Airbnb Experiences Redesign
Digital • Spring 2024
For a project focused on inclusive design, I had the opportunity to redesign Airbnb's Experience page to improve its accessibility and make the process of booking an experience easier and overall more accomodating. Our UX Design class was lucky enough to learn directly from Airbnb guest speakers like Joel Isaac, whose insights on making websites accessible inspired us!
Our professor challenged my team to improve the Airbnb Experiences page's accessibility, specifically focused on making the page more user-friendly for individuals with speech and hearing difficulties, aligning with the WCAG guidelines of Perceivable and Understandable content.
Persona
User Journey
To begin, we carefully studied our users. We used a provided persona, Duman, a 32-year-old researcher who is deaf since birth. Duman relies on visual content like captions or transcripts, and as an ASL-first speaker fluent in Kurdish, he benefits from modifiable dialogue. His insight, “When digital content is designed for me, I can understand as much as the next person. I wish more people spoke in my native American Sign Language,” guided us. We then mapped out Duman's user journey to pinpoint specific obstacles and areas where accessibility could be improved on the Airbnb Experiences page.
Brainstorming
Paper Wireframe
Next, we moved into a collaborative brainstorming phase, generating different innovative ideas. We quickly sketched these concepts into paper wireframes, outlining the basic layouts and user flows to prioritize functionality. A key feature we developed was a host badge system. Hosts who completed specific training modules could earn badges like “Sign Language Savvy,” “Inclusive Explorer,” “Accessibility Advocate,” and “Empowerment Enabler.'” These badges are clearly displayed on the host's profile, helping guests like Duman easily identify trained hosts committed to providing a safe and inclusive experience through vital visual cues about communication.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
We then translated our paper sketches into digital low-fidelity wireframes, solidifying core components and navigation paths for pages like the “Experience hosted by Chad” and “Meet your Host” profiles.
High Fidelity Wireframes
From there, we crafted some clean high-fidelity wireframes. These upgraded designs showcased our proposed changes with our new, original visuals and interactive elements, making sure for a seamless and clearly communicated user experience with the new accessibility indicators.
What did we learn?
What did we learn?
We learned how deeply understanding user needs, particularly for individuals with speech and hearing difficulties, can shape every design decision. Using Duman's persona showed us the critical importance of providing visual alternatives for audio content and offering adaptable dialogue, truly making content Perceivable and Understandable.
We also discovered the power of features like a host badge system. It highlighted how a simple visual cue can empower users to find experiences that genuinely meet their needs, building trust and creating a more inclusive Airbnb community. This project reinforced the idea that thoughtful design, from initial sketches to detailed wireframes, can create experiences that truly welcome everyone.
We also discovered the power of features like a host badge system. It highlighted how a simple visual cue can empower users to find experiences that genuinely meet their needs, building trust and creating a more inclusive Airbnb community. This project reinforced the idea that thoughtful design, from initial sketches to detailed wireframes, can create experiences that truly welcome everyone.
If we'd had more time...
I would have loved to create a fully interactive prototype and conduct user testing with a diverse group of participants, especially those with varied speech and hearing needs! I also would have enjoyed exploring integrating AI features, like a personalized voice assistant capable of ASL interpretation, for possibly an even more effortless, hands-free experience.