Duration
– 8 Weeks
Tools
– Figma
– Google Slide
– Google Doc
Team (PRYSM)
– Payal
– Yarzar
– Stefani
– Moses
Role
– Team Leader
– UX Researcher
– UI/UX Design
Making Lonely Planet relevant to Gen Z
Starting with the project brief, we received the task from our instructor/client to develop an app for Lonely Planet. The objective was to create a mobile application that would empower Gen-Z backpackers with a platform that gives correct and updated information, while making sure that the tool would is not sticky. We were asked to design a platform which could be used by them in the pre, during and post-travel phase.
The Solution: Thorn Tree 2.0
Thorn Tree 2.0 is a travel-related forum designed to assist GenZ in finding answers to travel-related questions and offers features like content highlighting, saving for offline reading, and AI-powered content summarization. Users can gain recognition and engage more through gamification elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards. A community platform that would help them before traveling, while on their trip and to reminisce once they are back.
"65% of Gen Z’ers feel more confident when using community apps over feed-based apps"
- By Impero Creative Agency, 2022
Identifying Opportunities – Ecosystem Analysis
To identify business opportunities within the UX study flow, we conducted an ecosystem analysis, examining the applications and websites Gen Z uses in the pre-travel, during-travel, and post-travel phases. This analysis revealed a significant opportunity to revive Thorn Tree, a part of Lonely Planet, by launching Thorn Tree 2.0. By integrating advanced features that cater to Gen Z’s preferences, Thorn Tree 2.0 can effectively attract, engage, and retain this demographic, enhancing their travel planning and experience.
What can we learn from our competitors?
To identify business opportunities within the UX study flow, we conducted an ecosystem analysis, examining the applications and websites Gen Z uses in the pre-travel, during-travel, and post-travel phases. This analysis revealed a significant opportunity to revive Thorn Tree, a part of Lonely Planet, by launching Thorn Tree 2.0. By integrating advanced features that cater to Gen Z’s preferences, Thorn Tree 2.0 can effectively attract, engage, and retain this demographic, enhancing their travel planning and experience.
Interviewing Gen Z backpackers
We conducted user research for these Gen Z backpackers to understand the pain points regarding our idea and concept.
32
18-25yrs
Interview Sessions
Age of Gen Z
Europe, Asia & Australia
Interviewed people from all over the world
We discovered, a large majority of travelers, around 70%, use recommendations from others before their trips, but 50% find it difficult to find reliable information on any platform. Nearly 92% depend on online research to choose destinations and accommodations.
Ask-for-help-Amy
“Before I try to solve it myself, I like to ask my friends, parents, and other travelers with more experience first.”
Pain Points
Feeling lost with too many options
Worries she’s missing out on the “best” stuff
Difficult to understand if the advice is good or bad
Workarounds
- Create a list of top priorities to filter advice that aligns with her interests and needs
- Remind herself that travel is personal; what works for others might not suit her
- Check multiple sources for consistency
Do-It-Yourself-Dan
“I can usually figure it out myself by carefully planning ahead and looking things up on social media and asking around in online forums”
Pain Points
- Difficulty in finding reliable or up-to-date information online
- Challenges with transportation, such as being overcharged by local drivers
- Trust issues with locals potentially exploiting tourists
Workarounds
- Utilizing a combination of verified online sources and local advice for information
- Using reputable transportation apps that offer fixed rates or sharing experiences in community groups for advice
- Building trust through community-based platforms with local insights
Whatever-She-Wants-Will
“Whatever my girlfriend decides is usually the best way to go for us, so I just let her take the lead. If she needs my help, I’m ready to engage though.”
Pain Points
- Limited knowledge on budget management leading to potential overspending
- Potential conflict during trip due to his passive attitude to planning
- Struggles when alone
Workarounds
- Copies the budgeting techniques from partner, though those might not align with his own
- When sufficiently pressured, he will start to make plans or suggestions
- Tends to not do much unless other people plan for him
Gen Z backpackers are our primary target group, but their persona varies in various ways of solving their problems. We developed three personas to reflect these styles: Ask-For-Help Amy, Do-It-Yourself Dan, and Whatever-She-Wants Will.
Ask-For-Help Amy is our primary persona because she is the one who prefers asking others who have experienced it before to solve her problem. This makes her the most likely to benefit from our app. Thorn Tree 2.0 is designed to help Amy get the correct and updated information on her travel plans, enhancing her travel experience.
How can Thorn Tree help Amy figure out how to rent a motorbike in Bangkok?
Getting Started
Amy is a new user, still we allow her to “Get started” without creating a new account.
The next page will take her to use her current location to suggest the solution to the problem based on her specific location.
Thread page and search on keywords
This is the main homepage of the app where Amy sees all the information related to Bangkok which is her current location.
In the next screen, we provide an option for Amy to Search for her specific problem and we also have an auto suggestion for the keywords typed in.
Search results and the topic page
Amy is a new user, still we allow her to “Get started” without creating a new account.
In the next screen Amy can filter her search to be more precise and choose only “Information” to get the right information for renting a motorbike.
Threads based on the topic and a detail thread
Now, the filtered page that she gets is more refined and the threads she gets to read are specific to the information she is looking for.
She can now read the details of any thread. She can see the number of likes, shares, and comments. But here, we don’t allow her to comment or like the thread until she creates an account with us.
Create an account and highlight comments to save
When she tries any of the interacting features of Thorn Tree she gets this Create an Account Page and she has to register here.
Amy now wants to highlight and save one comment on the thread. She can do that by selecting it and keeping it to the “Highlighted” page.
Saved content and create new thread or poll
This is the “Highlighted” page where she can access the saved information highlighted by her even in offline mode.
In the next screen, Amy creates a new thread here asking for the specific answers to her question. Here she also has an option to add TL;DR text.
Yay! Not only did we help Amy on her way, she now feels more confident doing things on her own.
Structure of the app
Thorn Tree 2.0 consists of a total of 19 screens. The overall structure is user-friendly, ensuring easy access to information for the backpackers.
Key Learnings
This UX project taught me how understanding users through research is crucial for creating a better experience, as it provides insights into their true needs.
Working in group with people coming from different culture and background helps in gaining more insight about any project that you are working on. I would be really thankful to my team for working with me in this project.
This model would however require more work to be done as it was developed by designers. We still need to look into it through the eyes of business and finance.
