UI/UX Design | Product Design
IHG MAP MY STAY
The challenge is that IHG Hotels and Resorts wants to increase their direct bookings by leveraging technology, targeting younger audience.
MY ROLE
In this project, I collaborated with software engineers, project manager, and data scientists to ideate, conceptulize, and come up with the solution for IHG in 10 weeks. As the UX/UI designer, I delivered prototype iterations, product stories and managed usability testings.
In this project, I collaborated with software engineers, project manager, and data scientists to ideate, conceptulize, and come up with the solution for IHG in 10 weeks. As the UX/UI designer, I delivered prototype iterations, product stories and managed usability testings.
IMPACT
We proposed to IHG the feature of Map My Stay, an interactive map that is integrated into their mobile app, that allows users to create travel map, plan trips, and earn rewards.
This new feature has been tested that it increases user engagement and user retention rate on the IHG mobile app. By adding a sense of ceremony to travel experiences, it attracts new users and invites Loyalty Members to continue exploring the world with IHG.
We proposed to IHG the feature of Map My Stay, an interactive map that is integrated into their mobile app, that allows users to create travel map, plan trips, and earn rewards.
This new feature has been tested that it increases user engagement and user retention rate on the IHG mobile app. By adding a sense of ceremony to travel experiences, it attracts new users and invites Loyalty Members to continue exploring the world with IHG.
Onboarding
The onboarding process simplifies user engagement with this new feature, mitigating the potential challenge of complexity and ensuring a smooth user experience.
Unique Travel & Memory Map
Map My Stay increases user retention rate because it cultivates emotional attachment by enabling them to craft and customize personalized travel maps.
Plan, Save, and Navigate Trips with Ease
Map My Stay seamlessly integrate a trip planning tool directly into the map, empowering users to effortlessly create personalized travel maps that perfectly fulfill their needs and complete their journey.
Enhance IHG Rewards Club Experience
Map My Stay entices users through a captivating experience that combines personalized interactions with enticing rewards, fostering a strong sense of engagement.
UNVEILING THE DESIGN
From concept to execution, view the full story behind the design.
Understanding
The Client
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG Hotels & Resorts) is a leading global hotel company with 18 brands located in over 100 countries and territories.
MISSION
To create great hotels that guests love.
VALUE PROPOSITION
Diverse portfolio of brands; Consistent standards of quality; Innovative technology
CHALLENGE
Facing threats from Online Travel Agencies (the share of OTAs in 2021 was 30.6%);
Brand Identity is not as clear compare to competitors (Hilton & Marriot);
GOAL
Attract younger generations travelers to become loyal members and increase bookings from IHG’s direct channels (website, mobile app, customer lines, etc)
To create great hotels that guests love.
VALUE PROPOSITION
Diverse portfolio of brands; Consistent standards of quality; Innovative technology
CHALLENGE
Facing threats from Online Travel Agencies (the share of OTAs in 2021 was 30.6%);
Brand Identity is not as clear compare to competitors (Hilton & Marriot);
GOAL
Attract younger generations travelers to become loyal members and increase bookings from IHG’s direct channels (website, mobile app, customer lines, etc)
Understanding
Our Users
We completed 30 in-depth interviews with our target audience - Gen-Z Leisure & Business Travelers to find patterns in their behaviors and needs. We gained these insights:
KEY DEMOGRAPHICS
PREFERRED CHANNELS
LIFE STYLES
- Age Range: 18 - 27
- Common Titles: New Grads, Students;
Young Professionals
PREFERRED CHANNELS
- Trendy Social Media
- OTAs (existing smartphone apps)
- Peer Reviews and Recommendations
LIFE STYLES
- Gain mainsource online
- Love using new technologies
KEY PSYCHOGRAPHICS
CHALLENGES
- Tech-savvy
- Budget limited - price matching
- Values exploring different experiences
CHALLENGES
- Limited time on Trip planning
- Staying on budget
- Favors personalization
PAIN POINTS
Clear and easy comparison;
24hr free cancellation;
Fast booking with auto fill profiles;
Membership benefits to all the hotels;
- Brand is NOT a priority of accommodation
- Limited service/convenience in the booking process
- Strong COMPETITION from non-direct channels (OTAs)
Clear and easy comparison;
24hr free cancellation;
Fast booking with auto fill profiles;
Membership benefits to all the hotels;
OPPORTUNITIES
- Enhance SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE on hotel brand recognition
- Increase flexibility for special requirements, and provide hyper-personalized service
- Increase response rate to emergency request
- Provide loyal customers associated services
- Provide localized and unique trip-planning
- Amplify REWARD PROGRAM
Ideation & Validation
After taking insights from interviews, analyzing pain points and opportunities, and understanding our customer value, we came up with some initial ideas.
