Airbnb app — UX mini case study for first time user

Overview

Feeling the need for a change, I decided to explore Airbnb for the first time to cure my boredom and plan a getaway. Despite its reputation for offering unique and affordable stays, my initial experience left room for improvement in terms of user satisfaction. This case study seeks to uncover the pain points encountered during my first encounter, propose thoughtful design enhancements, and ultimately elevate the overall user experience for both new and seasoned users of the platform.

Here’s why:-

1. Currency Confusion: Users encounter frustration since Airbnb defaults to USD, causing confusion and extended search time. The lack of an intuitive currency change option adds an unnecessary hurdle to the booking process.
2. Inconsistent Category Navigation: Navigating stay categories becomes problematic as the top bar automatically shifts to the next stay when users swipe. This inconsistency interrupts the user flow, creating a less-than-optimal experience.
3. Results Navigation Glitch: Returning to the previous screen results in an automatic navigation to the top of the results, disrupting the user’s focus and requiring additional scrolling.
4. Logout Complexity: The process of logging out proves cumbersome, as users are led through a convoluted path under “Login and Security.” The need to individually select devices for logout adds unnecessary complexity.
5. Ambiguous Activity Log: Users face ambiguity in the activity log, where the active status is presented as a date, and the device name in use is unclear. This lack of clarity can create confusion about the security and status of the user account.

To address these pain points, this mini UX case study seeks to thoroughly evaluate and redesign Airbnb’s app features. By applying UX principles and leveraging insights gained from user interactions, the goal is to enhance usability, streamline navigation, and improve overall user satisfaction. Through thoughtful redesigns, the aim is to create a more intuitive and user-friendly Airbnb experience, ensuring that users can effortlessly navigate, book, and manage their stays.

Problem Statement and Improved Solution

In assessing the existing design of the Airbnb app, I identified areas of improvement through a multifaceted approach:

1. User Experience Feedback: Leveraging my personal experience as an app user, I observed pain points such as currency confusion, category navigation glitches, unexpected results page resets, complex logout procedures, and ambiguous active status displays.
2. Common Sense Inquiry: I asked fundamental questions about the app’s functionality and user interface. For example, why does currency default to USD, and is there a clear and intuitive way to change it? Why does category navigation behave unexpectedly? These inquiries revealed potential shortcomings in the design that impact user understanding and satisfaction.
3. Heuristic Evaluation: Applying heuristic principles, I assessed the app for compliance with recognized usability guidelines.

By combining all the insights from my own user journey, posing fundamental questions, and applying heuristic evaluation principles, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the existing design’s pain points. The identified areas for improvement will serve as a foundation for a focused redesign effort aimed at delivering a more user-friendly and seamless experience on the Airbnb app.

Existing Design home screen — Problem identified

Problem Identified 1- Home Screen:

1. Heuristic Principle Identified: User Control and Freedom: Users experience a lack of control and freedom on the home screen due to the tab bar behavior. Automatic navigation to the next page and the page resetting to the top upon going back hinder the user’s ability to explore stays efficiently. The tab bar design conflicts with the principle of allowing users control over their navigation.

Improvement Suggestion:

Redesigning the tab bar to provide users with more control and freedom in exploring stays. Implementing a user-friendly swiping mechanism without automatic navigation, ensuring consistency and predictability in user interactions.

2. Heuristic Principle Identified: Flexibility and Efficiency of Use (Slider Interaction): The slider’s behavior, particularly when holding to view the list of stays, creates inefficiencies and reduces flexibility. Users must navigate cautiously to avoid landing on unintended stays. The slider’s current implementation poses challenges to user flexibility and efficiency.

Improvement Suggestion:

Enhance the slider functionality to allow users to view the list of stays more effortlessly. Consider alternative designs that maintain user control while providing a seamless and efficient browsing experience.

Problem Statement 2- Currency Change:

Heuristic Principle Identified: Flexibility and Efficiency of Use (Currency Change): Users encounter confusion and difficulty in changing currency on the Payment and Payout screen, primarily due to its placement at the top right corner. The current placement of the currency change option hampers the user’s ability to efficiently navigate through payment settings.

Improvement Suggestion:

Reevaluating the placement of the currency change option on the Payment and Payout screen. Opt for a more prominent and easily accessible location which will improve the user’s ability to navigate and change currency settings with ease.

Another is to automatically setting the currency based on the user’s country code at sign-up simplifies transactions. Users can experience a personalized and hassle-free payment process, minimizing confusion. This enhances satisfaction and promotes a seamless platform experience.

Problem Statement 3- Login:

Heuristic Principle Identified: User Control and Freedom (Logout Process): Users experience a lack of control and freedom during the logout process, as there’s no option to log out from all devices simultaneously. The current system requires users to individually select and log out from each device.

