Joey Cabreros | Aventus

Aventus

A centralized solution for smarter vacation planning.

Overview

Aventus is a one-stop solution for users booking a stay.

This was a solo design project created as a concept rather than a real-world product.

Aventus aims to help users book their perfect stay, with the option to search by occasions, local events, and recommended nearby sights.

Tools Used

Figma FigJam Maze

Status

On-going

My Role

For this project, I was the lead designer.

The research was done by the research team, but I didn’t have any direct contact with them. My role involved analyzing and refining the research data to design an intuitive experience. I created sketches, wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity prototypes, and conducted usability tests.

Background

Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo let travelers find flexible stays during their trips.

Here are some of the options they offer:

Vacation Homes

Entire homes with multiple rooms and amenities, perfect for families and larger groups.

Apartments

An entire apartment or condo with one to a few rooms, perfect for solo travelers or small groups.

Rooms in Homes

Option to book a room inside of the host's home, often being the most affordable.

So what's the problem?

Trip planning often includes juggling multiple websites for things like accommodations, event tickets, and nearby sights.

Without a single platform to organize everything, travelers risk booking stays in bad locations, missing out on cool experiences, and the possibility of unwanted stress.

Platforms offer to search for experiences but don't show nearby accommodations or vice versa.

Map with search bar at the top showing "Where", "Date", and "Who"

The Goal

I set out to design a solution that let's you book a stay based on occasions, local events, and nearby attractions.

With these features included, hypothetically Aventus would:

Increase User Engagement

Aventus would encourage users to explore events and nearby attractions, giving users a better, more personalized stay.

Boost Booking Conversions

With a platform that offers options to search by occasions and local events, users are more likely to book with that platform because it provides them with more value.

Enhance Personalization

Since a lot of factors influence a user’s decision to book a stay, providing search options that align with those factors creates a smoother and more personalized experience.

Research

80% of users have to switch between multiple websites.

Here are some of the metrics gathered on their experiences during searches:

5.1/10 research experience

Users crossed referenced information between different websites, makig it hard for them to find the right place.

9/10 booking experience

Checkout scores are high, meaning the checkout experience is fairly easy, but this can always be improved.

100% influenced by activities

All users say that nearby events and activities play a crucial role in where they decide to book a stay.

Competitor Analysis

The research team looked at 3 major companies that currently do accommodation rentals.

Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia.

Airbnb

Airbnb scored a 9. They are a direct competitor with the most similar solution to Aventus.

Booking.com

Ranked around 6 as an indirect competitor, mainly focusing around hotels.

Expedia

Expedia scored an 8 and has a well designed experience with a strong loyalty program.

Airbnb

Airbnb scored a 9. They are a direct competitor with the most similar solution to Aventus.

Booking.com

Ranked around 6 as an indirect competitor, mainly focusing around hotels.

Booking.com

Ranked around 6 as an indirect competitor, mainly focusing around hotels.

Expedia

Expedia scored an 8 and has a well designed experience with a strong loyalty program.

Below is the spreadsheet created by the research team from the competitive analysis.

Personas

With the reasearch in hand, creating a persona would help me understand the needs and wants of our users.

Justin and Jasmine are newly married and want to plan a trip as a second honeymoon. Their stay needs to be special and exciting, while keeping in budget and finding activities that are fun and easy to get to.

Newly Married

Justin & Jasmine

26 years old

“We have to bounce between multiple websites to find the best stay for our anniversary and the whole process is overwhelming.”

Needs

A vacation within budget with activities near their rented stay.

Wants

A stay that’s culturally rich, convenient to activities, and appropriate for an anniversary.

Sketches & Wireframes

Wireframing and sketches helped me understand what components were needed and how to arrange them.

Two rounds of sketching and wireframing helped me set a clear direction for the layout.

Sketch concept of the search results page, with arrows pointing to search filters in the left panel

Screenshot of the featured "Perfect Getaway" category

high-fidelity mockups and final designs

I designed features that would help users plan their trips around special occasions and local events.

By putting in a search for occasions and options to create a more personalized stay, I aimed to create a more stress-free planning experience.

Two rows of carousel of listings for rental accommodations

A carousel for occasions on the landing page lets users explore and start their search.

By focusing on occasions, the carousel helps users identify the stays they want right from the start.

Screenshot of Aventus search results showing filter sidebar for occasions, amenities, and local events.

Keeping a persistent filter sidebar lets users customize their search when they want to.

Designed to stay visible through the search process, the sidebar helps users focus on finding the best stay for them.

Keeping a persistent filter sidebar lets users customize their search when they they want to.

Designed to stay visible through the search process, the sidebar helps users focus on finding the best stay for them.

Accommodation listing showing available events, must-try experiences nearby, and amenities.

Stay listings display events happening during their stay and recommends things to see and do nearby.

Showing events and experiences helps users make more informed booking decisions, adding more value to their stay.

feedback & Iterations

Usability testing showed that searching by occasion wasn't the main focus of the platform.

While users found the design intuitive and smooth, they shared that the occasion search should be more front and center. With this, I made a few changes to the design.

Replacing “How Many” with “Occasions” in the search bar made occasions one of the main search items.

This change helped emphasize the option to search by a special occasion. With the search bar on most pages, users can adjust their search at almost any point.

Adjusting the location for the Occasions carousel increased awareness of this search option.

By moving the Occasions carousel above the Hot Listings and enlarging the images, this feature became more prominent.

Challenges & Constraints

Designing solo required creative problem-solving, a lot of decision-making, and better management for all parts of the project.

I had to validate ideas, prioritize designs and changes, and had to manage the entire design process more efficiently.

Idea validation

Without a team to provide feedback, I had to rely on usability testing and research to make sure my designs were effective and user-focused.

Feedback

Utilizing outsourced testers, I had to set clear objectives to ensure the provided feedback was actionable and aligned with project goals.

Prioritization

As a one-man team, I had to balance analyzing research, prioritizing features and functionality, prototyping, and designing.

Key Takeaways

I know it's cliché, but putting myself in the users' shoes during a booking search really helped me design a better solution.

Trying to book a stay myself and reviewing how users interact with the product gave me with a better understanding of how to simplify the experience and make key features more accessible.

Standout Navigation Bar

With the website itself being mostly white, I opted to color the navigation bar darker, for better visibility. This tells the customer that the search bar is always there if they need to do a new search.

Persistent Sidebar

Searches for the right stay is already a big task, and making users do little tasks here and there to refine the search may overload them. With the persistent filter sidebar, it takes away one less task for the user to perform.

Carousel Placement

Occasions and events are meant to be key features, so placing them more intentionally on the landing page, gives these features more impact.

Next Steps

Next, I’ll focus on creating responsive designs for mobile and tablet while using the newsletter to boost host sign-ups.

Making the design responsive will improve the experience on mobile and tablet. The newsletter will also help spread the word and encourage more users to sign up as hosts.

Mobile & Tablet

A smooth experience on any device makes it easier for users to navigate and engage with the platform.

Newsletter

The newsletter is a great way to reach potential hosts, share the benefits, and encourage sign-ups.

Engagement

Clear messaging helps users understand value in hosting and can encourage more involvement.

MedConnect Project

Cognitive Alarm Mode