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Gen-Z struggles to fully enjoy moments. After a trip ends, they're prone to keep fixating on the negatives and forget about the good times.
Creating a platform called Airbnb Local, which allows users to engage in the best activities by locals, sparking memories they'll cherish long after a trip ends.
A globally trusted platform, Airbnb promotes unforgettable moments through community and cultural exchanges.
Their core service allows hosts to cater to travelers with various preferences and budgets.
Their magazine showcases travel stories, tips, and experiences from the Airbnb community.
Using Airbnb's existing branding and products, we decided to add a feature that capitalizes on Gen-Z's online connectivity to deliver meaningful IRL (in real life) experiences through Airbnb.
We used various research methods to gain insights which helped shape our solution.
We conducted in-depth research with methods such as competitor's analysis, empathy interviews, affinity mapping, persona creation, and journey mapping.
Interviews with real Airbnb users gave insight on how travelers think before, during, and after a trip, as well as how they use the digital world to influence travel decisions.
Users find social media to inspire but not sway them to make choices.
Authentic moments IRL cause the best reactions.
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After collecting insightful data from our interviewees, it was organized into multiple categories so that we could see visual trends.
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Our Gen-Z personas all have different reasons for traveling: Connecting with friends, seeing the world, and meeting new people.
Our personas went through some travel challenges, and we used these as opportunities.
Our discovery phase brought to light some frequent questions within the sphere of travel as Gen-Z. Next, we ideate to answer them.
It's difficult to cherish experiences when there are so many things to worry about.
Social media can be a key way Gen-Z connects, but it also can get out of touch with reality.
It's easy to get caught up in the details. Especially if it's directly in your face.
Through brainstorming, we worked to create two main features that will help our Gen-Z audience.
While sticking to Airbnb's design standards, we added our own flair through use of handwritten text, illustrations, and personal photography.
Inspired by the creative charm of scrapbook aesthetics, Airbnb Local adopted a design direction tailored to Gen-Z through the use of vibrant colors, playful illustrations, stamps, and stickers.
While on a trip, get notified of spontaneous events put on by locals within your area.
Create your own digital scrapbook to share within the Airbnb app and on social media.
From this project, I learned about how much Gen-Z can be impacted by the superficial quality of online connectedness. When receiving feedback from classmates after presenting the concept, they said that our feature would help them to connect with others in a realistic way (digitally), while keeping that human touch alive and well.
I would add more depth to the features, as they are not full UI designs but more conceptual.
