solutions tailored for solo travelers, I compared their behaviors with group travelers by analyzing findings from behavioral studies focused specifically on solo travel experiences.
For solo travelers, it's all about the journey, not the destination.
Solo travelers seek enriching experiences rather than just reaching a destination. They are more interested in the moments, encounters, and personal growth from the journey itself.
They are naturally reflective and value learning from every experience.
They value their freedom and prefer flexible itineraries.
They value community engagement to share their stories.
real voices, real journeys
User Interviews and Surveys
I had to validate my findings from the secondary research with real people. I interviewed 10 novice and 2 experienced solo travelers, along with a user survey. Not only did this confirm my findings, but it also gave me new insights that I hadn't expected.
It turns out many people have preconceived notions about solo travel.
7/10 users perceived solo travel to be less fun and satisfying.
"The misconception that solo travel is lonely puts me off. I worry I won’t enjoy it as much as traveling with others."
And here's what the experienced had to say
But there's more to their hesitations..
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8/10 of novice solo travelers cite lack of confidence as a major barrier.
"I'm not sure if I have the confidence to navigate a new place on my own. It's daunting to think about being by myself in a foreign country."
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"When I first considered solo travel, my lack of confidence was a huge barrier. I started with weekend trips close to home to build up my courage. Each successful trip boosted my confidence a little more. Gradually, I moved on to longer journeys and more distant destinations. Now, I can't imagine traveling any other way."
studying the market
Competitive Analysis
Assessing the strategies of indirect competitors to uncover unique design opportunities.
In a nutshell, most travel platforms prioritize social connections but fall short of providing personalized experiences.
phase 02
Define
Affinity Mapping
Empathy Mapping
How Might We's
bringing it all together
Affinity and Empathy Mapping
I categorized the various insights using an Affinity Map to synthesize my research data. I created an empathy map using interview data to understand users who are afraid to travel alone. This revealed key pain points and provided valuable insights into their experiences.
Solo Travel_Affinity Map
Empathy Map
Solo Travel_Affinity Map
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Main Challenges
Users see solo travel as less enjoyable than group travel
Biggest Fear: Lack of confidence to enjoy their own company.
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What users need
Users want to share their travel stories and moments with others.
A supportive community that recognizes their progress & achievements.
my biggest insight from research
Overcoming fears should be the result, not the focus. The goal is to help users gradually build confidence with each solo travel experience.
setting the goals
The Main Challenge
“How might we support and guide first-time solo travelers in confidently embarking on their first solo trip?”
phase 03
Ideation
Based on my research insights I used a mix of design methods to generate and prioritize intuitive solutions.
SCAMPER
MOSCOW ANALYSIS
TED TALKS
from sketches to tangible designs
Initial design concepts
After brainstorming a few concepts, I turned my sketches into lo-fi wireframes. Before moving forward, I wanted to understand how users felt about these ideas, so I did concept testing with 5 users. Their feedback gave me valuable insights and helped shape the direction of the project.
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from feedback to refinement
Incorporating feedback from concept testing
phase 04
Design, Evaluate, Repeat
I began validating my refined ideas with the mid-fi wireframes by testing them with real users.
This valuable input informed the final iteration, ensuring that Odyssey is user-friendly, intuitive, and effectively meets the needs of solo travelers.
EXPERT EVALUATION
TESTING WITH REAL USERS
refining the experience
Testing mid-fi wireframes with users
I conducted usability testing with 8 participants, identifying major usability issues. Each participant was guided through key tasks, while I monitored their interactions and feedback.
bringing the vision to life
Final design solutions
Solo travelers often have unique goals, like personal growth and stepping out of their comfort zone, which drive them to embark on and continue their solo journeys.
1. Users choose their solo trip goals during onboarding, and the challenges are then tailored to match, making the whole experience both fun and engaging.
personalized onboarding
2. 'Bucket List' is where users can add places they want to visit and check them off once they’ve been there. It helps build confidence by letting them see their progress and celebrate each milestone.
start your adventure and customize challenges
First-time solo travelers often feel overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do on their trip. Everything's new, there are endless options, and they’re not always confident in their abilities.
1. The Bucket List is placed prominently on the dashboard- by having it front and center, users are constantly reminded of their travel goals, which encourages regular engagement with the app.
2. By setting goals upfront, users feel more in control of their trip. This reduces anxiety and uncertainty, as they know that the app will guide them in a way that aligns with their aspirations.
3. Trip dates are entered right after you set your goals which ensures that the content delivered to the user is also contextually appropriate for their travel schedule.
share your progress and earn rewards
Solo travel can sometimes feel isolating without the usual human interactions. People usually want to share their experiences and moments with other solo travelers.
1. Novice travelers start with easier tasks that gradually become more engaging as they complete levels. I designed the tasks for each day to be displayed in a linear timeline, almost like a real itinerary, making it intuitive for users to follow.
2. If a user isn’t into a particular challenge, they can easily swap it for one from a different category, giving them more control over their experience.
3. Having a supportive community where you can share your growth and connect with other solo travelers on similar journeys fosters motivation and helps ease the sense of loneliness.
4. Users earn rewards and badges for completing challenges, which not only provide a sense of accomplishment but also boost their confidence in their abilities.
explore attractions and complete milestones
First-time solo travelers often doubt their ability to navigate experiences, which is a key reason they find solo travel less enjoyable and fulfilling.
1. I designed an Explore section for users to provide inspiration and suggest popular travel destinations that users might not have considered.
2. The visual badges and milestone titles make the experience more rewarding, providing users with a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue their journey.
what experts had to say
Feedback from experienced solo travelers
I presented my project at the Capstone Fair at Indiana University to a crowd of 200-300 people. Some experienced solo travelers were interested and gave some great feedback, which helped validate my design.
“The way the challenges are personalized based on experience level is clever. As a seasoned traveler, I liked that the app didn’t just give me basic tasks, but more engaging challenges that made me reflect on my trip and try new things...”
“I love how the goals and tasks fit together—it really makes the whole experience feel purposeful....”
“The bucket list is a great touch. It’s satisfying to add destinations and check them off.....”
the road ahead
Potential industry impact & future growth
If this project were shipped in the real world, here are some potential impacts and future scope:
Users can redeem points for discounts on travel-related services, boosting engagement through partnerships with airlines and travel brands.
The app’s gamification could drive a 20% increase in off-season tourism by offering rewards for visiting less crowded destinations.
looking back
Key takeaways and reflections
1. Balancing Motivation with Simplicity: One of my biggest takeaways was finding the right balance between motivating users with challenges and not overwhelming them with too much complexity. I learned that breaking tasks into small, manageable steps keeps users engaged and also boosts their confidence, making the overall experience less daunting.
2. Designing for Emotional States is Crucial: I learned the importance of designing not just for actions, but for users' emotional states. Features like progress tracking and community engagement were intentionally included to address feelings of loneliness, making the experience more supportive and relatable.
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