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Assisting Airbnb in refining their accommodation booking process and fostering user retention.

UX STRATEGY

UX RESEARCH

6 min read

PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS

Overview

To grasp UX research and methodologies, we were assigned to evaluate Airbnb from a user experience perspective. While Airbnb is a robust company in the global hospitality industry, the company faces challenges due to the absence of a user engagement and retention strategy, particularly evident in the lack of a loyalty program. Therefore, we conducted extensive research on Airbnb to find areas of improvement.

Problem

Airbnb faces challenges due to the absence of a user engagement and retention strategy. This problem hinders the platform from cultivating user loyalty and engagement, potentially prompting users to explore alternative options. Furthermore, we found the interface design was missing certain elements that decreased the satisfaction of users. Therefore, we asked ourselves:

How might we enhance user engagement and satisfaction with the implementation of a loyalty program, ensuring a seamless integration into Airbnb's user experience and catering to diverse user preferences.

Solution

To address these issues, our team conducted extensive research on Airbnb. We brainstormed 3 solutions:

  1. Implementing a rewards program: By implementing a rewards program, Airbnb can offer compelling rewards and incentives that retain users and encourage repeated usage of the platform.

  1. Improve documentation: By providing clear explanations and terminology, users will be able to find what they’re looking for with ease.

  1. Replace inoperable buttons: Correct broken buttons on the site. Otherwise, provide an error message for the user if the function to adjust preferences is not available for them.

DISCOVERY

Competitive Analysis

Initially, we performed a competitive analysis comparing Airbnb with Booking.com and Vrbo to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Airbnb. Our findings revealed that both Vrbo and Booking.com enjoy a competitive edge over other platforms, primarily attributed to their effective loyalty programs and overall user experience.

"Belong anywhere"

Accommodation booking platform that provides unique stays where users can book activities and also connect with locals.Global peer-to-peer vacation rental and lodging platform.

"Make it easier for anyone to travel the world"

Accommodation booking platform that provides hotels as well where users can also book cars and flights. Leading online travel agency specializing in hotel reservations.

“Where Families Travel Better Together”

Accommodation booking platform that is tailored more for users that seek larger and more private accommodations. Primarily focused on whole-home rentals.

Competitive Findings

Airbnb distinguishes itself through its diverse array of lodgings, offering distinctive and unconventional options that promote personalized and local experiences. Despite this, Airbnb lacks a competitive advantage due to the absence of a loyalty program, which could effectively engage users.In contrast, Booking.com provides a user-friendly booking process and a diverse selection of accommodations, making it appealing to a broad audience. Notably, Booking.com boasts the "Genius" loyalty program, offering discounts and perks to loyal customers, thereby enhancing user retention.Specializing in vacation rentals, particularly whole homes, and properties, Vrbo caters predominantly to families and groups. Furthermore, Vrbo introduces the "One Key" loyalty program, allowing members to join for free and earn and utilize OneKeyCash on bookings to access discounts and exclusive benefits.

DISCOVERY

User Interviews

We conducted 10 interviews during our usability testing. Our User goal was - To book accommodation for 3 days. During the testing stage, we had a 4 step guide that helped us work through the entire process effectively:


The key findings of user interviews are below👇

Discounts & Rewards - Users seek clear communication on how to earn and redeem points for valuable rewards, enhancing platform engagement.

Solid Communication - Users prefer customization communication preferences and limit excessive emails and other communications.

Little Investment - Users prefer little to no investment when it comes to signing up for a rewards program.

Lottery-based games - Users enjoy lottery-style games as a fun way to earn rewards through bookings and reviews.

DISCOVERY

User Persona

Based on the results of the interviews, we created a user persona that reflects the target Airbnb user. We wanted to understand our users goals, frustrations, motivations, and behaviours that would align with Airbnb's loyalty program.

DISCOVERY

Journey Map

After crafting our user persona, we created a journey map to find out the pain points of Airbnb and the expectations that users would have for a loyalty program.

USABILITY STUDY

Usability Study Steps

Although a journey map allowed us to put ourselves in the user’s shoes, we decided it was best to conduct a usability study to enhance our research insights and observe the user's experience in real time.  

We provided an introduction to the purpose of the interview and any necessary background information.

Introduce the interview and sign the consent form:

1

We provided an introduction to the purpose of the interview and any necessary background information.

Screener Questions:

2

We provided an introduction to the purpose of the interview and any necessary background information.

3

Usability Testing:

We provided an introduction to the purpose of the interview and any necessary background information.

Analyze Data:

4

USABILITY STUDY

Usability Study Findings

Following the usability study, we looked at the participant's behaviors and pain spots. Based on the investigation, we were able to derive the following conclusions, which are ranked according to the level of severity of the heuristics violated:

Heuristics Severity = 1-4 (1 = High) (4 = Least)

Excessive Information/Categories

HEURISTICS VIOLATED: Documentation Level 1

  • A large number of options made it challenging for the participant to decide on which type of accommodation to choose from, delaying their booking process.

  • Users struggle to prioritize and focus on essential elements, affecting the overall usability of the interface.

  • The excessive categories impacted the web-to-mobile transition of the platform as well, when on the go, it was challenging to keep scrolling looking for an exact listing on their mobile.

“Interfaces should not contain irrelevant information. Every extra unit of information in an interface competes with the relevant units of information.”

Inoperable buttons/navigation

HEURISTICS VIOLATED: Error Prevention Level 2

  • During the checkout process, there is an option to edit certain trip details such as guest number, room number, and date preferences. This is a shortcut for users who do not want to input that data earlier in the process, or if they have last-minute changes.

  • Despite this option being provided, it does not always work and adjusts the user’s preferences when interacted with.

  • This has resulted in inoperable buttons for some users during the booking process.


"Good error messages are important, but the best designs carefully prevent problems from occurring in the first place.”

Non-functional 3 day reservation

HEURISTICS VIOLATED: Visibility of System Status Level 3

  • Providing the option to choose a specific number of days is a rare feature, and participants were unsure about the outcome after clicking on it.
  • Selecting the “3-Day” option produced no outcomes which implies that this feature has no purpose.
  • Providing no feedback after clicking this option led to the participant feeling uncomfortable when proceeding further.

“Designs should keep users informed about what is going on, through appropriate timely feedback”

REFLECTIONS

Post Research Reflections

Takeaways

  • Focus on the real user problems

  • Understanding the user is just as important as testing designs

  • Always take notes, even when you're recording

Next Steps

  • Brainstorm/planning for a loyalty program

  • Start the design process

  • Create wireframes and prototypes

  • Conduct usability testing