Case 03
Booking.com Redesign
Travel
Booking.com Redesign
Travel
Project Overview
Booking.com is a leading online travel platform that helps users find and book accommodations such as hotels, apartments, and resorts worldwide. In this redesign project, I explored how usability, consistency, and clarity could be improved through iterative design and user research. The goal was to enhance the booking experience by simplifying navigation, improving information hierarchy, and aligning the interface with the platform’s internal design system.
Solution
Based on insights from user interviews, We focused on improving efficiency and content categorisation to help users locate information faster and make more confident booking decisions. The redesigned interface optimised key functionalities - such as filtering, comparison, and booking process - while maintaining visual consistency with the existing design system.
[Industry]
Travel
[Team]
Ruby - UX/UI Designer
Yejin - UX/UI Designer
[Platforms]
Mobile App
[Timeline]
6 Weeks
Key Features
Before
Lack of categorising causes inconvenience
Hard to compare room options
Unavailiable to view discount deals
The section division is not clear for the users
Some buttons are hard to recognise
Unnecessary duplicate content exists
Unavailable to change the date and guest during the booking process
Give the price without taxes and charges on the final step
Limited function on payment process
After
Categorising Contents
The hotel room subpage was redesigned to improve clarity and efficiency, allowing users to quickly access key details such as room types, bed sizes, and available amenities.
Improving Efficiency
Users can adjust dates or guest numbers directly within the booking flow, allowing them to instantly see updated prices and options without repeating previous steps.
Optimising Functionality
The updated interface allows users to search conversations with the hotel to quickly locate important details such as check-in times, booking confirmations, or special requests.
Discover
Desk Research
What is Booking.com?
Booking.com is a popular online travel agency that allows users to book various accommodations, such as hotels, apartments, villas, and resorts around the world. The platform enables users to search for and compare prices of various accommodations and make reservations in real-time.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis is a method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of a company. This helped us identify potential areas for improvement and inform design decisions.The ability to connect with a vet in seconds
User Interview
We conducted user interviews to gather insights into user needs and pain points when using the Booking.com service. During the interview, I asked open-ended questions to understand their booking experience, including what they liked and disliked about the service, any difficulties they faced, and what they wished could be improved.
" Sometimes the main picture of the hotel looks the same. It's hard to find what I want to make a reservation through the cover photo. "
Interviewee A
" They should make the information clearer or more visible, whether it is refundable or not. For people to make choices. "
Interviewee B
" At booking.com, I saw that there was only one hotel room left. But It's always like that. So I can't really believe it.. "
Interviewee C
Interview Summary
[Hotel Booking Service]
Reason for using hotel booking service:
Reweards and benefits according to grade
Popularity, Top Search
Devices used for hotel booking and why:
Mobile: Convenience, simple payment, discount
Web: Compare to other sites, check room size and information accurately.
Important information when booking:
Price
Review/Ratings
Photo
Location
Bed type
Define
Prioritization Categories
Using prioritization categories, we identified and ranked the most important features and improvements for our redesign project, allowing us to determine which areas to address first.
Must Have
Reservation process UX
Search Filter
Room selection list UI
Organising process
Should Have
Remove Dark Pattern
Improve the parts that users may find uncomfortable during the use process. Added improvement features include price declaration, free cancellation notification, price change, and the number of rooms.
Could Have
Improving Accessibility
Will Not Have
Problem with Service Operations
Comparision with other websites
Information on the year and area of the hotel was establised
Ideate
Crazy 8s
We used the Crazy 8s activity to generate visual design concepts. The activity involves sketching eight different design concepts in eight minutes, with each concept focusing on a different part of the app. The goal is to generate a variety of design ideas quickly, allowing for more creativity and experimentation.
Medium fidelity wireframe
Design System
Design
Prototyping
Test
Usability Test
We conducted a usability test to see if users found any part of the app hard to use. We found that all users had difficulty with the filter depths we re-designed. To make searching easier, we put all filters together in one page.
Key Findings
Users found the new categorization of hotel rooms more helpful than the previous design.
Users appreciated the ability to make changes to their reservations during the booking process.
Users found the search filters more user-friendly and easy to use.
Users found the elimination of dark patterns, such as unclear pricing, improved their trust in the platform.
Iterative Improvements
Based on the user testing feedback, we made several iterative improvements to our design. These Included:
Making the room selection list more visually appealing and easier to navigate.
Simplifying the search filters further to improve user-friendliness.
Adding more information about taxes and fees to the price breakdown during the booking process.
Improving the messaging system between users and hotels to ensure better communication.
Final Design
Categorising contents
We improved the Booking.com app's accommodation information page by categorising and prioritising the reviews, location, facilities, and other relevant information.
Improving the filter design
Through user research and testing, I identified pain points and opportunities for improvement, and ultimately redesigned the filter layout and functionality to create a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for travelers.
Improving photo navigation
We made property photo pages easier to navigate and simplified the layout for better user experience.
Enhancing booking experience
We improved booking experience by simplifying the layout, redesigning the number of steps required to complete a booking, and adding a progress bar to guide users through the process.
Improving profile & chatroom pages
We organized the profile page to make it easier for users to find what they need. Additionally, we made changes to the chat room page, including the addition of reservation information.