Research Report 1
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Table of contents
Pg2-3
Content Page
Pg4-5
Introduction
Pg6-7
Project Objective
Pg8-9
Methodology
Pg10-11
-SWOT
Pg12-13
- Interviews
Pg14-15
-Persona
Pg16-18 Pg19 Pg20-21 Pg22-23
-How Might We -Ideation -Design Development
-Design Pg24-25 Recomendations
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Introduction
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Airbnb a well-known accommodation app has been around for awhile It is popular with the millennials. It started out as a bed and breakfast place and now currently makes revenue of 2.6 billion USD as of last year (2017). Airbnb started off mainly in the US but has slowly made its way to provide their services around the world. Recently they have tired, approaching Asia’s market and have set up a Pacific Asia office right here in Singapore. Its simple aesthetics and beautiful pictures capture people’s attention off the bat and help them be iconic among other travel apps and websites. Airbnb services depend on a lot of trusts and it also revolves around building a community and a family providing
travellers with new ways to spice up their holiday. Not only that Airbnb has also provided other services like accommodation but experiences as well that are tailored to each country’s speciality. But as of recent Airbnb has been a hot topic in certain countries as they review the rules that Airbnb has to follow in order to continue their business. Many have spectacular that it is illegal to book an Airbnb in Singapore but it was just a rumour but there are discussions regarding the rule and regulations. Thus in the report, we will be exploring methods on how Airbnb can expand it’s business while still admitting to the rules and regulation.
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Project Objective
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My research will explore the different aspects, of how Airbnb can strive in Asia’s Market. Apart from that the research, will also be understanding what the users want from
Which will include - The methods used - The insights gain -Target audenice - Design Recommendations
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Methodology
Observation & Immersion
- Arranging observerations in SWOT -Mapping of my own expereinces
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Interviews & surveys
Persona Journe
- Learning their existing perceptions
-Identitifyin stalkholde
- Identitifying stalkholders
-Identitifyin points for e
- Asseting their options on their expereince
-Mapping p expereince
a & User ey Map
Identifying Insights
ng target ers
- Identifying pain points and highlights via User journey map
ng pain each persona
personas’ e
- Breaking down the pain points and higlights
Identifying Opportunities
-Brainstroming for ideas - Finalize design recommendations
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User Jounrey Map Browsing
Plans 01
02 03
04
05
06
01) Booking of Airtickets for Chiang Mai , Thailand
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02) Moves over to Airbnb to get an accomendation
03) Keys in location and other details
04)Click on the homes cateorgy
06) G litte ch
Booking
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12
08
6
Gets too hoices
11 07
10 08) Has more decent choices now.
12) 09) Clicks to 10) 11) See the see the Shocked at breakdown Booked details the price of the price the room after placing in the dates
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Immersion (SWOT)
S W O T
trenght
eakness
- Photo and text has a neat layout , readable fronts -Interested places open in new tab ridding the hassle of going back and forward in your history - Categories potential users’ preferences (Family and work) Filters
- No FQA function( app and website) -There’s only 2 main services Airbnb provide; Homestay and experiences -Not all information are given on the front page, especially pricing
- Easier dedicated platform to acess tips and events -Buliding a community -Increase the number of services
ppunities
hreats
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- Authenticy - Security for personal info
Insights Gain Strenght The strength gave some insight into what
well-craved front it is very readable for all ages
Airbnb is doing right.
and types of people which gives the sense of inclusiveness even though it is a small detail.
- Having the neat layout makes it more userfriendly, which does attract some people to
From here we can tell that the site was very
the site as it becomes more comfortable to
well thought out as it is not only user friendly
read and browse the site
but also very inclusive as a mention.
The fronts are important as well, with their
From the weakness, we can see what are the
The main one I would like to talk about
things that can improve the app or website.
it probably about not being open and transparent with the users.
