Industry

Aviation

E-commerce

Tools

Figma

Miro

Google Meet

Pen & paper

Microsoft Word

Analysis

Affinity Map

With many observations from the usability tests, I needed a way to make sense of it all. I created an affinity map to visually group and categorize the findings, which helped reveal common themes and deeper patterns.

The process involved first organizing notes into broad categories, such as "Home page," "Search result page," and "Booking page." I then drilled down into more specific subcategories like "flight search," "date picker," and "calendar view" to refine the notes further.

This process gave me a comprehensive overview of my research, allowing me to isolate the key areas to focus on in the next design stages.

Customer Journey

After synthesizing key themes with the Affinity Map, I developed a Customer Journey Map to illustrate the end-to-end user experience. This visualization mapped each step of the booking process, capturing user goals, frustrations, and positive moments, and ultimately informed design choices that aimed for a seamless, intuitive experience.

The mapping exercise revealed moments of uncertainty and frustration. It emphasized the importance of an interface that provides clarity, guidance, and reassurance throughout the journey.

Design

Flow Diagram & Sketching

I mapped the core journey from search to booking confirmation, focusing on key touchpoints and removing friction. The flow prioritizes essential tasks and guides users seamlessly end-to-end.

With the flow established, I created sketches to explore layouts and interactions. These early drafts helped test navigation and clarity, laying the groundwork for a clean, intuitive design.

Prototyping & Annotations

After validating sketches, I translated ideas into low-fidelity wireframes to define structure, sharpen layouts, and streamline functionality. These prototypes clarified flow, copy, and navigation, laying the groundwork for a seamless experience.

I standardized the design with the Simple Design System, ensuring cohesion across the site. Early user testing optimized navigation and refined the information hierarchy, resulting in a smoother, more intuitive journey.

Take off in UX

Designing an online booking system from scratch

During my UX Design Professional Diploma, I took on the challenge of creating a seamless online booking system from the ground up, no app, just a sleek, user-friendly web platform. This project was my playground to flex every UX skill I have, turning a complex process into an intuitive experience.

The Goal

The main objective of this project was to identify and resolve common usability issues faced by users while increasing conversion rates. Through user research, iterative design, and user testing, I aimed to create an intuitive, effortless, and user-friendly booking solution.

Research

Usability Testing

I conducted usability tests to observe how users interacted with flight booking websites. I gathered insights by observing participants through essential booking tasks. I could see firsthand where they encountered friction or confusion. The purpose of my note-taking was to extract key pain points from these sessions.

In total, I participated in three usability tests across four different websites. I moderated one of my own tests, conducting the interview and guiding the participant through the tasks. For the other two tests, I was an observer, focusing on detailed note-taking. My objective was to highlight key insights so that anyone who hadn't watched the sessions could understand what happened without needing to view the recordings.

Key Insights

My research revealed that users were frustrated by navigation difficulties, which highlighted the need for intuitive layouts and clear booking paths. I also discovered specific pain points, such as the desire for more prominent calls to action and frustration with unnecessary steps in the booking process. These insights directly influenced my design priorities, focusing on simplicity and clarity above all else.

Lift off ✈

Lift off ✈

Reflection & Conclusion

This project gave me a deeper understanding of how small friction points - unclear copy, visual clutter, or missing guidance - can ripple into emotional frustration, especially in fast-paced, price-sensitive booking contexts.

One key learning was how easy it is to lose focus by trying to solve too many problems at once. After defining the core issues, I had to step back and refine the flow multiple times to align with the intended journey. Keeping it simple and user-centered required conscious effort and iteration.

If I were to do it again, I would:

  • Spend more time usability testing competitors and peer solutions

  • Analyze established design patterns and affordances more closely

  • Apply progressive disclosure more thoughtfully, especially in areas like the add-ons section

The process strengthened my skill in observing what users actually do, not just what we expect them to do. By iterating on findings across different travellers, I learned how to translate recurring frustrations into purposeful design changes. The prototype lays the groundwork for improvement, with future stages focused on polishing the flow, validating decisions, and evolving the experience with deeper insights.