IDEA 1: IHG 24/7 DIGITAL CONCIERGE DASHBOARD
INTENTION
Increase flexibility for special requirements, and provide hyper-personalized service. Since we have customers’ profiles, we can implement functionalities such as auto-fill the booking information, provide personal recommendations, map-based trip planner, etc.
︎ LIMITATION
Increase flexibility for special requirements, and provide hyper-personalized service. Since we have customers’ profiles, we can implement functionalities such as auto-fill the booking information, provide personal recommendations, map-based trip planner, etc.
︎ LIMITATION
- The scope is too big for a 10-week project;
- Too much functionalities cluttered together on one page which does not offer a pleasant experience;
- Hard to measure the performance of each functionality individually
IDEA 2: IHG EXPERIENCE HUB
24/7 chatbot customer service & Interactive map of IHG hotels
24/7 chatbot customer service & Interactive map of IHG hotels
INTENTION
Enhance personalized service for loyalty members, and build a holistic IHG community. To potentially build a traveling social network based on IHG Loyalty Members, that provide better travel experience, and also increase IHG brand recognition.
︎ LIMITATION
Enhance personalized service for loyalty members, and build a holistic IHG community. To potentially build a traveling social network based on IHG Loyalty Members, that provide better travel experience, and also increase IHG brand recognition.
︎ LIMITATION
- Target audience find the interactive map more engaging;
- IHG's mobile app already includes an automated system that covers some chatbot functionalities, such as online check-in and check-out;
- The chatbot and interactive map do not appear to form a cohesive narrative when combined, as they seem to function as two distinct features within the platform;
- Focusing on both features simultaneously may lead to a diffusion of our efforts;
IDEA 3: IHG MAP MY STAY
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INTENTION
︎ STRENGTHS
- Enhance hyper-personalized experience (from idea 1);
Nesting a holistic IHG community (from idea 2); - Amplify reward program;
- Enhance social media influence on hotel brand recognition;
-
Provide loyal customers associated services;
-
Provide localized and unique trip-planning;
︎ STRENGTHS
- The scope is much more feasible;
-
It offers well-connected trip planning and personal experience functionality on the interactive map;
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It seamlessly integrates the interactive map feature into the existing IHG mobile app, providing a cohesive and unified user experience.
Traction & Progress
We knew that the idea of Map My Stay is built on certain assumptions, and to validate the most critical ones, we have developed three experiences aimed at mitigating the risks associated with the solution.
RISK 1: USER ATTRACTION
ASSUMPTION
Users will be incentivized by the feature of MapMyStay to join IHG Loyalty program
EXPERIMENT
We built an website which randomly show one of the two ads we created, one close to IHG’s current loyalty program ad and the other one with emphasis on MapMyStay. The audience will randomly view one of the ad, and decide if they want to sign up for more information. The website was sent to Slack, Whatsapp, and Reddit Hotel Channels.
ASSUMPTION
Users will be incentivized by the feature of MapMyStay to join IHG Loyalty program
EXPERIMENT
- A/B Testing
We built an website which randomly show one of the two ads we created, one close to IHG’s current loyalty program ad and the other one with emphasis on MapMyStay. The audience will randomly view one of the ad, and decide if they want to sign up for more information. The website was sent to Slack, Whatsapp, and Reddit Hotel Channels.
RESULT
17.6% vs 12.5% Sign-up rate
INSIGHT
Although the number of participants in our experiment is still small, the results suggest that MapMyStay has the potential to attract more potential users to the program.
RISK 2: USER ENGAGEMENT
ASSUMPTION
Gamified and personalized travel map will increase user engagement amongst loyalty members.
EXPERIMENT
To assess the impact of the new feature on user engagement, we employed contextual inquiry and designed three tasks for IHG users to test on our prototypes.
ASSUMPTION
Gamified and personalized travel map will increase user engagement amongst loyalty members.
EXPERIMENT
- Contextual Inquiry
To assess the impact of the new feature on user engagement, we employed contextual inquiry and designed three tasks for IHG users to test on our prototypes.
INSIGHT
- Interests for social aspects is polarizing;
- Interest for personal memory recording is high;
- Map My Stay creates more use case and thus more user integration;
- Users are concerned with data privacy related to MapMyStay;
- Integration with existing IHG App could be improved.
RISK 3: USER EXPERIENCE
ASSUMPTION
Users can easily navigate the interactive map and find it easy to use
EXPERIMENT
During the contextual inquiry, we also recorded in-depth usability testing results. We broke down the feedbacks from users into five categories and made improvements to our wireframe.
ASSUMPTION
Users can easily navigate the interactive map and find it easy to use
EXPERIMENT
- Usability Testing
During the contextual inquiry, we also recorded in-depth usability testing results. We broke down the feedbacks from users into five categories and made improvements to our wireframe.