I place having only 2 types of service under weakness as if you are a person who does not
As there are additional costs in place after
travel often these services don’t tend to relate
attempting to book the place. Where users
to the user.
will start to lose trust in the brand as they feel cheated and disappointed
- Having the opportunities section highlight
Why they approach Facebook group because
somethings that the company could do or
there was a certain amount of trust that there
improve on.
are people running the group whom they can be open with.
Building a community, base on that it is not to be taken they don’t have a community they
And there is also no sharing platform for the
do but it is very scattered and usually on the
host to contact each or ask for a piece of
other platforms eg Facebook.
advice, it an closed up community.
Threats identify what would harm the
And being a host, one definitely has a fear
company and what we should fear for the
factor of what happens if my address leaks
company,
out especially if one was famous or a private person.
Authenticity, as the site gets more popular among people it becomes hard to keep it
It is nice to have the security, which will gain
special and true to itself and the company.
peoples’ trust.
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Perception of Airbnb Wanting to experience local lifestyle and having a feel of being at home
Review section and the user verification
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Being able to com selected apartm don’t have the would have to op tabs to com
Create an instant messaging app
mpare a few ments. They function. I pen multiple mpare.
i hope that the option for hostels/guesthouses can be more obvious other than just putting "homes" under the search option.
It is cheaper and I personally feel that the cleanliness is better too
Much more friendly app?
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Avery
Bio Age: 22 Career: Journalist Character:Adventurous A travel journalist, who loves a good adventure and is always down to explo re.
Pain Points
Goals
- Has very few activities that interest her on the app
- To discover unique and out-of-this-world experiences
-Had a terrible experience with the host on the previous home-stay
- To be inspired by whatever and whenever
Browsing
Plans
Booking
02
08
01 06
04
07
05
12 09
03
11 10
01)Receive news on the next job and next location.
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02)Finds a list of houses easily .
any interesting events.
04) Try searching other sites for events and activities.
05) Saw some hotel promotions and advertisemen .
06) Wonder if she should book a hotel instead .
07) looks at the budget given decided to go back to Airbnb site .
08) Found a place within her budget .
09)Discovers 10) Could there hidden not contact host costs. regarding the cost and other enquiries.
11) Recalls a terrible experience of house renting.
12) Decided to take the risk and book the place .
Mike
Bio Age: 38 Career: Engineer Character: Kind A family man, who is very protective about his family and like to spend time with family
Pain Points
Goals
- Hard to gather family on a daily basis
- To spend more time more time with family
-Family has various interest hard to come to an agreement
- To make more memories with his children
Browsing
Plans 01
02
Booking 06
07
05
09
02)Hears that Airbnb is a good platform to checkout.
03) Try to get his family, together to plan the hoilday as a family.
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08
04 01) Plans a holidays
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10
03
05) Recalls old family trips to see he can do something similar.
06)Found a few places that were similar to the past trips.
07) Sharing 08) Family the choices can’t come with the to a family. decision.
09)Calming the situation down Mike ask each to suggest the place of their choice.
10) Found 11) Plans some places out the that match itinerary on the wants for paper and each ask the member. family over dinner.
12) Comes to a decision and book the place.
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Tracey
Bio Age: 35 Career: Buyer Character: Thrifty A successful businesswoman, who travels a lot for work
Pain Points
Goals
- Employer doesn’t book her accommodation for her business trip. -Gets frustrated easily after spending too much time on the internet -On a tight budget
Browsing
Plans 01
Booking
05
04
07 12
02
06
10
03
11
08 09 01) Has to go for an overseas business meeting
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02) Boss gave very little allowance for her this business trip
03) Looks through her usual hotel/hostel sites, realised it was not within her budget.
04) Try out Airbnb for a cheaper range.
05) Found some 06) Checks good choices her ‘liked’ under the Work locations category. and realised she is spoiled for choices.
07) Opens an 08) excel sheet Frustrated that she has and starts to go back listing the pros and cons and for, to of each place. get the information.
09) Eyes get tired and become upset that it is hard to make a decision.
10) Decided to pick the cheapest few.