Improvement Suggestion:

Introducing a “Log Out from All Devices” option in the logout settings to empower users with greater control. This enhancement simplifies the process, providing a more efficient and secure way for users to manage their sessions.

Heuristic Principle Identified: Help User Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Problem (Device Identification): Users face uncertainty regarding the identification of the device in use, leading to potential accidental logouts. The current display only shows generic device names (e.g., “Mobile device”) rather than specific models. Inadequate device identification hinders user recognition and increases the risk of inadvertent logouts.

Improvement Suggestion:

Revise the device identification display to include specific model details alongside generic names (e.g., “Mobile device — iPhone X”). This ensures users can confidently identify their current device, reducing the likelihood of accidental logouts and enhancing overall user experience.

Redesigned Screen

Home Screen

The Tab bar and slider interaction on home screen can be improved by enhancing the functionality of navigation, so that the user can have a control and have seamless experience. On top of that I decided to add currency option on Home Screen, so that user can seamlessly change the currency without navigating to Payment and Payout screen and change it.

Login Screen

Introducing a “Log Out from All Devices” option enhances user control in logout settings, ensuring efficient and secure session management. Additionally, revising the device identification display with specific models reduces the risk of accidental logouts, elevating the overall user experience.

Device Logout — Old (Left) , New (Right)

Iteration

Following user testing, where participants were shown the existing and redesigned screens without prototypes, valuable insights were gathered regarding the currency-related features. Users expressed the following key points:

1. Automatic Currency Setting: Users suggested that if the currency could be automatically determined based on their country code during the sign-up process, the need for manual currency adjustments would be reduced.
2. Infrequent Currency Changes: Feedback indicated that once users set their preferred currency, they seldom felt the need to change it. Consequently, the prominence of the currency change option on the homepage was considered less crucial.
3. Flexible Currency Checking: While a majority of users rarely altered their set currency, some expressed an occasional desire to check prices in different currencies.

Taking these insights to consideration, the subsequent iteration involved relocating the currency-changing feature to the Payment and Payouts screen which will be set as default. This adjustment aligns with the observation that users are less inclined to modify their currency settings frequently.

To address the occasional need for currency variation, a user-friendly solution was implemented. A dropdown menu was strategically placed near the price display, allowing users to effortlessly switch between currencies when desired. This addition not only caters to those who occasionally wish to check prices in different currencies but also maintains a seamless user experience by decluttering the homepage. Meanwhile, the currency will automatically refresh to default currency once user refresh the page.

These refinements aim to strike a balance between user preferences, automation, and accessibility, contributing to an enhanced overall user experience.

Redesigned Currency change feature before and after testing

Redesigned Currency change feature with drop down after testing

How it will benefit users?

Home Screen

Now, users experience seamless currency updates based on their country code, eliminating the need for manual changes. The introduced dropdown feature allows effortless switching between currencies, enhancing efficiency and flexibility in searches for a more user-friendly experience.

Device Logout

Users can now avoid accidental logouts from their active device, enhancing overall efficiency. The option to log out from all devices except the active one provides a seamless and secure logout experience, preventing unintended disruptions.

Payment and Payout Screen

Since the placement of currency change is now in a more accessible location, users experience increased Flexibility and Efficiency of Use. They can now change currencies more swiftly, aligning with their preferences and needs for a more user-friendly experience.

How it will benefit business?

Home Screen

The implementation of these features reduces session length, minimizing user confusion and errors during searches. This streamlined process increases user engagement, contributing to higher conversion rates and improved user retention.

Device Logout

The introduction of this feature reduces the error rate, resulting in higher user satisfaction. A smoother and more secure logout process contributes to a positive user experience. This, in turn, enhances the platform’s reputation and may lead to increased user engagement and retention.

Payment and Payout Screen

This improvement contributes to enhanced user satisfaction by reducing the complexity of currency changes. The streamlined process can positively impact business in increased user engagement, and improved conversion rates.

My Learnings

1. Iterative design, guided by user feedback and heuristic principles, creates a user-friendly platform responsive to evolving needs.
2. Aligning design improvements with business metrics fosters a reciprocal relationship, where positive user experiences impact conversion rates, retention, and brand perception.
3. Strategically placing features, like automatic currency setting, streamlines interactions, heightening efficiency, reducing errors, and bolstering user satisfaction.
4. Designing features for user flexibility, such as dropdowns for currency changes, while maintaining control ensures a seamless and positive user experience.

Thank You for reading. If you liked my case study you can let me know by commenting.💭

Thank You for reading. If you liked my case study you can let me know by commenting.💭

Also do let me know if you didn’t like anything or if anything could be improved, or just feedback is all welcome. 🥳

You can connect with me on LinkedIn, or you can mail me at mayuri.gupta3010@gmail.com for work-related opportunities. THANK YOU.😁