Role: Product designer | Date: Jan - Nov 2019
The Challenge
There were two distinct versions of the Items Page: one featuring curated content and the other displaying content sourced through the Expedia API.
My challenge was to differentiate between the two without implying a preference. While the curated content was personally reviewed by our team, this didn’t mean the API-sourced content was of lesser quality.
Before diving into the design, I conducted thorough research to explore how competitors approached similar scenarios. This helped us determine the appropriate amount of information to include and guided our approach to creating a balanced and unbiased presentation.
Research
Benchmarking played a crucial role in helping me identify the essential sections for the page and define the information we had available.
We conducted research focusing primarily on ratings and the information hierarchy of the page, as well as content testing. To evaluate the effectiveness of both content types, we A/B tested a curated selection of hotels versus those sourced from Expedia.
After gathering the results, we analyzed the data to determine the optimal placement for each section. I used UsabilityHub to conduct a study with 25 participants, where they selected their preferred options. In the first phase of the study, we asked questions without presenting any designs to gauge initial impressions.
Designs
Once the designs were refined, they were presented to the tech team to align on the next steps.
We decided to add the Trip Advisor rating next to the hotel name for clearer visibility. Rather than explicitly differentiating between curated and non-curated content, we opted to display varying levels of information for each.
To ensure the best user experience, we prioritized the order in which information would be displayed, focusing on capturing the most valuable data during testing.
Test
Before implementation, I tested the design using the card sorting technique to determine the most intuitive arrangement for each piece of information.
I worked closely with a fellow Product Designer, who was also focused on the Experiences Item page. Since we wanted both designs to align in terms of structure and elements, we collaborated to ensure consistency across the two.
The feedback we gathered was incredibly valuable. For example, we identified the need to improve the gallery, as well as the importance of enhancing location visibility. We made the map more prominent and added nearby relevant places, landmarks, and recommendations for bars and restaurants to provide a richer user experience.
Results
We improved the design according to the latest testing.
Once this design was implemented, we got to publish 1000+ hotels at once, getting the content from the API (before this, we had only 200 curated hotels on the platform).
We kept running live testing and checking on performance as well as conversion. Also, keep an open conversation with Customer Services.
By the end of the third month, conversion increased, getting to 30 bookings per day.
We noticed that users weren't seeing the difference between curated (created by CT) and non-curated content (API), and actually, conversions were higher for non-curated content.
This was a red flag for the company, as they were focused on the Curated content.
I learned about APIs and the different needs this kind of platform has.
It's also the legal side of it; it's not as easy as it looks.
Working on iOS and Android separately can be a problem because of UI differences and implementation, especially if you have a short timeframe.
I learned to keep open communication with stakeholders for the latest updates.
I learned the importance of Customer Care.