12) Booked 11) Rules the out the cheapest ones that one out of are the too frustration. far away.
How might we
How might we ease user's experience and ensure they feel secure while using Airbnb services ? Having a How-might-we statement gives the research a focal point. After all the interviews and data where collated and express thru out persona. The How-might-we statement is based on the expreince of the persona and what pain points we would like to target at.
-Tracy’s pain points are that she has too many choices and can’t decide on a place even after browsing for a long time. . Thus the How might we include 2 important factors; making the expereince easier and a sense of security while using Airbnb’s e-services.
Avery’s pain points, are mainly feeling frustrated that she has diffculty reaching the host and she stills has doubts about the place. Mike’s pain points are that his family are always out on their own and rarely has time to discuss about Family vaccation, but don’t
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Planning as a group can be quite diffcult so having a shared platformed
Sharing platform
To give the a certain spend o
Break t
How migh user's expe ensure they while usin servic
Reply to reviews Replying to reviews give a sense of transparency and getting a 2nd options. 20
Quiz to help decide on places to go like a lucky draw kinda thing
e user a break after n amount of time on the site or app
time
iz Qu
ht we ease erience and y feel secure ng Airbnb ces ? Pl an ni ng Planning mainly for iternary, information for travel loactions and maps
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Design Development Quiz
Break time
After much more thought quiz doesn’t give the user the security they need if anything it makes people feel for insecure and fear the unknown.
In the recent few months, having a break from the internet is common practice as we are always so engross in the things happening online instead of things happening in front of us
Planning
Sharing
Planning is for a trip is not for everyone, but it is important to take note and orgainse the plans you had in mind, it gives comfort an security that things are in order.
Sharing your plans or trying to decide an option is a chore sometimes.It also puts the pressure off a person when someone else makes the decisions.
Reply to Reviews Being able to reply to reviews, will cultivate a more open and transparent community it would increase user’s trust.
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Final Breaking down the concept - Helping to make decisons - Getting to know the users - Help to collate needs and wants to churn out suggestions
A Virtural guide/ Assistant - In order to feel secure the users must trust Airbnb and their services. - Having a vitural guide will give users some clairty of what they have decided on and to be more transparent to gain user’s trust - Plus the break time, is add on feature to remind the user to take breaks while choosing their places.
Breaking down the concept -Planning is have the sense of security everything is in order - Whlie sharing gives you the ease of not making a decsion
Breaking down the concept - 2nd otpion - Open and transparent commnunity
A Collabrative platform - Trips are planned usually by 1 person but why not include everyone ? -Being able to see what your friend thinks / wants and if you have ideas to add on .
Reply function - Instead of waiting for the host to reply it is possible to get other reviews to give a reply -It will be a non-bias option 23
Design Recommendations
A Virtural guide/ Assistant The virtural assitant, Ava will guide the users throught the information that is missed out while scrolling and browsing before booking the place . On top of that it will also assist you in making your decsion after you have seen afew places Ava would be able to show the user the pros and cons of each place.
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A Collab platform
A collabrative plat group chat where y suggestion, and it ca and Cons of the plac can instead their com about th
brative m
tform, is abit like a you can share your an list down the Pros ce. The particpants mments and disscus he place.
Reply function By having the reply function, users can ask or enquire about the place that they are looking at via the review, not only they get a honest review but also a 2nd option, which is quite useful when making a decision.
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Conclusion
In Conclusion, the Airbnb app and website are very well done, but through the interviews and research did, There were some concerns that were express and wish to be solved for a better experience. Not only that but I believe Airbnb will continue to gain feedback from their users to improve their service for them,
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But thru this research, the insights gained from it were significant and mainly targetted towards the users and has not touched on the business and government aspect which is an interesting side of the business
Credits Airbnb logo http://www.stickpng.com/img/ icons-logos-emojis/tech-companies/ airbnb-logo
Campsite picture New york apartments https://www.pinterest.com/
Sharing platform Google docs Monday.com Quiz Buzzfeed .com anywhr.co
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