RESULT
IMPROVEMENT INSIGHTS
- Navigation and Organization
- Booking Accessibility
- Rewards Priority
- New User Guiding Instructions
- Miss of Information
ITERATION EXAMPLE
BEFORE
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Navigation is unclear and confusing copy wrting
“Hard to find Map My Stay Entrance”
“Mark Reports doesn’t indicate that I can view my points here”
BEFORE
Navigation is unclear and confusing copy wrting
“Hard to find Map My Stay Entrance”
“Mark Reports doesn’t indicate that I can view my points here”
AFTER
- Enhanced navigation and concise information architecture
- Reduced Information: Focus on featuring the most essential sections
- Concise label and copy
BEFORE
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Purchase flow (hotel booking) is hidden and undirectional
“Booking feels lost in the process of trip planning”
“I wish there’s more information about the hotels”
Purchase flow (hotel booking) is hidden and undirectional
“Booking feels lost in the process of trip planning”
“I wish there’s more information about the hotels”
AFTER
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- Added a distinct and prioritized IHG recommendation section
- Prominented Hotel Recommendations
- Added list view that increased accessibility to the recommendations and hotel booking page
IMPACT
ENHANCED USER EXPERIENCE
After conducting our second round of usability testing with iterated prototypes, we were delighted to observe a remarkable improvement in nearly all ratings, particularly in ease-of-use and navigation flow. The iterations made based on user feedback have resulted in a significant increase in the ratings, reflecting a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
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INCREASED ATTRACTION TO LOAYLTY PROGRAM
Based on valuable user feedback, it has been found that engagements with Map My Stay foster a strong sense of personalization and rewards. The enhanced features and benefits provided by Map My Stay serve as compelling incentives, further attracting users to join and engage with the loyalty program.
ENHANCED SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE AND BRAND VISIBILITY
The sharing of personal map significantly contributes to IHG's social media presence. The captivating visuals, personal stories, and recommendations shared on social media create a vibrant community and foster active engagement with the brand.
INCREASED CUSTOMER RETENTION RATE
By allowing users to create and personalize their travel maps, the platform fosters a sense of ownership and attachment. As users started to create their unique travel map, they become more inclined to continue planning their future trips using the same platform.
After conducting our second round of usability testing with iterated prototypes, we were delighted to observe a remarkable improvement in nearly all ratings, particularly in ease-of-use and navigation flow. The iterations made based on user feedback have resulted in a significant increase in the ratings, reflecting a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.
INCREASED ATTRACTION TO LOAYLTY PROGRAM
Based on valuable user feedback, it has been found that engagements with Map My Stay foster a strong sense of personalization and rewards. The enhanced features and benefits provided by Map My Stay serve as compelling incentives, further attracting users to join and engage with the loyalty program.
ENHANCED SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE AND BRAND VISIBILITY
The sharing of personal map significantly contributes to IHG's social media presence. The captivating visuals, personal stories, and recommendations shared on social media create a vibrant community and foster active engagement with the brand.
INCREASED CUSTOMER RETENTION RATE
By allowing users to create and personalize their travel maps, the platform fosters a sense of ownership and attachment. As users started to create their unique travel map, they become more inclined to continue planning their future trips using the same platform.
LEARNINGS
As an Experience Designer,
one of the biggest lessons I learned was that creating a great customer experience isn't just about increasing efficiency. It's also about understanding the unique needs and desires of customers in different industries. For example, IHG Hotels and Resorts operates in the travel and hospitality industry, where creating memorable experiences for travelers is paramount to their success. In this industry, the human element of communication and interaction is still incredibly valuable. This means that some of our initial ideas, such as replacing human labor with a 24/7 chatbot or digital concierge, did not work.
I think that our solution, Map My Stay, works well because it’s a gentle trigger of the great memories for everyone. This feature provides travelers with a way to communicate with their past selves and record unforgettable moments, while also offering a way to share their experiences with friends and family in a more vivid way.
My experience working with IHG taught me that creating a great customer experience requires a deep understanding of the industry and the unique needs of its customers. By focusing on the human element and creating solutions that enhance the customer experience, we can create memorable and rewarding experiences that keep customers coming back.
one of the biggest lessons I learned was that creating a great customer experience isn't just about increasing efficiency. It's also about understanding the unique needs and desires of customers in different industries. For example, IHG Hotels and Resorts operates in the travel and hospitality industry, where creating memorable experiences for travelers is paramount to their success. In this industry, the human element of communication and interaction is still incredibly valuable. This means that some of our initial ideas, such as replacing human labor with a 24/7 chatbot or digital concierge, did not work.
I think that our solution, Map My Stay, works well because it’s a gentle trigger of the great memories for everyone. This feature provides travelers with a way to communicate with their past selves and record unforgettable moments, while also offering a way to share their experiences with friends and family in a more vivid way.
My experience working with IHG taught me that creating a great customer experience requires a deep understanding of the industry and the unique needs of its customers. By focusing on the human element and creating solutions that enhance the customer experience, we can create memorable and rewarding experiences that keep customers coming back.
