Suitehaven

Suitehaven is a case study that explores travel accommodation apps, understanding what families with children focus on when booking. Suitehaven focuses on communicating safety features and accountability. I created physical and digital touchpoints in addition to interactions within the app to test its effectiveness with users.

Posters: First Touchpoint

The Greene Family sees poster while in the airport while waiting to board the plane during their return flight. They note Suitehaven and scan the QR code to learn more.

Poster of a child at an aquarium looking at a shark that reads 'this is the scariest part about traveling'

Poster of a child doing a ropes course that reads 'this is the scariest part about traveling'

Poster of a roller coaster that reads 'this is the scariest part about traveling'

Explore

Collaborating with their family friends, Mom Greene downloads Suitehaven and begins to look at listings.

Host & Reviews

Remembering a bad experience in the past, mom Greene looks into reviews to double check the quality and safety of the home. They read the review from the Lynch family and decides to visit the Brooklyn Children’s museum with the kids. Mom Greene is interested in Sunny Brooklyn Brownstone, and reaches out to Elizabeth with concerns. This convinces her to book Sunny Brooklyn Brownstone.

Postcard

After signing up for Suitehaven, Mom Greene receives a postcard in the mail. They will receive another after their trip. 

Brochure

Upon entering Sunny Brooklyn Brownstone, Mom notices the brochure which includes the WIFI password and other basics about the apartment. It also includes how to get to Brooklyn Children’s Museum which they all want to visit.

User Interviews

Why?

Does Suitehaven’s design align with the travel goals of parents?
Are Suitehaven’s features unique and offer users a better experience than competitors?

Who?

Raelyn - Avid traveler, travels with friends / in groups, uses airbnb
Jacob - Father, travels frequently, collabs with wife, travels in groups, uses airbnb
Megan - Mother, travels frequently, collabs with husband, works with kids, uses airbnb
Morgan - Father, avid traveler, travels with friends / in groups, uses airbnb
Renzo - Father, avid traveler, travels with friends / in groups, uses airbnb

Testing Plan

Background Questions - It was important to understand how users plan for traveling in groups.
Card Sorting - Users sorted cards from most to least important amenities and features were while planning, and while on vacation.
SuiteHaven Jetbridge Poster - Users were asked about the effectiveness of the poster, and of a poster as the first touchpoint.
In App Reviews Interaction - Getting to reviews allowed users to get familiar with a listing and see the ease of use of finding reviews, which appear at the bottom of a listing.
Learning About the Host - Another in app interaction, people who value safety want to know that the host of their accommodation is trustworthy. Therefore, the features about the host were tested to see if they were valued by the users and effective.
Brochure - Feedback on unique features of brochure
Postcard - Feedback on unique features of postcard

Learnings organized from testing

How do teams plan?

Users plan vacations as a group. Being near activities for everyone was most important to consider when planning.

All interviewed users talked about planning vacations with other groups/ families.
Raelyn traveled to New Orleans with 2 other friends, planning their trip together and over text.
Raelyn is a foodie and wanted to be close to restaurants, while her friends were interested in shopping near the city center.
Jacob and Megan have a google doc shared with the other family they are traveling with to a cabin upstate NY which they list their first choices of airBNBs and what they look for in accommodation.
Morgan and Renzo used video calls to discuss budget and amenities with another family when choosing an airbnb in Scotland.
Being near the city was important for both families, and so were separate rooms for everyone.

Suitehaven needs to be Accessible

People need more than one direct route from a touchpoint to the platform.

All users suggested a QR code on the poster and on the post card.
“A QR code on the poster would make sense, now that QR codes have been more popular because of Covid” - Morgan about the Suitehaven Dinosaur Poster
“Since this is asking me to leave a review, it would be helpful if the QR code would lead me directly to a form to leave a review, so I don’t have to navigate there.” - Jacob about the after visit postcard.
“A QR code to scan for the reward on the postcard so I can scan it and then throw it away” - Renzo about the coupon on the postcard.
QR code added with caption to leave a review added based on user feedback.

Copy matters

People may focus on phrases designers don’t expect.

“If I was waiting in line to board the plane on the jetbridge, I would read this and think about if family tested, and safety approved should have hyphens.”- Megan about the Suitehaven Dinosaur Poster.
“I could see myself wondering if they’re going to hand out with us” about meet the neighbors, chat with the host, relax together, although this wording makes me feel cozy.”The word ‘tested’ makes me think of covid.” - Morgan, who just had the flu, about the phrasing of ‘family tested’ on the Suitehaven Dinosaur Poster.
“About the review from the neighbors, “Is neighbor Garnett living with us?”As neighbor reviews are in the listing and brochure. It was suggested to have an icon suggesting they are a neighbor, but somehow signify they won’t be in your accommodation with you. Similar feedback was given about the host.
Copy updated on Dinosaur Poster to address confusing language such as ‘loft’ and ‘tested’. Also added QR code.

Photos of people are essential to credibility and trustworthiness.

Before: Confusing placeholder and no icon images.

After: Updated placeholder images and trusted host profile.

Summarizing main points is essential

Users appreciated the summary points on reviews made them easier to digest. They like having this information in the preview, and a read more for the rest of the review.