User Research, UI Design, User Experience (UX) Design
Tomi Akinade, Balqees Al Mahruqi, Mallak Al Raqdi, Yasiris Gomez
Irene Pereyra from Anton & Irene
6 weeks
We aim to revolutionize outdated guidebooks by transforming them into dynamic digital companion apps. This will empower young travelers (Gen Z) with the confidence to embark on independent or group adventures abroad.
According to a study made by the Student Universe in 2023, they found that a remarkable 76% of Gen Z named financial cost as their greatest travel concern. And that's the reason why 2 in 3 Gen Z look for the cheapest option when traveling and nearly half of them expect to get financial help from their parents.
Our ecosystem analysis delves into how Gen Z travelers engage with digital tools across all phases of their journey—pre-travel, during-travel, and post-travel.
This analysis revealed that competitors focus largely on group planning and budgeting tools, whereas Lonely Planet relies mostly on static recommendations. This gap signals an opportunity for Lonely Planet to create dynamic features that allow Gen Z to manage group finances, share experiences, and navigate their trips while staying on budget.
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Intuit Mint manages personal finances with budgeting and expense tracking.
Settle Up splits expenses within groups and tracks payments.
SplitWise tracks and splits shared expenses among groups.
Tricount divides and manages group expenses for trips or events.
Evaluation Criteria
Intuit Mint
Settle Up
SplitWise
Tricount
PlanIt
Budget-friendly AI recommendations
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Plan travel budget in groups
Know who spends more in your group
Simplicity & efficiency
Splitting expenses
Our strategy involved conducting 30 online interviews through Zoom Meetings with young adults aged 18 to 24 across diverse regions, including the US, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The Overspending Olivia (Main Persona)
"I tend to exceed my budget and use my credit card as a backup."
Olivia often overspends and borrows money while traveling. She needs a tool to track her spending and see where she spends the most.
Taylor The Curious Explorer
"I don't know how much money I should bring for certain places and days."
Taylor lacks budgeting skills and has the potential to overspend. He wants to understand budgeting and checks travel forums and blogs for budgeting tips.
Cost Cautious August
"Planning in groups is hard as everyone has different interests and it can be expensive."
August wants to create unforgettable memories with his friends but struggles to prevent overspending. He needs a tool to track spending and determine who is spending the most.
Budgeting for groups vs individuals. Traveling with friends comes with unique financial hurdles compared to solo trips.
Sticking to the plan. Many travelers struggle to stay on budget throughout their trip, facing temptation and unforeseen expenses.
Budgeting knowledge gap. Travelers often lack the necessary financial literacy to create and manage effective travel budgets.
When Olivia launches the app, PlanIt greets her with two options: one if she has a destination in mind, and one if she needs help planning her group travel budget.
Then she chooses the second option, as she is prone to overspending, Olivia is determined to plan a budget-conscious group vacation.
Olivia initiated a conversation with PlanIt Buddy, expressing her desire for a two-week group adventure trip for four people. Considering her income and other financial commitments, she set a budget of $1,000.
PlanIt Buddy then inquired about their preferred destination type: adventure, beach, or mountains. Olivia, on behalf of her group, chose an adventure experience.
Based on all this information, PlanIt Buddy streamlined Olivia's options to destinations like Bali, Thailand, and Mexico, considering her preferences for adventure and budget.
To explore more possibilities, Olivia requested additional suggestions from PlanIt Buddy. After careful consideration, Olivia and her friends opted for a destination in the Maldives.
Olivia and her friends then selected a budget-friendly option that perfectly aligned with their financial plan.
To prevent overspending, PlanIt Buddy helps the group establish daily spending limits integrated with their overall budget, offering real-time guidance throughout their trip. It also facilitates dividing the total budget among group members, specifying each person's financial commitment.
PlanIt Buddy continues to be a valuable companion throughout the trip. It allows Olivia and her group to easily track expenses through a categorized system, enabling them to add new costs and identify the biggest spender within the group at any given time.
PlanIt Buddy sends remiders when Olivia or any group member nears or exceeds their spending limits. This empowers everyone to manage their finances responsibly throughout the trip.
As returning users, Olivia and her group can easily create a new travel plan if they know where to go or they can always ask Planit Buddy for recommendations according to their budget needs.
The next phase would be to refine the app based on user feedback, further develop features, and work with developers to bring PlanIt to market.
This project was a significant learning experience, enhancing my skills in leadership, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. It reinforced the importance of user-centered design and the value of inclusivity in product development.
As a Deaf and HoH Product Designer, I bring a unique perspective to every project. My expertise in industrial design, research, branding, and UX allows me to create products that are not only functional but also inclusive and accessible. Let's build a better world together.
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