Design and conceptualize a new app to improve the customer experience at every journey stage
Client
Industry
Travel
Services
User Research
Journey Mapping
User Experience
Discovery
User Interface
The Challenge
Releasing a robust, flexible and scalable MVP
Exoticca is an online travel agency providing clients with unique experiences designed by a team of product crafters and curators specialized in each travel destination.
In recent years, it has focused on growth and increased the company’s bookings and turnover. The company currently has a consolidated position in the market.
The company detected the need to go a step further in the service they offer their customers, improving their experience throughout the journey. To do so, they created a new app to accompany customers throughout their journey, providing support and information about their trips and value-added services.
Exoticca contacted Multiplica in their search for a partner to carry out the project for the new app. Their goal was to design a robust, flexible, and scalable travel app, so it could grow with new functionalities over time. Additionally, it needed to have an exquisite user experience to facilitate its use and customer engagement.
“To properly scope the project and ensure a timely launch with the highest level of rigor, we decided to work on an MVP that would have the key functionalities, as well as a tone and storytelling that would captivate the user from the moment of download to foster app engagement.”
What did we do?
Prototyping and designing a memorable customer experience
The project kicked off with a Discovery phase to get the insights needed to define the app’s MVP functionalities. Together with the Exoticca team, we determined the basic principles on which to build the app to achieve our goals and the functionalities it should provide.
The functionalities defined were prioritized based on two variables (value to the traveler and difficulty of implementation) to identify those that should be part of the MVP and those to be released at other project stages.
To set up this prioritization, we performed an analysis focusing on the following milestones:
- Interviews with Exoticca stakeholders to understand the goals, expectations and project requirements.
- Interviews with Exoticca clients to understand their needs throughout the entire journey: from planning to post-trip.
- Industry benchmarking to gain insight into competitors’ best practices.
- Definition of a traveler journey including pains and needs at each touchpoint to identify how to provide value from the app at each step of the journey.
- Collaborative workshop to prioritize MVP functionalities.
In the next stage, the MVP was prototyped and designed. The UX team defined the content architecture and made high-fidelity prototypes of each of the screens and functionalities and the interactions that take place. Subsequently, the UI team created the design based on Exoticca’s brand identity manual.
To involve both teams and create synergies, we organized weekly follow-up sessions throughout the prototyping and visual design process, which allowed us to be agile in the definition, feedback, and final adjustments.
Key learning
In the next stage, the MVP was prototyped and designed. The UX team defined the content architecture and made high-fidelity prototypes of each of the screens and functionalities and the interactions that take place. Subsequently, the UI team created the design based on Exoticca’s brand identity manual. To involve both teams and create synergies, we organized weekly follow-up sessions throughout the prototyping and visual design process, which allowed us to be agile in the definition, feedback, and final adjustments.
The results
Carlos Molinet
Director of Customer Engagement at Exoticca
Highlights
The importance of prioritizing the creation and release of an MVP
Listening to stakeholders and understanding traveler needs played a crucial role in creating a compelling app for download.
Alignment among all teams
Achieving synchronized work between internal and external teams to find the optimal solution quickly and efficiently.
Continuous follow-up and agility
Collaborative follow-up during the prototyping and design phase ensures the project is always on time and all deadlines are met.