UX Design Project
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Winter 2023
Description
Although there are solutions available for itinerary planning, transportation, and exploration, packing remains a mundane yet stressful and essential task that needs to be addressed. As part of UX Design Class, I take on the challenge of designing a packing app to simplify this process for travelers.
My Role
Project Manager and Lead UI/Brand Designer
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Zoom (for user interviews)
Link
Collaborators
Shannon Morales
The Problem
Traveling can be a stressful experience for families, especially when it comes to packing. Many families struggle with researching, creating, and organizing packing lists, which can lead to forgotten items, overpacking, and last-minute stress. This problem can detract from the overall travel experience and add unnecessary anxiety to an already busy time.
The Solution
Paca automates the packing process and providing gamification elements, the app makes packing a fun and engaging activity for the whole family. Families can simplify the packing process, reduce stress, and ensure a smoother travel experience.
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The Process
Discover
Prototype
Analyze
When looking at the overall travel journey, we set out to think outside the box and look for areas that have not been addressed; we decided to focus on packing for travel, a mundane yet stressful and essential task that has yet to be addressed, especially for families.
- 6 Interviews
- Family Oriented A lot of experience with group traveling packing
- Leads the packing process in the household
Parents value structure to come up with solutions to the challenges they face during the process of packing (pre-traveling).
Parents value independence and individual responsibility during the process of packing (pre & post) to reduce stress on their part
Parents feel overwhelmed by the wide range of emotions felt in the process of (pre & post) packing.
Parents progress through the stages of (pre & post) packing on the basis of the upcoming future.
Parents idealize control with efficiency within the process of (pre & post) parents.
Our goal was family, friends and group travel. Designing for everyone. However, later in the problem we realized this wasn't a good area, however, for this case study it was valuable learning experience and one worth sharing.
How might we solve for group travel? Multiple features appeared. Looking at activities to do in the city, getting notifications about who's bringing what. See where everyone's at in the process.
The goal was family, friends and group travel. Designing for everyone. However, we weren't able to articulate who we were solving for and what exactly were the issues. I looked back into the interviews and found it would be best to dive deeper into the family space. Noticing a few patterns, I talked to the users again to validate some assumptions.
Currently there is not a lot of control and very negative "valence" (emotion). Parents want to be in high control and e positive valence
At the core of any experience is emotion. After synthesis, the model was created to reflect our finding. Our solution needed to be designed around the emotion of "relaxed."
In order for parents to feel relaxed, based off our interview insights. Parents need to be supported. Parents need to be in control. And our solution needs to be adaptive.
Support means gives assistance or add strength. The features we included making sure our app is intuitive. Us A.I. to anticipate what their lists will be based off of their activities. And streamline communication with the family.
The design system needed to be clean, clear and concise. When designing the design system we thought of ways to minimize as many interactions as possible and make every interaction clear.
A key feature of automating lists with A.I., we ask parents what basic activities they're doing then based off what they selected create a list so that all they have to do is refine, instead of thinking what to pack.
"Communication is key," a key insight was parents value structure and a part of that structure is streamlining communication so when lists start being created, any family member can request items to any other family member.
1. Button to receive request from family members
2. Add the items
3. See who requested item so you don't forget
Control means to supervise, parents aren't enthusiastic to create their children's lists and pack for them. However, they do that because they know it will get done. By being able to see their progress and manage what they need to pack makes packing less stressful.
Stress lies in the unknown, by liberating parents of knowing if there child packed in not, there is peace of mind.
Have everything in one place. No need to google the weather or look through long itinerary's. Paca has a tab that shows you exactly what you need to know to pack.
Access your past trips and reuse lists from past trips. No need to start from scratch.
Adaptive means to change in different situations. The features include autonomy and growth.
Current solutions mean that parents have to create a lists for the children but also pack the items. With the power of A.I. children experience lists in a whole new way. Words become pictures and lists becomes a scavenger hunt. No need to account, we make it easy with a pin code.
As the family grows so do responsibilities. Chose the level of permissions a member has. Whether it's a spouse, older teen, or younger teen, or children, we look for ways to fit your need
Host/Co-Host: the one who starts the trip has complete control, the have power to change the trip details
Adult: Adults still living with the family or teens who have gotten the hang of travel, can edit their lists and check things off
Teen: They need guidance on what to pack, but they can pack for themselves
Child: They need guidance and can't pack for themselves, they can only pack through the scavenger hunt experience
Creating the look and feel of the app, we wanted it to be fun, yet a sense of structure and calmness. I created a stylescape to capture the look and feel through different elements.
Parents value structure to come up with solutions to the challenges they face during the process of packing (pre-traveling).
Parents feel overwhelmed by the wide range of emotions felt in the process of (pre & post) packing.
Parents progress through the stages of (pre & post) packing on the basis of the upcoming future.
We created a user flow based off our features, the goal was to minimize as many interactions as possible.
