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Patio Hop
I designed this mobile app to connect travelers to the nearest outdoor spaces like patios or parks. I created an experience for friends to relax and build connections with each other, especially after a long day of sightseeing.
Tools
Figma
Miro
InVision
Timeline
Four Weeks
My Role
UX Designer
Solo Passion Project
The Problem
01
Pandemic Travel: Travelers in groups are more apt to look for outdoor spaces to gather in.
02
Finding Green Space: Search filters make it difficult to find patios and outdoor areas.
The Solution
An app to help you discover the nearest green space or patio where travelers or friends can connect and feel safe.
Research
Interviews
6
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Ages 26-40, friends and classmates due to time
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All expressed a desire for quality time to build intentional relationships
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Patios/outdoor spaces preferred due to Covid.
Surveys
64
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39% of respondents indicated outdoor space was above a neutral importance to them when getting together with friends.
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57% of respondents indicated they do look for space to regroup and go over plans when travelling in a group.
Key Takeaways
2
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People naturally connect with friends at the end of a travel day or trip.
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Travelers are more likely to look for outdoor places to gather since the pandemic.
Research Takeaways:
Once I collected all my data into an affinity map, I could easily see how important connection with friends was to my users, along with a desire to remain safe while traveling during a pandemic. This led them to look for outdoor spaces in a multitude of areas, such as places to stay, eat, or gather casually.
Wants quality intentional time with friends
Values quiet outdoor spaces
Loves relaxed genuine conversations with friends
Wants a communal space where they don't feel crowded
Implementations:
The insights gathered during this stage not only informed my user persona (that you will meet in the next section!), they inspired the idea of an add-on feature to build intentional connection with friends. An ice breaker game would be the perfect way to encourage genuine conversations, creating deeper memories.
Meet Jack Ingram
He is a 32 year old teacher who wants to develop a deeply supportive and vibrant community of friends.
His Needs: To explore the world and make intentional memories that will lead to a fulfilling life.
Frustrations: Missing his friend group gatherings due to quarantines, and getting too tired on trips to really enjoy himself.
After gathering my initial research insights, I compiled them into an empathy map that helped define what Jack would truly think and feel when travelling. He loves to travel, puts a big emphasis on intentional relationships, and wants to find safe spaces to connect.
Think
Feel
Do
Can we stop for a moment and bask in this view?
Makes time for intentional connection with friends
I need a break from all this walking
I need to touch base with my travel buddies about our plans for tomorrow
Deeply connected to relationships
Let's get together this weekend with the kiddos!
Looks for patios to eat and drink on
Say
Now that I had a defined user that I knew more about (i.e. what he felt, what he would do and say), it was time to explore what experience he wanted out of an app in my ideation section.
Define
Ideate
During this phase, I brainstormed ways to make Jack's dream of finding relaxed outdoor spaces to reconnect a reality. From that brainstorm session, I created a feature prioritization matrix for the ideas that would have the highest impact for him, and lowest complexity to develop.
Complexity
A great view
Being in Nature
We had a quiet space to unwind
We could connect in a deeper way & make better memories on this trip
I could find a bench or patio nearby to rest
A relaxed atmosphere
What if we found an overlook with great views?
We sit down to create a quick memory log?
Intentional community connection
Impact
From the feature prioritization matrix, I moved on to the user journey Jack would take, and creating a scenario based around one long day, a walking tour, and a desperate need for a break:
Now that I knew where and when Jack would need Patio Hop, I needed to think through how he would use it, in the form of a user flow. Jack would search for a space, check in on social, and connect with friends through a game. Since I wanted the app to be useful even when Jack was traveling alone, I added a journal prompt option as well.
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Value Proposition
My organization, Patio Hop, is developing an app that helps group travelers find open-air areas to make meaningful connections with friends while relaxing. We lead you to a great atmosphere in which you can connect with your friends, and give you ideas on how to do that when you are too tired to think of them yourself.
Sketching
I began with sketching in a whimsical style to capture the fun and joyful brand tone. I used verbiage like "New Friend" and "Old Friend" on the login screen to reinforce the friendly branding.
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Prototyping
During my first round of testing, I observed both delight and confusion over the "New Friend/Old Friend" verbiage. Several users said they liked the phrasing, but they weren't sure it meant log on or sign up. I iterated on this screen a few times to get to the following.
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Mid Fi Iterations
Added different icons based on the different type of location (i.e. plate for a restaurant patio)​
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Map needed an indicator of the user location​
Coaching screens to make onboarding easier
Worked with an illustrator to reinforce a friendly style
"There's nothing like unwinding on a patio with friends at the end of a long travel day. Enjoying a glass of wine outside and talking about our favorite parts of the day is where memories are made and true connection happens."
Jackie Throne
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Conclusion: Content Strategy
The research showed the necessity of writing clear content. Phrases like "New Friend/Old Friend" matched the friendly tone I wanted, but confused the users. The goal of the app was to give Jack a safe space to connect with friends, but if he had barriers to understanding he might never find them.
What's Next
I want to include local businesses and get them involved as advertisers or even hosts of outdoor events like block parties. I will also explore the possibility of group events, local guides, video options for the games to record memories, a virtual scrapbook, and many more ideas. Come along with me for the ride!