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WanderHub is more than just a regular travel assistance application. Liying Peng designed the application with exclusive features to customize travel plans to find hidden gems, off-beaten-path locations, and underappreciated vacation spots, aiming to create a memorable travel experience for users. The award-winning application enjoys tremendous reviews, ushering in a career milestone achievement for the UX designer.
Despite not aiming for a formal launch, the project has successfully persuaded the software developers to embrace the concept and extrapolate upon the core idea. Liying’s conceptual project includes all the essential considerations for creating a travel application and allows for further modifications.
WanderHub is closely aligned with Liying’s overall work philosophy and her interest in crafting unique user experiences rooted in a human-centered approach. With the design of this application, she was able to fully transmit her energy to foster technology that resonates with users emotionally, enhancing their overall experience and introducing them to the parts of the world they seek to explore. It is a bold take on experimenting with how technology can tailor responses based on human responses, which are highly subjective.
“I was able to craft an experience that aligns with both the practical needs and the deeper aspirations of today’s travelers,” shared Liying in one of her media talks after being honored with the American Graphic Design Award.
The application’s development process began with conducting ethnographic interviews, following Liying’s instructions. This was done to understand the pre-existing concerns of individuals with travel applications and identify the features defining an ideal travel application. Upon completion of the research, four core features were finalized. Many respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the travel applications’ overwhelming, extensive, and sometimes irrelevant information, prompting the inclusion of personalized recommendation features. They expressed a desire for the application to be more precise in highlighting the essential information. The application also addressed the second most frequently reported complaint: the need for timely updates about nearby events. WanderHub provides users with up-to-date information about upcoming events based on location, including all necessary details.
Instant feedback options, post-trip reflection, and memory organization are the other unique features Liying was confident would enhance the overall user experience. She established an active communication channel between the software and users to expedite the review, check, and response operations. The application also informs users about past trip records and memorable moments. It lists all the missed spots, which would be suggested to be covered in the next trip.
“Fostering empathy and a sense of community among travelers was a central goal in designing WanderHub. Research revealed that while users often rely on reviews when making travel decisions, they are generally reluctant to leave reviews themselves,” added Liying.
Liying faced several challenges during the development process as she worked to optimize results with the available resources. She proposed a design for WanderHub that effectively balanced visual appeal and usability, minimizing potential risks. To create an engaging interface that users could easily navigate, Liying chose a straightforward yet innovative approach, prioritizing simplicity and clarity in her design. The outcome is a versatile design that can quickly adapt to changes while maintaining its essential elements.
Prototyping and user testing were crucial phases in the development process. Liying and the team closely monitored feedback to identify limitations and propose additional features. They also evaluated the overall user experience to implement necessary adjustments. Throughout this iterative process, the primary focus was on preparing a diverse sample size of reviewers, ensuring that individuals from various ages and backgrounds were included in the testing pool.
As a result, WanderHub has been transformed into a user-friendly and versatile application that resonates with a diverse array of travelers, a sentiment echoed by Liying, who emphasized that “user-friendly” is the more appropriate description.
In her professional journey so far, Liying has learned that designers perform to their full potential when the product is a development of an amalgamation of their personal beliefs and pragmatic aspects of the creation. Liying, who has a solid background in visual communications, believes that the efforts put into designing a product shine in its ability to communicate with users without needing an extensive overview. Understanding users’ needs is fundamental, and combining this insight with visual appeal is what truly makes a great product. Visual appeal alone should not be the sole convincing factor, as it is the integration of user needs and aesthetics that distinguishes a decent product from a brilliant one. The design of WanderHub has significantly contributed to its success.
Liying has proposed some features which can be considered during the modification process in the future. She has suggested the incorporation of a sustainability column in the application, which will allow travelers to share about their recent travels and what they think about the steps that can be taken to sustain tourism.
“This enhancement would align WanderHub with the growing demand for environmentally conscious travel options, helping users make more responsible choices and reinforcing the app’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism,” concluded Liying.
For more details and information, please visit liyingpeng.com. Reach out to Liying Peng for professional partnerships at Liying Peng | LinkedIn.
