Intrepid Backpacker is a platform that will give travelers a unique way to connect with locals, make lifelong friends from all over the world, and have the opportunity for cultural exchange.
0.1
overview
team
INTREPID BACKPACKER, inspired by my passion for travel is a UX/UI project apart of Career Foundry's mobile-first approach to empower globetrotters to instantly connect with a local in any city, making backpacking easy and enriching.
objective
Individual
role
UX Designer/ Researcher, Information Architect, Interaction Designer, UI Designer.
April 2021 - January 2022
tools
Figma, Google Sheets, Usability Hub, OptimalSort, Zoom, Descript.
users objective
To independently design a product that will enable a user to connect with a LOCAL EXPERT in any country.
duration
Users can instantly chat with a local in any country, anytime, helping to avoid tourist traps and find unique experiences. Also, users can keep track of their finances, upcoming trips, and a place to store documents. It will be a one-stop shop solution.
challenge
As consumers become more aware of over-tourism and its environmental effects, people are now finding alternative ways to reduce its effects. Promoting ecotourism to minimize the effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and preserve the cultural integrity of the local people is the goal of INTREPID BACKPACKER. We aim to become a market leader in change within the tourism sector through technological innovation.
0.2
design strategy
executive intent
success factor
target audience
A platform that will get backpackers to connect with a local at their destination to share their best-kept secrets. Empowering communities through an income and showcasing hidden hotspots that otherwise someone could overlook. Collaboration with hostels, street vendors, and other avid backpacker blogs will help build a strong community of travelers and local relationships.
Locals , Backpackers, Age 18 - 40
cross channels
i0S Apple, Android, Desktop
technology disadvantages
Internet, Smartphone, Laptop
daily tasks
Login, new account, book/pay local
The opportunity is to create a unique experience for the user and locals, to take some of the unknowns that might hold someone back from backpacking through good advice while creating lasting friendships.
0.3
competitive analysis
I looked at other website applications available to travelers, to have a strong understanding of their marketing strategy and overall success. Navigating helped me understand current trends, challenges faced, and how I can enter to improve the application.
0.4
competitive graph
0.5
user interviews
qualitative data
I interviewed 6 people of different ages and asked them 10 questions about their travel habits. It allowed me to identify any pain points they might have, and any other insights they might have. Since it was open-ended, I gained a wealth of data that can help improve the experiences of an everyday backpacker.
quantitative data
A survey was conducted online to better understand how backpackers make decisions, where they get their inspiration from, how many apps they use, and if having some in one place would help them along the way. I gathered 16+ responses, here are some insights gained:
0.6
user persona
about
James quit his high streets graphic design job and packed everything up to go on an adventure of a lifetime. His goal is to fully immerse himself in foreign cultures and find a sense of peace, also to make lifelong connections. He loves going out, reading travel blogs, and going on hikes.
James
“I want to seek out new adventures”
“I want to see the world through a whole new set of eyes”
goals & needs
disconnect from his home life
make new friendships
climb new mountains
discover new cultures
everyday activities
connect with new people
discover new places
plan new trips
admin
finding new places
upload media
motivations
new connections
a full travel experience
take a life pause
travel the world
frustrations
unreliable wifi/expensive data
bad reviews
too many travel apps
getting lost
expensive taxi rides
0.7
empathy mapping
scenario
James left his high-stress job and decided to pack up everything and backpack his way through South East Asia. This will be James’s first backpacking trip. James wants the best ‘Local’ advice to find out where to go, and what to see, just like a local.
0.8
user journey
0.9
user flows
0.10
design systems
logo design
The logo is a simple design of an airplane departing, poignantly illustrating the brand's identity. It evokes a sense of adventure to a perspective user coupled with classic text with the brand's name.
colors
Throughout the application I’ve stuck with mainly white with touches of yellow for the logo or primary buttons, then some black with grey to highlight different areas throughout the app in a clean format.
0.11
wireframes
paper wireframes
high fidelity wireframes
Here are some of the final design screens I want to share with you showing some of my design solutions.
At INTREPID BACKPACKER we aim to keep things simple and easy. Users can easily find their upcoming trips, meet the locals based on where they’re travelling, and find out things that are happening on their trip.
0.12
retrospect
what went well?
The execution of the project went well. I had the right amount of participants who fit the demographic. All the interviews were done online and with people I've traveled with before. Having the sessions online gave me flexibility in who I could interview. I was able to record verbatim and when transcribing there wasn't anything missed.
what didn’t go well?
Time is always an issue and is something I'm still working on. With a project like this designing an app from an idea and research, I struggled to focus on the wireframes for mobile and desktop layouts.
Also, software became an issue; I used FIGMA throughout, I would have liked to have used other software for mockups or things that FIGMA is restricted by.
what could the next iteration look like?
Moving on there's always more that can be refined and as I continue to grow as a designer and refine my skills, I will be better able to build on this project.
I want to continue making changes to this project, adding new screens, and focusing on desktop designs. I also want to see myself using different software like PHOTOSHOP or SKETCH to not limit myself in the future.