Away
A mobile app where nature enthusiasts can reserve a jungle safari and a nature guide in the sanctuaries of India.
OVERVIEW
As part of the Interactive Media Practice program at the University of Westminster, we were tasked with ideating and innovating a compelling idea that translated into a mobile app.
The 1st part of the design process was identifying the business angle such as user needs, the value proposition, Demographic Research, Competitor Analysis, Projected Costs & Revenues, SWOT Analysis, Scalability, etc. The 2nd part was the UX design process that included identifying User Goals, User Interviews, building Personas, creating Empathy Maps, Customer Journey Maps, Information Architecture, Wireframes, the final GUI as well as the Brand Book. The 3rd and last part included building and coding it on Unity and C#.
THE CHALLENGE
With the cultural diversity that India has, how can we bring the booking process for jungle safaris, nature guides and a jungle-savvy vehicle to one single central booking platform?
PROBLEM 1: There is no way of reserving safaris that includes speaking directly to and reserving a guide, a driver and a jeep.
PROBLEM 2: There is no platform for users to talk about their experiences along with local information about washrooms, and parking.
Time: 5 weeks
Role: Research, strategy and execution (design and coding)
Tools: Adobe XD, Illustrator, Photoshop, Miro, Zoom, UserTesting, Adobe After Effects
DEMOGRAPHIC
The app’s target audience is those who enjoy adventure travel. This audience is 25 to 45 years who live in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India as well as international tourists, with an expendable income. They lead busy stressful lives and are keen to get out of cities ‘for a break’.
MARKET SEGMENTATON
A country that caters to every type of tourist, from history buffs to city lovers and nature enthusiasts, India is one of the leading tourist destinations in the world.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Users are able to book their safaris through several different routes, however, through each route, the guide and car is assigned to them. They have no say in the matter. Also, no other features are available such as maps, data analytics and a forum to get tips and tricks.
USER INTERVIEWS AND FINDINGS
Having been very familiar with jungle safaris and travel in India, I was able to speak to resort owners, nature enthusiasts as well as nature guides themselves. It was truly mindblowing to collect and collate user research and feedback. It reminded me of why I chose to get into UX Design in the first place.
CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP
I illustrated the customer journey map for the user based on the different goals.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
After exploring a variety of combinations, the app was divided into 5 sections: Explore, Feed, Your Trips, Inbox and Account.
USER FLOWS
Up until now, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make a few changes to the existing app design, or do a complete revamp. Taking into account all the information I had gathered, and realizing the true potential of the Lloyds bank, I decided to do a complete overhaul of the app, and leave no stone unturned. Mapping the basic flow of the app guided me to figure each step on the path the users will take throughout the solution. I first sketched it on paper and then digitally rendered it. Each user flow is based on the goal and its targeted agegroup.
Taking into account all the feedback based on the wireframes, I proceeded to build out the final GUIs.
REVENUE MODEL
With the free version of the app, certain features such as the ability to book safaris, information on parking and parking information will be available. Other features such as detailed maps, information on different zones, data analytics, routes with alcohol shops and bathrooms, a community and the offline feature will be available to use through the PRO version with a one-time membership fee of £0.40, which is Rs. 41/-. Another source of revenue for the app will be through paid advertisements from hotels and resorts, airlines, automobile companies, and retail stores such as Decathlon, Adidas and Timberland.
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