Locals' Problem

Tourists need easy access to recommended restaurants and attractions since they don't know the area.

~ 71%

of Gen Z most often discover new things on social media.

~ 59%

of Gen Z fall into the early majority when it comes to adopting new innovations.

~ 60%

of Gen Z buy products because they are made by small businesses.

Goal

Create a recommendation feature in the app for users in order to:

Have users interacting with the app, increasing satisfaction and retention.

Offer honest information based on other users' experiences, making visiting areas easier.

Encourage users to add more content and favorite recommendations, boosting community participation.

Research

The primary user group identified was young adults who frequently travel out of their residential area.

Pain points included:

Time - travelers are too busy to learn everything about unfamiliar areas.

Language Barriers - not knowing the primary language of the area makes it hard to navigate.

Organization - adults have a hard time finding which places to go to during their travels.

Funding - young adults have a limited amount of funding when they go on trips.

Opal Design Process Graphics (16 x 12 in) (11 x 8 in) (8 x 8 in)(8).png

Ideation in the Design Process

Approach

I focused on designing a screen that provides users with straightforward information about the recommendation they clicked on. Making this screen easy to read will aid users in quickly discovering if they're interested in this endorsement.

Some feedback from rounds of usability testing included:

Young adults want plain and direct labels on their screens.

Young adults want simple tag options for recommendations.

Young adults want to follow other people for recommendations.

Promotional Advertising for the App

Results & Retention

Impact

Following the launch of our new app, the analytics team conducted an in-depth evaluation of the recommendation feature’s impact. The data revealed significant user engagement, with users actively interacting with personalized suggestions and spending increased time on the platform. The success of this feature highlights its effectiveness in delivering relevant and valuable content, making it a key driver of user satisfaction and long-term engagement.

As of 90 days post launch:

400+ recommendations from users have been added on the app.

30 glowing reviews on the App Store, highlighting user satisfaction.

+22% in content consumption when users where active on the app.