Zoe Zheng is a Product Designer crafting agentic experience at Adobe, based in San Francisco :D
View desktop for full version.
Zoe Zheng is a Product Designer crafting agentic experience at Adobe, based in San Francisco :D
View desktop for full version.
Alibaba - Fliggy
Super Map
Helping travelers plan detailed trips with theme-based map features, visual route planning, and collaborative customization tools
My Role
User Experience Design Intern at Alibaba - Fliggy
Duration
June – August, 2023
My Work
During the summer of 2023, I interned at Alibaba, specifically “Fliggy,” as a user experience design intern. Fliggy is a leading online travel platform in China. I worked on three projects – a "super map", a customer-business chatting tool, and the company’s career website. This page only demonstrates the "super map" project.
Problem
Unfulfilled User Desires
In the previous version of Fliggy, map features are categorized separately, such as booking hotels, purchasing tickets, and more. However, the maps have varying appearances, and users desire additional map functions. Based on the analysis of PM and UX research teams, users hope the app can assist them more effectively in making informed decisions, saving money, and conserving time. For Fliggy, the more frequent usage of maps helps improve business conversion. I’m in charge of the exploration map.
Selected UX Research Team's Findings
What Do Users Want?
Eager to Use Map
80% of the interviewees are willing to use map feature for information visualization.
Favor Collaborative Editing
80% of the interviewees prefer to have a collaborative editing feature in the map.
Smart Route Generation
All interviewees have a need for route generation and route editing.
Competitive Analysis
Theme-based vs. Function-based
I conducted an in-depth investigation into how map-related and travel-related apps creatively and practically address similar challenges, including analyzed the visuals, structures, functions, features, user interactions and more.
Theme-based
Creative visuals / interactions
Destination exploration
Quality over quantity
Route exploration
Function-based
POI information
Exploration around POI
Route planning
Itinerary planning
Sharing routes
Combing with UX research team's findings, I summarized the pain points.
Time-consuming Map Switching
Inefficient and repetitive to switch between different categories' maps, making the navigation experience less seamless and user-friendly.
Inability to Customize Routes
Users have varied travel preferences–transportation and departure times, but routes can't be customized.
Route Generation Falls Short
Can't generate a personalized travel routes based on the POIs that users are interested. The routes are also not visualized on the map.
Insufficient Information for Users
Users need more details about suggested stay length, distances between two POIs.
Brainstorming & Wireframing
Which Style Works Better for Us?
We conducted experiments with both function-based and theme-based designs by brainstorming functions features and wireframing, to determine which one is more effective for our specific needs. I was specifically working on the "Super Map", which is a public map.
For the convenience of understanding, I translated the screens into English down below.
Themed-based
Function-based
Team Evaluation
Theme-based
Immersive visual experience
Differentiate from our competitors
Highly content-dependent
Unsolved user demands
Function-based
Functions meet users’ demands
Lack of creativity
Distinguishing minutely from competitors
Encountering interaction flow hiccups
Function-based
Theme-based
Design Concept
An "super map" that assists people make more detailed travel plan efficiently and collaboratively through
Preserving some theme-based features within the map
Emphasizing on visualizing routes and route planning
Allowing travel planning customization and team collaboration
Selected High-fidelity Prototypes
Functionality with a Creative Edge
After discussions with the entire team and the Product Manager, we have confirmed the product direction, which is emphasizing on functionality, but with a smart integration with theme-based creativity.
Intelligent Routing
Increasing Usage and Sales
Recommending Nearby POIs
Integrating Theme-based Ideas
Final Product
Welcome to Download the App :)
This feature is now live and available for exploration. You can download it from the App Store to discover its full functionality.
Reflection
Encountering Issues. Looking for Solutions.
This feature is now live and available for exploration. You can download it from the App Store to discover its full functionality.
Challenges I faced
Diverse range of functions
Complex interaction paths
Balance between “theme” and “function”
Changes in product requirements from PMs
Lessons I learned
Delved into detailed interaction logic and flow
Cross-functional collaboration
Listened to diverse perspectives and ideas
Make design decisions
Effective communication for problem solving
